All seemed to be running smoothly. However, your child is now having trouble keeping up in class and is falling behind. You might be wondering if this is just a blip on the radar. Is it likely that something else is going on?
This may be difficult to answer as it is impossible to find out on your own. When things do not go well at school, kids aren't always willing to talk about it. And If you ask about the difficulties they encounter, you might receive tears or angry outbursts, but to any parent's dismay, you probably won't get any specifics.
There are many reasons why a student could fall behind, and the current school year has not been very forgiving of challenges.
Currently, students, especially teenagers, suffer mentally as a result of the pandemic. In a recent study conducted by NBC News and Challenge Performance, a nonprofit organization associated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education, 50 percent more high school students are disengaged this year than last year.
Schools have seen "dramatic rises in the amount of failing or near-failing grades" on report cards, as reported in December.
If your child needs support in school, follow these steps
What do you think teachers, family members, or friends should do to assist a student who is struggling? What would you say if a student came to you for support about school? What ideas do you have? What is the explanation for this? What details do you need to support your child?
1. Keep an eye out for patterns and jot them down on a frustration log
You will get information on your child just by watching them and searching for trends. Not handing in homework is a popular symptom of school disengagement. This issue could rapidly escalate. Students become more discouraged as they slip further behind, and they are less likely to assume that they can catch up.
Observe and ask yourself, "Is your child sad after school? Is there any homework that takes a long time to complete?" Perhaps your child refuses to attend school on days like when a math or spelling test is scheduled. Keep track of your observations as the days go.
2. Talk to their teacher
With today's varying learning setups, It is important that you and your child's teacher talk about what you both observe. Perhaps you've noticed your child struggling with a specific subject's homework. Inquire if the teacher has found something similar in the classroom.
At the same time, explore what your child should do to catch up or feel less upset.
3. Give your child the feeling of assurance, but don't stop there
When children find themselves in trouble, it is not just their grades that will suffer. Other factors, like routine behavior and self-esteem, could be affected as well.
Talk to your child and assure them that everyone faces difficulties at some point in their lives. Let them know that it is nothing to be ashamed of so that they will be more confident to talk about what's bothering them.
4. Be receptive
Always remember that you, too, require assistance. It is beneficial to communicate freely with others. You might be surprised at how many families have similar situations to yours and can offer advice and support. You can also communicate with other parents and caregivers.
Conducting evaluation at school is the best way to know for sure. This will help reveal your child's strengths and weaknesses. And having that knowledge allows you to get the best help for your child.
