BEAT THE "BACK TO SCHOOL ANXIETY"
By Huntington Learning Centers
The first day of the new school year
can be an exciting time. It’s a time when a student looks forward
to buying new clothes, meeting new teachers and making new
friends. So why is it that some children dread starting school in
the fall?
According to Dr. Raymond J. Huntington, founder and president of
the Huntington Learning Center, it is natural for children to
experience some anxiety when entering a new classroom environment.
However, when the anxiety turns to fear and reluctance, it is
important to identify why and help them move past it. The
following are the four most common reasons why children are
fearful and reluctant to return to the classroom.
Lack of self-confidence - If a child does not have confidence; he
or she may not be capable of success in school. To build the
child's confidence, set reasonable expectations and attainable
goals, and praise his or her achievements. When children find that
they can complete small tasks, they will feel better about moving
on to bigger and better challenges.
Fear of failure or fear of criticism from others - Children having
trouble keeping up in school may feel anxious or embarrassed to
ask questions in class, for fear that they will be teased by
classmates. When they do not ask for help, they fall further and
further behind in school.
Lack of motivation - When a child is unmotivated, he or she may be
expressing boredom or frustration with the materials being
studied. When textbook knowledge is not being applied in everyday
life, the information may seem meaningless. The key to motivating
children to learn is to make learning interesting. Reading food
boxes and cans, counting cars on the highway and writing letters
to friends are just a few things to give real-world meaning to
schoolwork. Lack of motivation may also come from a child feeling
incapable of doing the work. Again, show the child all of the
little things he or she can accomplish and the larger tasks will
follow.
Lack of basic skills - Children become frustrated when they cannot
keep up with classmates or school assignments due to a lack of
basic skills. If a child was having problems at the end of the
school year, the introduction of new material will be even more
overwhelming. By working on a child's weak areas through tutoring,
knowledge will fall into place, and then self-confidence and
motivation are sure to follow.
If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an academic
check-up for your child, please contact Huntington Learning Center
at 1-800 CAN LEARN.
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