To go along with the item on getting kids into ham radio, Guido AB0SI offers the following tips on teaching kids what they need to know to get their licenses. He says:
As an ex-middle school teacher, I would suggest the following:
- For code, use the same technique you’d use to teach
old f**tsadults, only more so. Practice sessions should be 20 minutes MAXIMUM. (15 minutes is better.)- Don’t push the student if she becomes disinterested. Of course, there is a fine line between encouraging and pushing.
- Reward her efforts, not her success, and remember that a reward is not the same as a bribe. Encouragement, such as frequently saying, “Way to go…” is important because at some point the student will have trouble getting over some hurdle or other. It is important that she sees that her efforts are valued, not merely her success.
- Because many of the questions on the test require memorization (allowed frequencies, emmission codes, etc), it’s important to know the student’s learning style. Some students do best hearing the information, some by reading it, many by one of the above plus writing it. Whatever works is the right way. Find out the student’s style her style and help her that way. By the way, many kids learn best when they use “muscle memory,” so it might be a good idea to get her a code oscilator. Better yet, let her use your rig’s side tone with your headphones.
These are great ideas. If we, as ham radio educators, can teach ourselves how to be more effective teachers, we’ll be better able to draw in and retain more kids.
I am in the process of teaching my 8 year old daughter (KE7QVB) for her General and my 5 year old for her Technician. I found what works good for us is to make them audio CDs. I have a copy of the question pool that I just read the question and correct answer into a microphone and record it. After I read the question and answer, I will re-read the question and answer a couple more times with voice inflections. The recording has lots of corny things on it like, “I Love You” or “You Smart Cookie”. I will also refer to them by name on it. They really seem to eat it up. I also found out that they love it when I make reading mistake and correct myself in the recording. They have just about every mistake I made memorized along with the correct answer. Then I burn an audio CD of it.
My 5 year old is a little young since she still does not read well, but she still enjoys listenning to her special CDs.
Your 15 minute rule is a good one. I have caught myself many of times getting into the teaching part and not realising that my kid’s eyes are glazed over.
I am going to keep that in mind.
Thanks