Every parent wants their child to be successful at school and to thrive academically. Sometimes children come home with bad grades and report cards that don’t reveal a child’s true capacity for learning.
If your child is struggling with bad grades, there’s a lot you can do to help. For one, be understanding about any challenges your child might be facing, such as social issues or even issues at home. Next, work closely with them and their teachers to find out what they're struggling with, so you can get them extra help. Below are a few suggestions that you may find useful.
Poor grades that seem to come out of nowhere are a common sign that a child or teen is emotionally struggling. Maybe they're being bullied or rejected at school. Or maybe they're going through some other issue, such as puberty. All of these things (and more) can be stressing out your child so much that they're too distracted to focus on their schoolwork.
Take the time to sit down with them and ask how they're feeling and what you can do to help them with whatever they are going through. They may not open up to you right away, so be patient and continue to show them that you're there for them. The more supported your child feels, the more likely they'll be to come to you when they're ready.
You may find that once the stressful situation has been dealt with, your child’s grades improve.
The best way to know if your child is struggling is to review their homework from time to time. By doing so, you might be able to identify a problem before it becomes serious. Bring this up with your child and discuss it with their teacher if necessary.
Review their mistakes. Are they having trouble with a particular class, or overall? Or are they struggling with specific types of questions (for example, multiple choice vs. open-ended)? Pinpointing their strengths and weaknesses is the first step to fixing the problem.
You can also take the opportunity to coach your child and answer any questions they might have.
You need to contact their teachers if your child isn't doing well at school. Ask, either by phone or in person, for a parent/teacher meeting. Go over their homework, examinations, and quizzes, and ask for detailed advice and feedback about what you can do to support your child.
If you think a teacher is not supporting your child at school or helping to answer their (or your) questions, calling the school guidance counselor could be worth your time.
In order to give the counselor a complete picture of the issue of your child, keep track of all conversations you have with the teacher of your child, including emails.
Setting fair goalsTake the time to sit down with your kids, evaluate and set achievable expectations for their current grades. Discuss, at the end of the semester or fifth, where their grades should be. For example, instead of trying to be a straight-A student, strive to raise the grade of your child from a C to a B.
Break down this broader target into mini-milestones that are more achievable. Have a little celebration each time your child accomplishes a goal (no matter how small it is). It will help to develop their confidence and make the big objective seem more achievable.
Make sure that you and your child regularly evaluate the objectives.
Let's face it most kids aren't fond of homework. But it's important to help your child take care of their studies. By offering snacks as they research, motivating them, or even keeping them company as they progress through their projects, strive to make homework enjoyable.
When their homework is done, consider doing something together such as taking a walk or having dinner together. In order to complete them, giving them something to look forward to will help them concentrate on their studies.
To help them prepare for quizzes or exams, consider making flashcards with your kids. To make flashcards special, use vibrant markers, quick sketches, or magazine clippings.
If your child requires additional assistance to understand a subject, consider hiring a tutor. A tutor will give the extra attention they need to your kid. They will teach organizational skills, like how their notebooks can be structured and their notes highlighted. They may also share efficient methods of analysis, such as how to memorize information using stories and acronyms.
Contact your child's school for advice in order to find a mentor, or ask other parents for the names of tutors they have used. Teachers often often provide after-school support for struggling students. While some tutors operate free of charge, others charge an hourly or monthly fee.
To succeed, try not to put too much pressure on your boy. It is stressful enough to get a bad score. Criticizing their bad performance just contributes to more stress, which in school will lead them to do much worse.
Praise them in those subjects for their hard work. Let your child know that you have trust in their skills. Praise them for their efforts, if you think they are doing their hardest. Give constructive reinforcement and let them know that every step of the way you're there to assist them.
