Tips and ideas critical to social, academic, and emotional development from The Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation to foster your child’s success in the classroom.
How to Encourage Your Student to Succeed
Target: K-12 Parents/Students
Finding motivation can be difficult at any age. In fact, the past year and a half have been difficult on students K-12 with so many changes to how learning has taken place. If you’ve noticed that your child is struggling to find the motivation to succeed in school, the Leon K. Weiner Foundation is here to help provide you with the steps to help students succeed.
8 Ways to Help Your Student Succeed in the Classroom
As parents or guardians, how you foster your child’s success at home matters. Setting an example of positivity and hard work is a solid start but getting involved at your child’s school and committing to educational goals can significantly impact how your child learns. Consider these tips for helping your child succeed in the classroom.
Form a Partnership with Teachers: Getting to know your child’s teachers showcases your commitment to your student’s success in the classroom. Make an appointment to meet each teacher and discuss how your child learns; everyone has their own learning style. Attend all parent-teacher conferences to discuss progress and don’t be shy about emailing or calling teachers when your child needs extra help.
Stay on Top of Progress: The more you know about how your child is performing academically, the more you can provide emotional support and encouragement. Most schools offer an online platform to survey grades and progress. Check this weekly, as there may be missing homework or other assignments that can be turned in for credit. You can also contact your child’s teacher to see which subjects pose the most challenges for your child and together you can create a plan of action.
Find the Help Your Child Needs: In addition to teacher support, schools also offer special services when needed. If you suspect your child may be struggling with behavior or learning disabilities, inquire about the help that is available through the school district. Your child may need to be tested for learning differences/disabilities and may qualify for free support. Or you may want to hire a 1:1 tutor to build confidence, self-esteem, and skills.
Monitor Homework: Part of helping your student succeed involves knowing his or her workload. Make sure that you communicate with your child daily about assignments due and ways to prepare for upcoming quizzes and tests. Be sure to see exactly what the teacher assigned, not just what your child interprets for you.
Teach Study Skills: In many cases, students struggle academically because they are unaware of study strategies. Take a proactive stance in your child’s educational endeavors by teaching study skills such as outlining, notetaking, organization, time management, memory techniques, test preparation, and test-taking. Share strategies that have worked for you, or hire a professional, and consistently implement these skills at home.
Ask Questions: If you have questions or concerns about assignments or expectations, it’s likely your child does, too. Be an advocate for your learner and ask questions when they arise. While most parents can direct questions directly to the classroom teacher, sometimes a school counselor or school psychologist will need to be involved.
Be Positive: Positivity is contagious. Your child will pick up on when you feel frustrated, too. When discussing academics and assignments or offering homework help, maintain a positive attitude, even when this is difficult to do, so your child does the same. When approaching challenging tasks with a positive attitude, it’s easier to find a solution when you have the right frame of mind.
Encourage Responsibility: The reality is that you can’t take on the difficult tasks for your student. Show that you support his or her endeavors but encourage independence and responsibility when completing the tasks.
The Ultimate Support System
The key element in supporting your child is to show him or her that you are along for the journey, like a teammate. Having a support system not only helps to encourage positivity, but also helps your child learn that he or she has a helping hand when needed.
The Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is also available to assist with furthering involvement in educational endeavors and student success. The mission of the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is to build foundations for the future by providing educational assistance to children and adults who are members of families with low to moderate incomes. Learn more about these opportunities at https://www.weinereducationfoundation.com/.
Stop the Stress: How to Navigate the College Class Load
Target – College Students
Whether it is your first semester of college or your last, it’s likely that you will feel overwhelmed with balancing the course load. Between studying for tests, completing homework and even managing a job and a social life, it’s challenging for many students to feel as if they are staying on top of all of their responsibilities and obligations.
However, with a few changes to your daily routine, you can stop – or at the very least, reduce – the stress to help you remain positive and productive.
Routine Changes
1) Embrace Positive Thinking: Many times, when overwhelmed, your mind might focus on the worst-case scenario. Common thoughts may include: “I’m going to fail this test.” “I can’t keep up with this workload.” However, if you change the way you think by focusing on the positive versus the negative, you are giving yourself a chance to succeed. Instead, change your thoughts to “I’m prepared for this test” and “I’m going to try my best.” Stress commonly causes students to move toward the negative, but if you are conscious about changing your thoughts, you can also positively change the outcome.
2) Seek Out Resources: Although stress is common when it feels like it’s too much to handle, ask for help. College institutions feature counseling and advising services with professionals who are trained to help college students cope with stress. Acting as a support system, these individuals can also point you in the right direction to find assistance with tutoring, peer study groups, library services, extracurricular activities and more. Use the resources that are available to you so you don’t have to shoulder the burden of stress by yourself.
3) Maintain Your Health: If you find yourself sacrificing lunch so you can get in another study session, you might be doing more harm than good. Instead of gorging on cold pizza on the run, make time to eat healthy. Green leafy vegetables and protein will give you the energy you need to complete your homework and study. Stray from sugary energy drinks that ultimately cause you to crash when you need to be alert and ready to take on new challenges.
4) Exercise Regularly: Part of being a college student is learning how to prioritize. While it may not seem like you have time for a walk across campus or a mid-morning jog, you will be boosting your energy and your mental alertness if you do. Take along some note cards so you can study while getting in some exercise at the campus gym or listen to a podcast or some music to take your mind off the stress of cramming for exams.
5) Incorporate Time Management Strategies Into Your Routine: Time management is not something you conquer in one day, but if you take baby steps, you can actively prioritize your to-do list and accomplish more than you imagined, which ultimately helps reduce stress. Start by making a list of action items and then breaking these down into subcategories. As you conquer each task, feel a sense of accomplishment when you cross it off the list. It can also help to use a planner to keep track of weekly obligations and academic responsibilities. Many colleges offer planners for free to help you manage your time.
While it’s not realistic to think that you will not encounter any type of stress as a college student, there are ways to manage it so you feel less overwhelmed. Know that the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is here to support your efforts and encourage you along the way. The mission of the Leon N. Weiner Education Foundation is to build foundations for the future by providing educational assistance to children and adults who are members of families with low to moderate incomes. Learn more about these opportunities at The Leon N. Weiner Foundation.