If an Adolescent Begins to Fail in School

Robertson, Anne. If an Adolescent Begins to Fail in School.  ERIC Digest. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

These excerpts were taken from ERIC Digests, the full text of which is available at http://ericeece.org/pubs/digests.html .

Many children experience a time when keeping up with school work is difficult. These periods may last several weeks and may include social problems as well as a slide in academic performance. Research suggests that problems are more likely to occur during a transitional year, such as moving from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school. Some children are able to get through this time with minimal assistance from their parents or teachers.

It may be enough for a parent to be available to simply listen and suggest coping strategies, provide a supportive home environment, and encourage the child’s participation in school activities. However, when the difficulties last longer than a single grading period, are linked to a long-term pattern of poor school performance or problematic behaviors, parents and teachers may need to intervene.

Parents often feel uncertain about how to best approach their child or the school when their child is having difficulty. However, it is important to remember that children need their parents not only to set appropriate expectations and boundaries, but also to advocate for them. Teachers can ease a parent’s concerns by including the parent in the student’s educational support team.

Here are some ways that parents and teachers can assist when a child is having difficulty:

Making the time to listen to and try to understand the child’s fears or concerns.

Setting appropriate boundaries for behavior that are consistently enforced.

Encouraging the child to participate in school activities.

Attending school functions, sports, and plays.

Providing a supportive home and school environment that clearly values education.

Emphasizing the importance of study skills, hard work and follow-through.

Helping the child think about career options.

Encouraging the child to volunteer in the community.

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