Every child is born special and unique one another. This is especially apparent at the primary school level, when psychosocial development, cognitive, academic challenges are grow rapidly. The role of parents are very important to improve children learning achievement.
According to the theory Need for Achievement (McCelland), the motivation of each person is different, according to one’s needs for achievement levels.
Factors affecting achievement motivation according to Morgan (1990):
- Role Model’s Behavior and Characteristics
- Expectations of Parents
- Environment
- Emphasis Child’s Independence
- Child’s Parenting
Shay Schumm, Ph.D says in her book that there are four distinctive characters to every child in the learning activities and how the role of parents in treatment for children with certain characters, as for the characters (Schumm: How to Help Your Child with Home Work)
1. Careful
Children belong to this type are very mindful in doing anything. They always read the instructions to complete tasks, read the details to answer questions so that they will not make mistakes. They usually get good academic achievement in math or science. They always attempt to avoid criticism, because they have believe that criticism is a form of attack toward themselves. The effective way from parents towards this type of children is by helping them to identify and categorize tasks, as well as giving them liberty to do the task in their way.
2. Friendly
Children with friendly type is a delightful child among their friends. They commonly have good friendship, mutual respect and love. They prefer to learn with his friends, absorbing lessons by listening. They usually get the good academic achievement in the social sciences and society. It’s hard to say “No” to this type of children because they want to please other people. So the role of parents as their friend is the most important thing such a child can have. What parents should do to assist children with friendly type is by encouraging them to do activities in a right sequence and make them learn to be patient. Then motivate them to be able to recognize their own interest which can fulfill the needs of their future, without sacrificing their pleasure in childhood.
3. Bad-tempered
Children belong to this types are sensitive; this is why they are easily angry and annoyed. They are often reluctant to do long procedures, easily bored, lack focus, and frequently make mistakes. They usually get good academic achievement in arts and languages. In this case, priority scale is something crucial should be taught to this type of children. Parents should make them used to do anything by doing the easiest, and try to avoid complaints if they are not good enough and give more compliments if they are excellent.
4. Ambitious
Most children belong to this type have intention to be the best among the others. They have strong passion to finish doing anything immediately. Failure is something horrible for them, so that is why they are easily worried. Children with this type can be guided by several ways, such as minimalizing the variety of tasks for them and motivating them to be more patient and careful towards details of tasks given by teachers. Parents should set their mind that failure is something natural and commonly happened to anyone, so that the child does not have to feel depressed every time they fail something.
Source: http://www.academia.edu; http://parentsolution.blogspot.co.id/
Writer: Aulia Nurdini
Editor: Oliver Nicholas Phoa
