It’s that time of the year again when some families have to deal
with the reality of bad grades. Poor academic performance can put strain
on your family. Your student may experience a drop in self-esteem and
confidence which will only compound the problem. We believe that every
student can learn, but each student learns differently. You have to find
the learning style that suits your student’s ability and then provide
them with the tools they need to succeed in academics.
Start at the beginning
Speak with your child and their teachers to ascertain the root of the problem.
Perhaps social or behavioral issues are influencing academics, or perhaps
your child is missing some important building blocks in their knowledge.
Teachers have full classes and very little time, so they assume that students
have the foundations from previous grades that they will add onto. If
your child has some gaps in their knowledge base, they will fall further
behind each year.
Study Skills
Each child has a learning style and, while most teachers try to present
information in a number of different ways, they may not be speaking the
academic language your child understands. There are many tests available
online which will help you to find out what kind of a learner your child
is. Then you can help them to convert information into a format that is
easy for them to understand.
Some students need to learn organizational and study skills. While most
teachers do impart these skills in the lower grades, if your child doesn’t
know how to organize their time, how to study effectively, how to write
a good essay or how to summarize texts, their marks will not be a true
reflection of their abilities.
Language skills
If your child does not excel in language arts, they may be underperforming
on all their test. The ability to read and comprehend texts in a timely
manner and then communicate effectively through writing are essential
skills for students to succeed. Encouraging reading and working on writing
skills may improve your child’s overall academic performance.
Consider a tutor
Tutors are a great way to get your child the help they need. Tutors can
test your child to see what their learning style is. They can go back
and find what building blocks are missing in your child’s knowledge
and help them to understand the fundamentals.
Tutors should liaise with teachers to find the best solutions for your
student. Working one-to-one with a tutor will avoid all the embarrassment
or anxiety they feel in a classroom environment and their self-confidence
will improve too.
Tutors can teach students the study and organizational skills they need
to be great independent learners.
The
summer vacation presents a unique opportunity to give your child a jump start on the new
academic year. Summer tutoring need not take up much of their time, but
it will help them to catch up and build confidence to face a new academic
year without the anxiety that they usually associate with academics.
pic by Leland Francisco
