Be positive: The perfect learning environment starts with a good attitude. If you show that you believe in your students and trust that they are working hard, they are more likely to succeed. Focus on their positive attributes and praise every success to bolster their confidence. They will only do better if they believe they are capable of improvement.
Create a routine: Routine’s may be boring, but they give the day structure and help students to feel secure. When they know what’s expected of them and what they should be doing, they are more likely to complete tasks. This also means you have to set boundaries. Have you ever sat down in front of the computer to work and ended up wasting hours on the Internet? The same thing happens to your students. What you need to do is structure time for homework and studying and make sure that their environment is free of distractions. Making a study area where there is enough light, peace and quiet and no distractions will help. You can also help by leaving them to work and then praising or rewarding them when tasks are successfully completed.
Get organized: Teaching your student to be organized will mean less chaotic mornings, fewer forgotten assignments and homework tasks and never running out of time to study. Help your students to find a way to record everything they need to do and teach them how to use their time effectively. You can use online apps, coloured charts or diaries to make schedules that work. This should be something you teach them and supervise, but they need to learn how to manage their own time effectively.
All work and no play…: Don’t forget the down time! Stress makes your student less effective and a well-rounded routine will definitely help to improve their performance. Make sure they get enough exercise, have fun with friends and take time out to spend together as a family.
Step back: While this may seem counter-intuitive, but micromanaging your student’s academic life implies that you don’t have faith in their abilities and prevents them from acquiring the life skills they need to be effective academically and socially. Reward effort and don’t put too much pressure on them. Happy, well-adjusted students do better than those who are stressed and lack confidence in their abilities.
Get a tutor: This is essential when attempting to improve academic performance. While you can go over your student’s homework with them, tutors bring so much more to the table. Tutors are able to ascertain your child’s learning style and adapt materials so that they are able to understand and remember. Tutors can teach students how to effectively manage their time and find the study methods and schedules that will help them to achieve their goals.
