Falling behind and trying to catch up is no game!
It can be a tricky journey to navigate – especially when it feels like you’re going round in circles.
Plus, it’s common to feel really ashamed, embarrassed and inadequate compared to peers who seem to be shooting ahead.
And yet, being behind is actually one of the most common challenges our tutees here at 1-2-1 Home Tutors face year in year out.
Why? Here are just some reasons…
Your Child Might Be Behind Because Of…
- Disruption to learning last term such as illness, a house move, a new sibling born or other family issues
- Just not understanding a specific topic or subject
- SEND challenges such as a new ASD or ADHD diagnosis
- Lack of confidence, anxiety or self-esteem issues
Every young person handles change and challenges differently.
What is constant is that all students hit a learning issue at some point or other. And that it can feel daunting to try and fix it yourself.
Feeling behind can also escalate anxiety and other mental health problems if not addressed in time.
Catch Up Advice That Works
- Start a Conversation. Initially, it’s good to have a balanced conversation about school. What’s going well? What’s not? Praising little achievements rather than always discussing the tough stuff can help keep a sense of perspective.
- Contact Teachers. If your child isn’t keen to talk – and trust me, this is more common than you’d imagine – email school to see if you can start a conversation with your child’s teachers to find out specific areas your child is finding hard. You can then base your catch-up plan on specific targets.
- Protect home learning time. Routine really works. It can make such a difference if you negotiate preferred study times so that you can aim to keep the home quieter at that designated time without background interruptions.
- Make space. A dedicated study space rather than family space (not dining room or lounge) will also give your child the space they need to focus. Plus, it allows you to follow-up on specific subjects, and ask how they are doing without an audience…
- Jot it down. Keeping an academic diary together is a great way to make a note of where you are, track when homework is due in and get organised.
Need More Help to Catch Up?
Of course, if the above don’t work and you need a more hands-on approach to deal with the problem direct, a trusty tutor may well be the answer.
Armed with patience, reassurance and strategies to tackle any learning issue, this can make a huge difference in a short timeframe.
Get in touch with our experience tutor team right here.
Image courtesy of teach starter.com
Tags: anxiety, ASD, Catch-up Plan, Disruption, Learning strategies, praise, SEND