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School and Learning Resources for Parents

Problems at School

Kevin Fenton

Revised July 2009 by Kathleen Olson, Extension Educator - Family Relations

Some academic problems are unmistakable. However, there often are more subtle signs of trouble before problems are noticed.

KEYS TO HEADING OFF TROUBLE

• First, look for any sign of a problem. In many cases, academic trouble is a symptom of an emotional issue, especially if your child hasn’t had trouble before. Be especially vigilant at times of change such as, the loss of a friend, or relative, divorce, move or illness in the family.
• Talk to your child. See how they're doing. Keep involved with their schoolwork. Besides helping them academically, it’s a good way to start to get a sense of how your child is feeling without asking a lot of point-blank questions that they may ignore.

In many cases, the problem may be purely academic. Your child may not be ready for a given subject, or they didn’t understand an important concept and never caught up. The problem may be poor study habits, especially if your child is taking more challenging courses. They may have to set aside more time or otherwise change their study habits. What worked before may not work now.

• Develop-and implement-a plan of action. If the problem is emotional, and you feel you need help, see a school counselor or your family physician. If it’s academic, talk to their teacher. While teachers are very busy, they will do everything they can to help you get your child back on track.

When problems arise, keep a problem solving attitude and...

• Contact the teacher at the first sign of a problem. Ask for a meeting with the teacher & your child. Encourage an older child to meet with their teacher & follow up with your child.
• Communicate with the teacher regularly. Behavior often improves when your child knows the parent & teacher are talking together.
• Set goals with your child to work on both at home and at school. Focus on the progress towards the goal rather than just the goal.

For more information visit Parenting for School Success.