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Education
November / December 2007
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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