Having reflected on the past academic year, how can you help your child improve at school this year? There are different ways to excel at school – setting goals, forming a habit, and so much more. But sometimes, it can be difficult to know which strategy works best.

When it comes to doing well at school, setting goals is a popular method preferred by parents and children alike. While this can be helpful, it’s just as important (if not more) for your child to know exactly how they can achieve their goals.

As author of Atomic Habits, James Clear, so aptly put it: “Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”

One such system is building a healthy learning habit.

After all, helping to set a clear path will give students motivation to get things done right. It will help ease them back into the school routine while also pushing them towards their target grades.

This is where the Habit Loop comes into play.

When we repeatedly do the same thing, the same way, a Habit Loop is formed. It’s made up of 3 distinct steps: cue, routine and reward.

Cue

• A cue is what triggers a habit. Our brains are hardwired to act upon a cue. Identifying a cue is critical to make changes in your child’s behaviour pattern.

Routine

• A routine also refers to the habit or a cycle of behaviour. Acknowledging that a habit has been built can help you find ways to modify and improve upon it.

Reward

• And a reward is what you look forward to throughout the Habit Loop. It’s a form of positive reinforcement that plays you into repeating the entire cycle.

Here’s an example of a Habit Loop:

If and when used properly, Habit Loops can be especially beneficial for students too.

Remember those goals you had set with your child? Here’s one example of how you can adapt the Habit Loop to match your child’s routine:

How can you build a habit with KooBits then?

Here’s a recommended sample on how you can tap on the power of a Habit Loop to help your child reach their goals.

• Cue: When your child finishes lunch/dinner.

• Routine: Log in to KooBits for 20 minutes of practice. That’s all the time your child needs to put in on a daily basis to ace the subject!

• Reward: Reward your child with chocolates or some time at the playground! They’ve put in some hard work and it’s time to recognise their efforts.

Overtime, your child will start associating KooBits practice with positive reinforcements. So whenever they’re done with lunch or dinner, they’ll jump straight onto the platform without you having to prompt.

Build a healthy learning habit with your child today. Incorporating KooBits into your child’s learning routine is one way to get them to love learning. Make it a routine with just 20 minutes of practice a day – log in here.

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Tags: Lower Primary (7-10), mathematics, Upper Primary (10-12)