How disheartening is it when your child brings home a dog-eared report from school stating that they are average, or failing to reach their potential?
We’ve all been there. It really IS demoralising to see your child’s face crushed with disappointment after trying hard all year.
Yet, often, it might just be a handful of subjects that your child struggles with. Nonetheless to them, it feels as if their whole world is caving in on them.
Instead of just saying, “not to worry – it happens’ to console your child, it can help to take proactive steps as well to avoid a crushing sense of defeat jeopardising their success going forward.
Where to start? Let’s look at some of the key reasons and what to do about them to get your child back on track.
Why Some Students Underachieve
All sorts of challenges can trip young people up such as:
- Behavioural issues in class
- A specific learning problem
- An emotional or health issue
- Problems at home
- Anxiety and low confidence
- Low attendance due to being a young carer
- Unresolved issues from last year
- Teacher change or absence
- Grief due to loss of parent or close family
Sometimes, the reason can be as simple as a child who simply just doesn’t ‘get it…’
But because teachers don’t have time or resources to devote extra to your child, that problem is parked for a while as the curriculum moves on apace.
The main fallout of this is that sooner or later that topic or skill needs to be understood or used in order to pass exams.
That’s when a build up of anxiety can knock confidence and stop your child from achieving their potential.
Education is More Than an Exam
Although the education system is skewed around exams in year 6, 11 and 13 (with mocks galore between), a good education offers opportunities to excel in other areas of value too.
A report these days – notably higher up in the school system – concerns data and grades as well as whether your child has met a certain criteria at a specific stage of their education.
Problem with this is that it only presents half the story.
Through some subjects and experiences at school such as Duke of Edinburgh, team sports and after-school activities such as drama or being part of the school band, our youngsters learn loads of life skills.
While they don’t appear on any exam paper, they are crucial activities to nourish your child’s character, courage, communication skills and self-worth.
In today’s society, these truly matter.
Find a balance between the two is what we here at 121 Home Tutors advise. It’s not always easy, but it is essential.
Need Extra Support to Reach Potential?
First off, our terrific tutor team based in Manchester and Cheshire can also help if you’re based anywhere else as we offer the very best in online learning.
Working tirelessly to support young people for many many years, we have a trusted team of professionals who know how to reverse your child’s fortunes if they’ve lost confidence.
Or help them get back on that learning path again whatever the problem holding them back.
Get in touch with our dependable, private tutors who will first listen to what the problem is and then make a plan with you about how to tackle it together.
Image courtesy of SAGE.