Being a parent comes with so many things to do and challenges to face. My son is 18 months and I always want to ensure he is developing on track. I’m grateful for his daycare and the teachers for keeping him on schedule and teaching him so much. However as the children grow there could be issues with them struggling in school. I am so happy to have Alex Berger from The Berger Bungalow as a guest blogger for this topic. We have collaborated with Empowered Learning Transformation Centers to help parents understand why their child may be struggling in school. Read more below to gain some insight.

It is easy to struggle in school and most everyone experiences the struggle at some point in their life. Unfortunately, a lot of people do not do anything to fix the struggle when it occurs. This leads to a significant number of kids struggling and not doing their best in school, which can result in future consequences such as not attending college, or possibly not even graduating. In my opinion, this is unacceptable. We live in a day and age where it is pretty necessary to have a degree and every child should be able to succeed. If your child is struggling through school, please make sure to find out why. I know it is a hard step to accept that your child is struggling and if you are not sure why, it can be a challenge to figure out what is hindering them, but there are ways, so don’t stress out too much!

Motivation

According to Forbes, “Lack of motivation is a real and pressing problem. Upwards of 40 percent of high school students are chronically disengaged from school, according to a 2003 National Research Council report on motivation. Students who are bored or inattentive or who put little effort to schoolwork are unlikely to benefit from better standards, curriculum, and instruction unless schools, teachers, and parents take steps to address their lack of motivation, the CEP papers conclude. On the other hand, students who are motivated to learn have higher achievement, show better understanding of the concepts they are taught, are more satisfied with school, and have lower dropout rates, according to a variety of studies reviewed by Edward Deci and colleagues.”

Other kids

Sometimes, they issue is not your child, it is other children. If your child is being bullied, they could be very unattached to what is going on around them. Confidence plays a huge role in your child’s life and education and if their confidence levels have dropped, most of the time, their motivation and want to succeed drops, as well. Make sure you do not jump to conclusions, though. If it is the result of other kids, it may not always be an issue with bullying. Your child might be trying to fit in with all of the other boys that whoop and holler during class and it could be a big distraction. You just never know, so keep an open mind when figuring this out!

You

A lot of the time, if a student thinks they can get away with doing the bare minimum, they will. This is why I believe that it is very important to hold them to a higher standard. As a parent, make sure you cheer them on when they have successes and be there for them when they fail. Most importantly, remind them that are the only one(s) that can create their own destiny. They have the ability to do whatever they want if they work hard and reach for their goals.

Learning Disabilities

Currently, about 2.3 million students are diagnosed with a specific learning disability and are receiving special education services. According to Empowered Learning Transformation Centers, “Public schools label LD students as special education students and provide an individualized education plan, but the IEP is usually built from a standardized list of accommodations that teachers of 30-student classrooms struggle to implement with fidelity. Frustration with their difficulty with learning builds up over time, and often students with LD can ‘check out’ of school. These students may even begin to believe that they cannot succeed in school.” It is understandable that a parent does not want to initially consider the possibility of a learning disability, but the best way to start improvements is by accepting the fact that there is a learning disability and opting to get help. “Empowered Learning Transformation Centers recognizes that everyone learns differently. We don’t attach stigma to the need to individualize learning plans for students. Our small class sizes guarantee that teachers know their students’ needs well, and that they can individualize learning plans in big and small ways, both in long-term planning and spontaneous day-to-day adjustments. The positive atmosphere also helps students build confidence in their ability learn. Empowered Learning Transformation Centers is the right school for LD students. Success for the student with learning disabilities requires a focus on individual achievement, individual progress, and individual learning.” Even if your child does not have a LD, Empowered Learning Transformation Centers can help your family. Their main goal is to help learners of any age and ability break through to peak performance levels in the areas of learning, focus, and attention.

For more information please visit Empowered Learning Transformation Centers