Your Child's
Warning Notice is a Call for Help
Receiving a warning notice from your
child’s school is not only alarming; it can leave you feeling
frustrated and confused. For many parents the question becomes, “
I have tried everything. Now what do I do?”
Now is the time of year when local
elementary and high schools issue these much feared warning
notices, alerting parents that their child may fail one or more
courses for this marking period, and possibly for the year.
Parents should remember that warning
notices are intended as an alarm signal of some bigger problem in
their child’s academic life. Once the problem is identified,
parents can take steps to remedy the situation and get their
children back on the right track to learning.
Failing grades can be the result of a
variety of problems. Some students may not be studying
productively to master all the new information they are required
to know. Common distraction or interruptions can turn several
study hours into wasted effort.
Other students may not have truly
grasped certain basic skills earlier in their schooling. This may
have an immediate effect on grades and school performance, or it
may be years of struggling before the problem surfaces. Still
others may be struggling because their shaky understanding of the
material is causing their confidence and motivation to falter.
When a child feels incapable of doing work, he or she may simply
forfeit.
“For children to believe that they can
succeed, it’s vital that their parents believe in them as well,”
says Dr. Raymond J. Huntington, founder and president of
Huntington Learning Center. “If parents demonstrate a belief in
their child’s ability, the child will be more likely to keep
trying. If the child feels good about himself and has a good
self-image, he won’t shrink back from a challenge. He will
continually strive to do his best.”
When your child is struggling in
school, one way to demonstrate your support for him or her is to
seek resources for help. If you receive a warning notice, or are
concerned about your child’s grades, now is the time to get your
child the help he or she needs.
Parents who
would like additional information, or who are concerned about a
specific aspect of their child's academic performance, are
encouraged to call the Huntington Learning Center at 1-800-CAN
LEARN
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