Preventing School Failure: Tips And Recommendations
School failure is a problem suffered by millions of school-age children and adolescents, and although it is reflected very clearly in grades and problems passing grades, it has much deeper implications than those that can be reflected. in a simple number; In most cases, they condition the personal and professional development of young people as they enter adolescence and adulthood.
This phenomenon generates great discomfort both emotionally and in relation to personal relationships, all at a stage of life in which young people are especially vulnerable and sensitive to everything that affects the development of their personality and self-esteem.
That’s why, In this article we will review several tips for preventing school failure to be applied by both fathers and mothers and by the children themselves.
What can we do as parents to prevent school failure?
These are some guidelines for parents to follow:
1. Promote dialogue
Dialogue with our son is essential throughout his childhood; It will allow us to get to know you better and know first-hand when you have problems and how we can help you
Likewise, it is important to promote daily dialogue, so that our son is able to communicate with us any problem he may present and to be willing to help him at every moment of his life, whether in a case of school failure or any other problem. . This means not scolding him gratuitously when he says that he does not understand something, nor when he says that he has not been able to do his homework because he does not know how to solve the exercises. In this way, he will know that he can rely on our support, instead of treating homework and studying as something clandestine that he should not talk about with his parents in order to avoid unpleasant situations.
Positive discipline is more about respect for people than punishment, that is, valuing above all the physical and emotional well-being of the child and make it easier for you to get involved in your responsibilities due to the desire to learn and improve in various areas of their life, and not based on the fear of scolding.
By putting into practice a model of positive discipline to educate our children, we will ensure that they grow up in a healthy environment, based on respect, love and understanding of any problem they may have. To do this, it is important that we prioritize giving help when problems arise in the first place, instead of adopting a hostile attitude immediately after knowing that they have not done their homework, have not studied, etc.
3. Avoid using labels
Saying things like “you are a bad student”, in addition to predisposing the boy or girl to adopt a defensive attitude towards everything that has to do with school, will damage their self-esteem and make it easier for them to fall into the self-fulfilling prophecy: before When you start studying or doing homework, you will “know” that you will not be able to do it and that therefore you are wasting your time. That’s why, It is very important to face school problems without using labels of that type ; Instead, you have to focus on the verb, not on the nouns and adjectives: “you have problems doing your homework,” “this subject is difficult for you,” etc.
4. Set both short and long term goals
Setting short-term and long-term daily goals is a good way to motivate our child to fulfill their school responsibilities; It is counterproductive to say that they must pass a minimum of X subjects at the end of the course or quarter.
By combining short- and long-term progress benchmarks, we will give them reasons to get involved in their studies. knowing that they can feel good about it in a matter of hours or a few days
This reward system must be based on the word; For example, by letting them see that we appreciate their progress and that these are a sign of maturity, of their progress towards psychological maturity. We must make it clear to our children that the important thing is that they are responsible and do their duty beyond material rewards.
5. Maintain a constant relationship with the school
Maintaining a two-way relationship with the school is also essential to deal with any type of problem that our child may have, and this will ensure that we have a direct line with the school whenever we need it, to deal with any issue.
Whether our child has learning problems, school difficulties or social relationship difficulties, they can always be treated more effectively. if communication with the school or institute is fluid from the first day And of course, we should not get defensive if the teachers talk about our son or daughter’s difficulties, nor, for example, if they suggest taking remedial classes.
6. Do not abuse duties
Filling the holidays with hours and hours of doing homework with summer booklets usually generates frustration in children and young people, leading them to associate schoolwork with what separates them from fun and the possibility of disconnecting. If they do homework, we must ensure that it is in very short sessions, so that basically they do not completely forget what they have been learning and have regular “reminders”
7. Encourage him to read
Many times, the solution lies in simplicity; In many cases, the main problem that boys and girls have at school is that they have not developed good reading comprehension, and therefore, encouraging them to read novels or stories is more effective than giving them added homework.
8. Turn to external educational support
Sometimes we can also go to a private teacher to reinforce those subjects in which our son or daughter has the most problems, making sure that it is a person trained and qualified for this.
A private teacher can be the boost our child needs to overcome their academic deficits and also the person with whom they learn, in addition to knowledge, methodologies and useful study and work tricks adapted to their case. Additionally, in this class format, It is much easier to ask questions about the syllabus
9. Go to a psychologist if necessary
Whenever the aforementioned advice does not have the desired effect, we can consider going to a qualified psychology professional specialized in the field of children and adolescents, especially if we suspect that there is an emotional or neurodevelopmental problem that prevents academic progress.
A psychologist will help us identify possible learning disorders that the boy or girl may have and will teach us all kinds of guidelines, advice and knowledge that we can put into practice to improve their physical or emotional well-being, as well as their performance at school.
What can you do as a student to prevent school failure?
Here you will find several tips for preventing school failure designed for the students themselves.
1. Find what motivates you most and start from there
All human beings have something that motivates them in life, that fulfills them and makes them happy. Therefore, you must find those areas of knowledge and skill development that motivate you to, from there, see which subjects are most related to them. Once you have linked part of your school activities to what motivates you beyond school, it will be much easier for you to learn and study practically without trying, and in a fluid way.
And when you have seen the progress you are able to make in one or two subjects due to that source of motivation, your self-esteem will be strong enough not to let yourself be intimidated by the rest of the subjects that are more difficult for you.
You may be interested: “Self-knowledge: definition and 8 tips to improve it”
2. Dedicate part of your free time to reading the type of books that you like the most
Adopt the habit of reading fiction or non-fiction works It will help you quickly develop your reading comprehension skills a fundamental aspect to face the challenges you must face at school.
3. Prioritize organization
Organization is essential in any aspect of a student’s life, especially if you have trouble concentrating or successfully completing homework and assignments at school or college.
Therefore, you should get used to organizing your pending tasks and daily schedules using an agenda or notebook where you can write down all your responsibilities, making sure that they do not overlap each other, and you should also make sure that your workplace is clean, tidy and organized with all the necessary school supplies at your fingertips, without having to get up every time to change things
4. Self-motivate
Set small goals and rewards that you can access right after successfully completing each study or homework session you have in your day. Something symbolic, to remind you that you have been able to overcome the challenge you have set for yourself, and occasionally a physical reward, such as a snack that you like.
Do you want to have psychological assistance for people of all ages?
In Adhara Psychology We work serving adults, children and adolescents as well as families, to provide professional support based on the principles of Humanistic Psychology, adapting to the needs, concerns and particularities of each individual. We offer our services in person and online.
