It  can  often  be  hard  as  parents  to  connect  with  our  kids,  especially  as  they  get  older.  Although  we  were  young  once  too,  it  seems  like  they  live  in  a  completely  different  world  right?  iPhones,  Facebook,  Twitter,  Youtube;  their  world  is  so  different  to  the  one  we  grew  up  in.  For  us,  a  relationship  was  meeting  up  with  someone.  For  our  kids,  it  is  chatting  to  someone  online.  For  us,  an  assignment  was  researching  and  studying.  For  our  kids,  it  is  a  5-­‐minute  search  on  Google.  Things  sure  have  changed.  

With  so  much  going  on  and  so  many  things  calling  for  their  attention,  it  can  be  a  real  challenge  to  engage  young  people  in  their  schooling.  This  can  be  so  frustrating  for  parents,  which  is  why  we  wanted  to  put  this  together;  to  make  your  life  a  little  easier.    

We’ve  mastered  the  art  of  inspiring  young  people  and  want  to  share    those  secrets  with  you.  Please  use  these  strategies  and  share  them  with  your  friends.  We  hope  this  helps  you  bring  out  the  best  in  your  child.    

And  so  do  we.  We  value  young  people  like  they  are  our  own.  Since  we  first  started  in  2006  we  have  worked  with  thousands  

of  students  from  K-­‐12  to  help  unleash  the  genius  within.  

You want the best for your child…

The  foundation  years:  how  to  inspire  your  child  to  perform  at  their  best  and  instil  a  passion  for  learning.  

PRIMARY  SCHOOL   .03

Where  young  people  become  adults:  the  habits  they  build  during  this  time  will  stay  with  them  for  life.  

HIGH  SCHOOL   .04

 

HOW TO INSPIRE YOUR CHILD

By  Nic  Rothquel,  Director  of  Elite  Education  

 

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When  your  child  gets  home  from  school,  they  are  probably  pretty  tired.  They  might  crash  out  on  the  couch,  raid  the  kitchen  (eating  those  biscuits  you  were  saving  for  that  special  ‘me’  time)  and  then  do  whatever  it  is  they  do  to  relax:  play  Xbox,  browse  the  internet,  play  guitar  or  kick  a  ball.  When  it  finally  comes  around  to  tackling  their  homework  it  is  probably  the  last  thing  they  want  to  be  doing.  

It  can  be  so  frustrating  as  parents  trying  to  convince  our  kids  that  studying  is  good  for  them.  We’ve  been  there  –  we’ve  experienced  first-­‐hand  the  benefits  of  hard  work  or  consequences  of  no  work.  All  we  want  to  do  is  save  them  from  those  lessons  we  learnt  the  hard  way!  

But  what  if  it  isn’t  about  convincing  at  all?  For  young  people  a  logical  argument  might  just  be  useless  words.  A  poor  sales  person  will  try  and  convince  you  to  buy  a  product  based  on  the  features,  but  a  good  salesperson  will  sell  to  you  based  on  what  the  product  can  do  for  you.  

Maybe  it  is  the  same  with  young  people.  

Rather  than  nagging  them  to  do  their  homework,  try  encouraging  them  and  explaining  why  it  will  benefit  them.  

Young  people  will  respond  much  better  to  something  that  appeals  to  their  heart;  their  emotions.  The  key  to  inspiring  children  is  to  paint  a  picture  of  what  they  are  capable  of  achieving  if  they  apply  themselves.  Telling  them  to  get  stuff  done  won’t  inspire  them.  Explaining  why  it  is  beneficial  will.  

A  good  sales  pitch  should  not  be  about  the  features  of  the  product;  it  needs  to  show  how  it  will  make  your  life  better.  

Real  inspiration  comes  from  the  heart.  

Inspire young people from the inside out.

They  might  have  had  a  tough  day  at  school;  let  them  come  home  to  a  place  where  they  are  appreciated  and  loved.  Make  sure  you  say  one  encouraging  thing  to  your  child  each  day.  It  doesn’t  need  to  be  over  the  top,  just  compliment  them  on  how  well  they  dealt  with  a  problem,  or  that  they  are  a  good  person  to  be  around.  Beware  of  the  little  things  we  say  that  shatter  their  confidence;  “Your  room  is  always  messy”,  “Stop  being  so  lazy”  and  any  other  generalisation  can  really  hurt  a  child’s  view  of  themselves  

Encourage  them.  

When  you  can  demonstrate  that  you  genuinely  care  about  a  child’s  problem,  they  will  feel  valued  and  accepted.  The  next  time  they  mention  that  they  are  having  problems  with  a  friend  or  struggling  with  an  issue,  actually  take  the  time  to  think  about  it  and  then  discuss  with  them.  Even  if  they  don’t  listen  to  you,  they  will  appreciate  that  you  went  to  the  effort  of  thinking  about  it.  

