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Studies show time and time again that children do better when their parents are involved with their school and education. That doesn't change once our kids are teens.
Once a child hits the high school years, a parent's role in their education changes. No longer is helping out on field trips or in the classroom a requirement. In fact, many teens would likely view an over-involvement from Mom or Dad as an intrusion and an embarrassment. Still there are ways we can remain actively involved in our teen's education from arms length, such as joining their school's Parent Advisory Council or equivalent.
On a more personal level, there is a vital place for parents in their teen's schooling at home, says education professor, Dr. Allison Preece. "We can support our adolescents and teenagers as they move into junior and senior high school the way we did when they were younger, by keeping the lines of communication open. We can talk to them about what it's like, what they're experiencing, enjoying and struggling with."
Education psychologist Dr. Ouida Wright agrees that support on the home front is an important part of a teen's success at school. "What they (teens) do need is a nurturing home environment, an environment that asks interesting questions about what they do in school and provides support for any activity or project."
Dr. Wright adds that maintaining communication between your child and his teachers is also important. "If there's going to be a home and school meeting, go to it. These things are just as important at the secondary level as at the elementary level and is reflected in the schoolwork of these students," says Wright.
Finally, Dr. Preece says "one of the things they encounter difficulty with often is time management. Suddenly they have different teachers, different courses and a multitude of assignments. One of the things parents can do in advance is help them plan by asking them how they are going to handle things, rather than assigning times when they will be doing their homework. This can be very positive and put the responsibility on their shoulders while signaling that they have our support and that we will help them with these time demands."
Adapted from The Parent Report Radio Show. Any advice or information contained herein should never be a substitute for professional and/or medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. For more information please review Terms of Service.
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