Whenever your child comes home with a poor assessment – anything from a D on a report card, a low grade of a test, a bad mark on a project, or a note from the teacher – it is difficult to stay calm. Your child may be upset by the result or may try to act nonchalant, but for a parent, a bad mark or grade can feel sickening.
Don’t despair, though – there are a few basic steps you can follow to learn how you can help your child perform better in school:
Reassure your child and praise them for showing you the mark
This will help take care of the emotional pain of a D and will encourage your child to come to you with any future school problems. It is always better to stay informed so that you can help. Even saying simple things like “I know that this must feel bad right now, but if we work together, I think we can improve this, don’t you think?” can be helpful and reassuring.
Talk with your child frankly about the importance of good performance
Once your child has decided that they really do want better marks, create a plan together for getting better grades. Make sure that your child is part of the decision-making process. You want your child to feel that there is hope, and you want them to be part of the solution. Ask your child what small steps they can take each day to improve grades and offer your help.
Talk to the teacher
This can help you get the teacher’s perspective on your child’s learning level. Ask the teacher for specific tips for helping your child. This will give you some professional advice and can help reassure the instructor that you are serious about helping your child.
Set aside extra time to help your child or get a tutor if necessary
If your child is in a younger grade, you may be able to help by spending a few extra hours each night going over schoolwork and assignments. If your child is behind or in an advanced grade, a professional tutor can offer some more serious help.
Keep your child motivated with praise and interest
If your child improves a grade, do celebrate with a small treat. Many parents are mostly hesitant to give their kids rewards for improved grades since they argue that children should be getting good grades without “bribes.” Some parents also feel that rewards are a type of crutch – without them, children will resort back to less than ideal study habits.
Whether you decide to set up a rewards system for grades or not is entirely your own decision. If you decide that it will work for your child, do set up a reliable system that you can use and stick with it in order to encourage your children to learn.
Summary
Even if your child improves, you may use the extra tutoring time you have developed to help your child’s other weak areas or to continue giving your child extra help in the problem areas. This will assist in ensuring that your child continues to improve in school and does not fall behind again.
Sourced from: sheknows
Photo: Thinkstock/Creatas