Share  your  thoughts.  

Kids  have  moments  where  they  want  to  feel  loved.  One  of  these  is  when  they  get  home  from  school/work/social  lives.  Even  though  you  may  be  really  busy  making  dinner,  working  on  the  laptop  or  vacuuming  the  house,  drop  everything  and  make  them  feel  welcome.  Give  them  a  hug  and  talk  about  their  day.  This  will  let  them  know  they  are  important  to  you.  Equally  important  is  the  farewell  –  make  it  count.  

Welcome  them  warmly.  

Daily Lovin’:

 

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Primary  school  was  fun.    

I  don’t  remember  much,  but  I  know  it  was  fun.  I  remember  a  few  things:  getting  my  pen  license  in  year  2,  the  first  time  I  held  a  girls  hand  and  the  time  my  friend  Sam  vomited  all  over  his  desk.  

Despite  not  being  able  to  remember  a  lot  of  the  details,  those  years  were  crucial  in  shaping  my  attitudes  and  perspectives.  Just  like  building  a  wall,  the  years  between  K-­‐6  really  were  the  foundations  that  supported  what  would  happen  later  on.  

Inspiring  a  love  of  learning  from  a  young  age  is  crucial,  and  it  starts  at  home.  The  greatest  role  model  a  child  will  ever  have  in  their  life  is  their  parents.  If  they  see  you  enjoy  learning  then  they  will  too.  I  know  things  can  be  so  busy  with  work  and  laundry  and  preparing  dinner,  but  taking  the  time  out  to  learn  with  your  child  will  make  such  a  big  difference.  

Explore  things  together.  Rather  than  watching  TV,  why  

These are the foundational years that will determine their attitudes in the future.

not  play  games  or  spend  some  time  reading  together?    

Kids  enjoy  a  challenge;  because  they  like  to  be  rewarded.  If  you  can  instil  personal  satisfaction  as  the  greatest  reward  of  all  from  a  young  age,  your  child  will  be  determined  to  do  their  best  for  life.  

It  is  a  valuable  lesson;  instead  of  trying  hard  for  reward  or  praise,  they  do  it  for  the  knowledge  that  they  worked  hard  and  conquered.  

Create  fun  games  that  will  challenge  them  to  think  hard.  Give  them  a  weekly  research  assignment  and  get  them  to  present  it  in  a  speech  at  the  end  of  the  week.  Get  them  to  help  you  cook  dinner  and  measure  out  the  ingredients.  Practice  memory  enhancing  activities.  

The  most  important  thing  you  can  do  to  inspire  your  child  between  K-­‐6  is  demonstrate  that  you  love  them  and  believe  in  them.  A  supported  child  will  usually  outperform  a  genius  who  is  unappreciated  because  they  are  more  likely  to  try  harder.  

PRIMARY  SCHOOL  

 

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As  a  result,  it  can  become  a  very  tough  time  for  all  involved:  the  parents  who  just  want  their  kids  to  do  well  clash  with  the  kids  who  seemingly  don’t  care  how  well  they  do.  

Sometimes  It  can  feel  like  you  are  on  autopilot:  “Clean  your  room”…“Put  your  phone  away”…  “Get  off  Youtube”.  You  often  wonder  what  it  is  they  do  behind  their  closed  bedroom  door  all  the  time.  What’s  that  strange  sound?  Oh,  it’s  your  sons  iPod  –  he  calls  it  ‘music’.    

If  you  are  tired  of  the  struggle,  stress  no  more.  We  want  to  make  your  life  easier:  here  are  a  couple  of  ways  to  inspire  your  child.  

• Allow  them  to  find  their  thing.  Whether  it  be  guitar,  acting,  sport  or  coding,  each  young  person  has  something  that  will  allow  them  to  feel  like  they  are  in  their  element.  When  they  find  this,  encourage  them  to  be  the  best;  it  is  something  that  they  will  love  and  work  hard  at  willingly.  

• Promote  hard  work  as  a  reward  in  itself.  It  is  a  great  habit  to  create.  Too  often  young  people  need  some  sort  of  reward:  either  a  tangible  prize  or  a  verbal  encouragement,  but  if  you  can  instil  the  intrinsic  reward  of  hard  work  it  will  ensure  they  do  their  best  at  whatever  they  choose  to  pursue.  

• When  it  comes  to  encouraging  them  to  do  the  things  that  they  really  don’t  want  to  do,  try  to  avoid  nagging  them.  What  you  want  to  communicate  to  your  child  is  that  you  have  to  do  what  you  have  to  do  so  you  can  do  what  you  want  to  do.  Remind  them  that  each  time  they  pick  up  their  pen  they  are  building  their  future.  

