Sister Yu Qi lives in a capital in the north. Most of my students and the students in kindergartens and primary schools I contact are in interest classes, and there are more than one. Many children are busier than adults on weekends.
I couldn't help sharing my conversation with a fourth-grade student.
Sister Yu Qi: The Star of Hope English Style Competition is about to begin. Do you want to sign up?
Student: When is the teacher's competition?
Sister Yu Qi: At the end of November.
Student: I'm not free, teacher. I'm too busy.
Sister Yu Qi (surprised): What are you up to?
Student: I have a guitar competition next month. Teacher, I have many classes on weekends. I have nine and a half hours of classes on Sundays alone.
Sister Yu Qi was speechless.
A student asked me a question on WeChat at 10 in the evening, saying that he was still doing English homework and dictating words. A student's mother said that the children wrote their homework until after ten o'clock in the evening, got up at six o'clock the next morning to do their homework, and had English classes, Olympic math classes, guzheng classes and dance classes on weekends.
Many times, children attend so many interest classes, not because of their heartfelt interests and fun, but because of parents' anxiety to a greater extent. The neighbor's children are learning to draw, but my children fall behind if they don't learn. My classmate is learning to dance. If my little girl doesn't learn, she will be inferior to others in the future. Therefore, children are busier than usual on weekends, and parents also rush back and forth between various training institutions.
There are several factors to consider whether to sign up for an interest class:
1.？ Children are really interested, and only if they like it can they stick to it. If they are unhappy in class every time, not only will their learning effect be poor, but children and parents will also have a hard time.
2.？ Whether the child's time and energy are acceptable, and whether the child's body can withstand high-intensity classes.
3.？ Whether to leave flexible space for children's time. Children need to have flexible time to cope with the sudden increase in school activities, the occasional increase in homework, and anything that may be faced at home. If the schedule is too full, once there is a problem in one link, it may cause the children to be in a hurry, and it will take time to catch up if they miss classes.
4.？ Parents' time and financial endurance. Whether parents can sometimes help their children and whether the cost of interest classes can be borne are all factors that need to be considered.
Usually, it is more scientific and reasonable to have 2-3 interest classes. If you don't enroll in any of them, children will be a little lost compared with other children, and parents will be more anxious. Too many reports, children are tired running around, it is difficult to persist, and maybe they can't learn well in the end. Therefore, 2-3 is an ideal state, which allows children to do something they like on weekends and have flexible time to play and get in touch with nature.