Many children find it very difficult to perform in school. This is not an accurate reflection of their abilities; however, it becomes something they are recognised by. To make matters worse, this distinction hurts a student’s self-esteem and demotivates them which further declines their chances of performing well in class.

The traditional schooling system may not always have the necessary tools to deal with this. However, parents can do the work at home! Read on to find out how better you, as parents can support your child if they are indeed struggling at school.

1. Keep school evaluations in school:
For instance, if your child’s teacher has made remarks about your child being slow, avoid reiterating those conversations at home. Not only does it reinforce your child’s insecurity, but it will also destroy the home environment, which children usually associate with safety and comfort.

2. Your child’s intelligence is not their academic report:
School reports do matter. However, we must understand that they also come with their limitations. Most schools standardized assessments for convenience and not to suit each child’s individual learning styles.

3. Identify the problem:
Many factors, some more complicated than others, influence learning outcomes. For instance, a child may find it difficult to perform in class if they do not relate to their teachers or they may have other, more deep-rooted difficulties like stress or a special need.

Do not discount the help of a professional in either case. To address the first, hire a tutor who can make learning fun for your child and for the other, consider doing a profile with a child specialist.

4. Be up to date with school news:
Staying informed about the latest events in school will help you as a parent, make sure your child is prepared beforehand for the event. It will also help you recreate a school-like learning environment at home so that your child can familiarize themselves with the situation at hand before approaching it in school.

5. Reward effort and not outcomes:
If your child does not respond to outcome-based evaluations in school, chances are they will detest it at home. As a parent, you must move away from this technique by rewarding them for their efforts instead.

For instance, if your child has spent 30 minutes with a school-based activity, say, “good job on investing so much time and effort into your activity” instead of “good job, your activity looks great.”

The important thing is to always make sure learning is a desirable experience for your child. In school, it becomes very difficult for teachers to help students achieve that since they deal with it on such a large scale.

However, as parents, it is important for you to ensure that the home environment supports what schools don’t. Always remember that each child has different needs and that is true especially when it comes to their education.

Let us know what you think and give us feedback on our write up in the comments, or at [email protected].