Being born smart certainly helps a tween to succeed in a learning environment, and so does being curious about the world around him or her. It’s a given that an engaged student, one who loves learning, will be more apt to do well in school; however, many other factors determine school success. Everything from identifying a child’s learning style, to understanding that mastery comes from practice, and even parental support, factors into the equation.
While all tweens may not have high I.Q.s,they can still succeed according to their own abilities. No matter a child’s intelligence level, a parent can aid school success by teaching their child the following three tips.
1. Resist the Urge to Compare
Every child needs to understand that he or she is a unique individual. It follows, then, that a child should not compare herself to those around her. So what if your daughter’s peer can recite the multiplication tables at lightening speed!
It’s best to help a child focus on her own strengths, and then support her while she works on addressing weaker areas. Remind her that in the long run, she will also accomplish the end goal of memorizing the multiplication tables.
2. Respect the Learning Environment
A child will be much more successful at school if he learns to respect the learning environment. This translates into being able to actively listen to the teacher, as well as his peers, and it means he must learn self-restraint.
I am not suggesting that tweens should be “seen and not heard,” yet I am advocating for learning the skill of respect for authority. No, not every teacher will be right, or even treat your child fairly; however, the teacher must be respected in class. A tween must realize that disrupting the learning environment will not place him in a good light. And it certainly doesn’t aid learning.
3. Practice Really Does Make Perfect
Tweens may become discouraged because of the amount of material they are expected to master. To them, it may seem as if the concepts are not learnable, that there’s just too much to remember. After all, who invented homonyms, anyways? These children should be taught that practice really does work when it comes to learning.
Every concept must be repeated in order to be memorized. Yes, some children don’t need as much practice, yet all children CAN master basic concepts through repetition.
A parent can assist teachers by going over the newly learned material at home. For instance, if the class is studying dinosaurs, don’t hesitate to take your child to a museum, where dinosaur displays burst with excitement, or if your child struggles with writing, help her to write a letter to a distant relative.
Concluding Thoughts
Tweens can succeed at school. This is because many factors contribute to academic success. Strive to support your child in any way possible. For more information on student success, talk to the guidance counselor at your child’s school.