-Mayah Taylor, MA

Parents play a crucial role in the success of teens in school by being informed and lending a little support and guidance. The middle and high school years can be stressful and challenging for a teen. Even though teens are seeking independence, parental involvement is an important ingredient and the foundation for their success in college and the future.

Here Are 4 Ways to Help Your Teen Succeed in School:

1. Be Involved.  Parent involvement in school can be essential to the success of the student. It is helpful for parents to be fully aware and supportive of everything that is going on in school academically. To help with obtaining this knowledge, parent should make an effort to attend school events such as back to school nights and open house. They usually happen within the first week or so prior to school starting and is a great way to meet your teens teachers, get a feel for the school environment, gain insight on school policies and programs,  and learn about what is being taught to your teen. These events can also be helpful for you to understand what additional resources are available to your teen should they need help and any extracurricular activities that your teen can be involved in while they attend school. Attending any parent-teacher conferences is important to attend as it may give insight to how your teen is progressing in school and shed light if they are struggling in any areas. It is important to remember that parents are also able to schedule their own meetings with teachers if concerns regarding their teen’s education arise. If you have a child who has a disability or who needs special considerations to be able to help them achieve success such as  individualized education plans (IEPs), 504 education plans, or gifted education plans, the ability to set up meetings with teachers can be helpful and strongly encouraged as more than one parent-teacher meeting may be needed to obtain and maintain student success and ensure they are getting all the supports they need.

2. Encourage the Importance of Homework.  Completing any homework is important. Homework assigned is structured to reinforce what was taught in school at home. While parents might not be able to sit down and assist their teens with homework themselves although that is encouraged and can be helpful to, it is important to create an appropriate environment for students to do their homework. Additionally as a parent, you want to encourage your teen to do their homework and reinforce and create good study and homework habits that can set them up for success later in life. In order to create a good study environment, teens need a quiet, well lit space, with no distractions designated for them to do their homework in. Think office environment when creating this homework space. If any electronic devices need to be used during homework time such as computers, be sure to monitor that usage to ensure that your student does not get distracted with surfing the web or playing games during their homework or study time. Another helpful tip for homework and study time is to to work with your child in setting up a schedule with times and routines for doing homework and studying. For example, when I was going to school, my parents had a rule in the house that all homework was to be done directly after we got home from school. Everyday when I got home from school at 4:00 p.m., I’d have my after school snack, get settled in, and then begin my homework. We couldn’t go outside to play until homework was done which worked for my household. This might not be what works for you but the point is to find what works for you and your teen that will help them be as successful as possible.

3.  Encourage Your Teen to Seek Extra Help When Needed.  Sometimes a teen can have classes that are challenging and may struggle to understand what is being taught. If you find your teen struggling with different classes, encourage them seek extra help to assist them with the material and succeed in their class. This extra help can be in the form of seeking out a tutor. Tutors can be obtained outside of school and for some schools tutoring is offered before and after school. It is extremely helpful to encourage your student to ask their teacher for help. Teachers are often willing to meet with students before and after school to give extra help when asked by either the student or parent.

4.  Encourage the Importance of Self-Care and Going to School Ready to Learn. Starting the school day off in a healthy, ready to learn mode is important and can set the tone for the day as well as the school year. It is important to encourage your teen to practice healthy living habits such as eating a healthy, nutritious breakfast prior to school and going to bed at a decent time to ensure a teen is not tired or struggling to stay awake during class. This is important, as it helps create as optimal of a learning experience as possible. These healthy living habits can also be useful later in life. The student who is not getting the amount of sleep they need and not eating healthy will struggle in school eventually. Parents can assist their teens with creating these healthy habits by stocking the kitchen with healthy foods for teens to make healthy choices for breakfast and when taking their lunch to school. It can be helpful to set a time for teens to be in bed to help ensure they get a good night’s rest. My parents set a bed time of 9pm in our household and when I got to high school that time was extended to 10pm. When bedtime occurred I had to unplug all my electronics and leave them downstairs. They weren’t allowed in our rooms when we were supposed to be sleeping. Again this might not work for you and your teen but the point is find something that does.

The Wrap Up

Parent involvement can heavily influence the success of the student. You have the ability to work with your teen and encourage your student to create good study habits, developing healthy living habits, and accessing the tools needed for them to succeed. These habits can be invaluable later on in life and can help them to succeed not only in school but in their daily living. We hope this blog has been helpful to you. Let us know what has worked for you. What has been your successes and failures with helping your teen succeed in school? Share it on on social media sites like facebook or contact us here!