*Collaborative post
For any mum or dad, it is only natural to want your child to do as well as they can in school, and while teachers perform a leading role in ensuring that happens, each individual parent has a big part to play as well.
It is important that all parents give their children the love and support they need to be successful at school. However, it is also vital to recognise that some children struggle in class more than others.
While there might be several reasons for this, it is often due to them not being as focused and organised as they could be. So, how can you ensure they are in top form in every lesson they attend?
Here are six successful strategies you can employ to improve your child’s overall performance in class.
1. Have a heart-to-heart with them
If your child or their teacher tells you they are struggling in school, the first step you should take is to find out why.
Doing this should not involve partaking in the Spanish Inquisition. Rather, you should have a gentle heart-to-heart with them to ascertain what the issue(s) might be.
Some of the reasons might be quite confronting, such as your child experiencing bullying. However, others might be due to their disruptive classmates, general disinterest in the subject, and inability to connect with the teacher’s style of learning.
When they reveal the root of the problem, it is crucial that you do not express disappointment, overreact with judgment, or be negative towards them, as this will not help their situation at all.
2. Be Supportive
All kids need the peace of mind of being fully supported by their parents, but especially so if they are experiencing struggles in school.
Subsequently, whatever the cause of their lack of focus or organisation, it is important you come up with solutions that could significantly improve their performance.
For example, if they are being bullied, you should take these steps to deal with the situation.
Alternatively, if they are being disrupted in class by other children sneakily using their smartphones, you can raise the possibility with the headmaster of School Phone Lockers being introduced in school.
At the end of the day, the more your child feels your support, the greater their likelihood of improving their academic performance.
3. Make sure they get plenty of sleep
Sleep is very important for everyone, but it is especially so for school-age children. Without adequate sleep on a regular basis, students can struggle with concentration, focus, and academic performance.
Try to ensure your child gets between 9 to 11 hours of sleep every night if they are between the ages of 6 to 12 and around 8 to 10 if they are aged 12 to 18.
If they do, it should significantly benefit their health, immunity, growth, learning and memory, and therefore make them sharper and more on top of their game when they are at school.
4. Make sure they are hydrated and well-fed
Perhaps one of the best ways to ensure your child remains focused and organised at school is to keep them well-fed and hydrated.
Multiple studies have proven that children perform better at school if they drink plenty of water and enjoy a nutritious, balanced diet that incorporates three meals a day and includes the five food groups.
It is important to set up their day properly by sending them to school with a full stomach. Equally vital is to encourage them not to consume too much processed junk food, sugary treats, and soft drinks, as this can negatively impact their concentration levels.
5. Give them a day off occasionally
We’ve all pulled a sickie from our workplaces on the odd occasion, and often, the reason was that we didn’t feel up to the mental challenge of going in.
Life sometimes gets in the way, even for children, so it’s no surprise they often can feel a bit jaded.
Sure, they have a decent number of holidays every year, but as school can be very taxing for some students, it’s not surprising that it can affect their overall well-being.
For this reason, rather than forcing them to go in and risk their inability to concentrate or fully absorb things, don’t be afraid to give them a day off every now and then to enjoy a mental refresh.
6. Get them a tutor
Often, children struggle to stay focused on subjects where they don’t really relate to the teacher.
Therefore, if you find your child has not really connected with theirs, it is a good idea to get them a tutor in that particular subject.
It is amazing how beneficial they might find being taught one-on-one by someone who has a different teaching style.
Although it will involve an outlay, it can be a very good investment, as your child could grow leaps and bounds as a result. Do an online search or ask other parents at school for recommendations for a tutor.