• Celebrate  achievements  by  focussing  on  the  effort  put  in.  If  they  do  well  in  exam  don’t  praise  the  great  result;  draw  attention  to  the  effort  they  put  in  to  achieve  it.  This  will  create  a  greater  emphasis  on  the  hard  work  and  will  inspire  them  to  repeat  in  the  future.  

• Encourage  learning  from  mistakes.  Mistakes  will  be  made.  Don’t  yell  at  them;  spend  time  with  them  to  learn  valuable  lessons.  

From years 7-12 young people undergo a journey from teenager to adult.

There is no other time in our life where we experience

such rapid change. Homework:  the  nemesis  of  the  teenager.  One  of  the  greatest  pieces  of  wisdom  that  we  can  give  to  our  students  is  this:  

The  more  work  you  do  at  school,  the  less  work  you  have  to  do  at  home.  

Most  students  only  apply  themselves  between  40-­‐50%  in  class.  They  are  busy  talking  to  friends,  thinking  about  the  weekend  and  playing  on  their  phones.  If  they  apply  themselves  more,  they  will  get  more  done  and  reduce  what  needs  to  be  done  later.  

CONQUERING  HOMEWORK:  

A  number  of  strategies  to  share  with  your  teenager,  making  them  a  powerhouse  of  efficiency  and  creativity:  

1. Be  proactive  

2. Begin  with  the  end  in  mind  

3. Put  first  things  first  

4. Think  win-­‐win  

5. Seek  first  to  understand  

6. Synergise  

7. Sharpen  the  saw  

More  info  at  www.eliteedu.com.au  

7  HABITS  OF  THE  HIGHLY  EFFECTIVE  TEENAGER:  

HIGH  SCHOOL  

 

 

The  greatest  inspiration  you  can  give  your  child  is  a  private  tutor  to  join  them  on  the  journey.  

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

Elite  Education  has  been  providing  one-­‐on-­‐one  tuition  on  the  Northern  Beaches  for  over  7  years.  Having  worked  with  thousands  of  students  from  K-­‐12,  Elite  Education  is  the  expert  in  providing  individualised  academic  mentoring.  

Whether  your  child  is  struggling  to  keep  up  in  class  or  pulling  away  from  the  rest,  a  private  tutor  will  give  them  the  support  they  need.  

Either  in  our  Dee  Why  tuition  centre  or  straight  to  your  home,  our  tutors  are  young,  fresh  and  experts  at  what  they  do.  

We  also  run  a  number  of  holiday  seminars  throughout  the  year.    

We  hope  you  will  entrust  us  to  nurture  and  support  your  child.  Call  today  for  a  free  assessment  session  and  give  your  child  the  strongest  advantage.  

 

"I  sought  tutoring  a  little  over  a  year  ago  because  my  son  had  lost  all  motivation  and  his  grades  were  dropping  fast.  A  teacher  from  his  school  recommended  Elite  Education  where  we  saw  them  once  a  week  on  average.  

Not  a  great  one  for  study,  my  son  now  looks  forward  to  his  tutoring  sessions  and  his  motivation  and  grades  have  both  improved  rapidly.  He  is  now  managing  over  80%  in  his  subjects  and  his  teachers  have  only  praise  for  him.  

I  am  really  pleased  with  the  outcome  and  I  would  recommend  Elite  Education  to  anyone  considering  tutoring!"  Gwynne  Flood,  Parent  

 "Since  I  started  my  tutoring  with  Elite  Education,  I  have  gone  from  failing  every  exam,  with  my  last  exam  result  being  15%,  to  

topping  the  year  with  45/50.  I  couldn't  have  done  it  without  them”  Dan  Robinson,  Student  

 "Now  that  my  son  Lachlan  has  completed  his  HSC  Adv  Maths  tutoring  sessions  with  one  of  your  tutors,  Alex,  I  just  wanted  to  

thank  you  for  the  fantastic  service  provided.  I  have  nothing  but  praise  for  Alex  -­‐  what  an  outstanding  young  man  he  is!  Always  on  time,  polite,  friendly,  a  great  role  model  and  most  importantly,  really  knew  the  subject  well.  From  the  feedback  Lachlan  has  given  me,  Alex  explained  everything  so  well  and  successfully  helped  Lachlan  with  areas  he  was  finding  difficult.  It  was  also  very  convenient  having  the  tutoring  sessions  at  home  

and  Alex  was  always  very  accomodating  with  dates,  times  and  any  changes  made  to  these.  Many  thanks,  will  definitely  use  your  company  again  in  the  future  and  would  recommend  your  tutoring  services  to  anyone"  

Leanne  Jameson,  Parent  

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