How to Academically Support your Teenager

Although schools in India are structured in a way that ensures overall growth of a child, parents can play a vital role in helping teens succeed in school by lending a little support and guidance. A parent is the child's first and most important teacher. The Teenage years are a crucial time for a child's mental and academic growth. When parents and families get involved in their children's schools, they perform better and achieve academic success. Here are some strategies that parents can use to support their teenager's learning at home and school. 

Attending parent-teacher meetings can help parents stay informed about their child's performance at school. Schools usually arrange such meetings when they feel that parental involvement is needed in order to address issues like behavior problems, falling below grade-level expectations, or alternatively to benefit from advanced class work. However, as soon as the school year starts, parents can find a way to meet the child's teacher. This will allow the teacher to know that you want to help your child learn and that the teacher is free to contact the parent if any problems develop with the child. Talking with the teacher develops a great partnership between the child's parents and teacher towards co raising children.

Knowing details about your child's school including the physical layout of the school building, teachers, staff, subjects and curriculum can help parents connect better with their teen during regular conversations after school. The best senior secondary schools in Chandigarh provide a lot of information on their website like the school layout plan, profiles of teachers, school administrators, the school calendar, special events like dances and class trips, curriculum, schedules for sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities, students resources that can be used by parents to gain detailed knowledge about the school.

While there is an increasing pressure on children these days to balance academics with extracurricular activities, it is important to help them with their homework and assignments so that they can make time for their other interests. During the high school years, homework gets more intense and grades become critical. Ensure that your child has a quiet, well lit and distraction free place to study. Regularly sit down with your child to discuss class loads and help him complete his homework and stick to his study schedule. Find homework help for your child if needed. Contact the school, tutoring groups and after school programs. Encourage your child to ask for help from both parents and teachers when it is needed. Most teachers are available for extra help before or after school, and also might be able to recommend other resources. 

Volunteering at school can be a great way for parents to demonstrate their interest in their teen's education. Many kids wish to see their parents at school or school events as this gives them a sense of care and bonding with their parents. Many schools offer opportunity to parents to get directly involved in school activities like organizing and/or working at fundraising activities and other special events, attending school board meetings, joining the school's parent-teacher group, working as a library assistant, mentoring or tutoring students, reading a story to the class, attending school concerts, plays, and athletic events etc. Schools often post volunteering opportunities at their websites in which parents can get directly involved and can make an impression on their teen. 

Parents can help their child discover the organizational tricks that will work for him by sharing some of their own.  Although it is very difficult to teach children to be organized if it is not in their nature, they can be taught to develop strategies, like the ‘must-do list’ before school, cleaning out the backpack and cleaning off the desk. Learning the skills of getting organized, staying focused, will help teens in their everyday life. Parental guidance with organization and time-management skills are much needed. Children can be trained to keep assignments and class information together in binders, notebooks, or folders that are organized by subject. Creating a calendar will help them adhere to upcoming deadlines and plan their time accordingly. 

Taking care of the child's diet, daily nutrition and sleeping habits can help parents maintain the child's attendance at school. It is important that children attend school regularly such that they are up to date with the regular academic curriculum. Missing classes may make it difficult for teens to catch up with class work, projects, tests, and homework that can be stressful and interfere with their learning. Teens may have many reasons for not wanting to go to school like bullies, difficult assignments, low grades, social problems, or issues with classmates or teachers. It is important to talk to them and identify these issues or perhaps contact an administrator or school counselor to find out more about what's causing any anxiety.

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