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poor report cards?
help
for the second half of the year by mari walker w hen your
child
brings home a less-than-stellar report card, you may not know how to react. while there?s no magic wand to ensure good grades return, there are some strategies you can explore to
help
your
child
get back on the right track. after the obvious conversation with your
child
?s teacher and checking the school handbook for grading policies, experts are here to share tips to
help
your kid bounce back. first reaction and conversation ?don?t overreact,?
says
wes harris, instructor at the kumon math & reading program. assessing the situation and thinking critically about the
child
?s situation are the best first steps. then, ask him, ?is this just a bad grade on one test or has it been happening for a while?? he shares. a conversation with your
child
can
help
you understand what?s going on in the classroom and provide insight to possible solutions. when having that conversation, kyndal jacoby, lcsw, a counselor practicing at baton rouge christian counseling center,
says
to avoid adding shame to the situation. ?shame attacks identity. separate the behavior from identity,?
says
jacoby. stephanie crawford, teacher and owner of best in class professional tutoring adds, ?understand that as frustrated as you are, the
child
is probably just as frustrated.? rebuilding your
child
?s academic confidence is important for a fresh start in the new semester. building study skills
help
ing your
child
build a solid foundation of study and organizational skills will serve him well throughout his academic career, and
help
to get his grades up. it?s important to look at how the student is preparing because the quality of study is crucial. ?try to find ways to make a connection with the student and his or her interests. at kumon, those are all things we do with our students, making the studying interesting and aligned with what they?re interested in and their goals,?
says
harris. many times, kids don?t have the skills or have never been taught how to take notes or be organized, crawford explains. ?what kids need is structure and a system that includes a place for everything, and to work on time management,? she advises. natural consequences it may be tempting to punish your
child
for bad grades, but jacoby suggests natural consequences at first. for teens, that means taking away the phone while studying or studying in the kitchen instead of in their room. ?it?s teaching boundaries and maturity,? she
says
. if grades continue to fall, discipline may need to be more drastic, such as being grounded to allow more time to study. 8 0 b r p a r e n t s . c o m | j a n u a r y 2 0 1 9
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