Six Ways to Empower Your Child to Be More Academically Responsible
By Kathleen A. Matchunis
Do you ever feel that you are in school again, once those homework assignments start rolling in? I know that I used to feel that way. How can we transfer responsibility for academic success to our children? In the lower grades levels, many children are still eager to please the teacher, but as time goes on, the thrill of pleasing the teacher fades.
- Communicate to your children that school is THEIR job. You already have your job, so they needs to do their job.
- Sit down with your children and have them convey to you their goals for the 9 weeks, semester, or school year.
- Beyond a discussion on academic goals, it is even more important to spend time on how to systematically achieve these goals. This needs to be very specific and measurable. For example, “I want to take my GPA from a 2.5 to a 3.5. I plan to do this by using my planner, getting my homework done and handed in on time, getting tutored in math, and studying at home in a quiet place without distractions for one hour a day.” Write down the goals and the corresponding steps to achieve each goal. Now your child has a game plan.
- Discuss the connection between academic success and their future life in a realistic manner. Example: Describe the options that are open to a high school graduate, a tech school graduate, a college graduate. Discuss how the choices they makes will affect their future. You can use examples from your life. For example: Since I received my diploma, degree, or certification, I had a choice of jobs in the areas of ____________. Your academic success will affect where you live, who you associate with, what you can buy, and if you can even take a vacation.
- If you have a child who is struggling with a course, ask him/her what (s) finds difficult. Also ask them if him/her if there is anything he/she could do to improve his/her grade. Write down these action items. If your child “shuts down” or is overwhelmed, it might be a good idea to set up a meeting with the teacher and have your child present at the meeting. Having your child participate at the meeting gives him/her an opportunity to contribute to a solution for his/her academic success. (S)he can also practice speaking to his/her teacher about his/her difficulties with a parent present. Even some teens struggle with communicating with their teachers regarding their academic problems in their classes.
- Monitor your children’s progress on the computer through the gradebook program of their school weekly and evaluate what is working and what is not working together.
Our kids need to be supported as they go through this process. Many are immature, unmotivated, or just don’t get the connection between academic success and their future life. Many won’t get the concept of being academically responsible right away. Their grades should be a reflection of what they have achieved and an indication of where they need to make more effort or get tutoring.
Original content by Kathleen A. Matchunis, B.A., M.S., Certified Academic & Life Coach and Tutor
For more information, call her at 954 294 9708 or check out www.connectinginc.net.
