Sometimes, a recipe of support is needed after the first report card comes out.
For most districts in the country, the first grading period has come and gone. If they haven’t already, report cards should be making their way home. States across the country have also been busy bolstering their educational standards and implementing new, more rigorous curricula.
This is all a recipe for the possibility of your child’s first report card not meeting expectations.
If that’s the case, here are some actionable steps to take.
1. Talk to the teacher(s)
Even though teachers have only known their students for a few weeks, their experience lends them valuable insight into whether a student is performing up to their capabilities. They also see the kids in a different environment than their parents do at home.
Calmly ask the teacher where the difficulties occurred and if there were any behavioral causes to the underperformance. In addition, although they do not like to openly compare students to each other, they will be willing to tell you if the majority of the class is struggling due to the new standards.
2. Pay closer attention to your child’s work for a few weeks
Be prepared to help your child with their homework and projects over the next couple of weeks. Not only could that help them through this rough patch (if that’s what it is), but it will also give you first-hand insight into their thought process and what subjects/topics they are stressed by.
Pay particular attention to the changes in the work compared to last year. This jump in the standards might be so pronounced that you even notice it through the content. Whatever you do, continue to let them do the work. No one wins if a parent interferes too much.
3. Listen to your instincts
Add all of this information up and then let your parental instincts take control. If a majority of students in your child’s classes are struggling and the work appears more difficult, take the situation for what it is: the system trying to make itself better, unfortunately at this school year’s expense.
However, if it appears as if your child is truly unprepared for this year’s content and will continue to struggle without intervention, start looking into some tutoring options. Students struggle due to a failure to master skills from previous lessons. Tutoring in those missing skills can provide a needed boost to quickly bring your child back up to speed.
The Next Level
What are some other steps parents can take when met with a child’s underperformance in school? Educate us in the comments below.
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