Teens and Education

The teen years cover that part of life which is spent most on education. At that time, our brain is well adapted to learning new things and taking in lots of information. Parents spend a lot of time and energy to give their kids the education they need to become successful in later life.

High school is a jungle for some students. There are many different classes and different teachers. To do well in school, a student needs to learn time management. If not, it’s easy to become intimidated by the workload.

Parents need to make sure that their teens start school on the right foot. If they struggle with any subject, it’s up to both parents and teachers to identify the weakness and to take corrective steps. If a teen performs poorly at one subject continuously, he might consider himself ‘bad’ in it and give it up altogether. So, it’s important that a weak student receives help in the early stages, when he is not on the verge of ‘hating’ a subject.

Parents and teachers also need to supervise homework. Many teens consider this a bore and will try to leave it till the last minute or copy from friends. They don’t realize that such behavior can cheat them of good marks in exams and compromise future prospects. Kids need to do their homework so that they know they understood that day’s lesson. It helps retention too.

Balancing education with extra curricular activities is a must. Let’s face it; some kids are more academically inclined while others show more skills in sports/art/dance/music. We can’t expect all to perform at the same level. At the same time, being a talented gymnast doesn’t mean you should give up your education altogether. At the end of the day, your education will give you something to fall back on. Kids should strive for balance in their lives.  

Education comes in a variety of forms. So don’t insist that your teen spends time at his books everyday. Take your kids to a museum if it will help him to remember that week’s history lesson. Give the green light for field trips organized by the school. Encourage your teen to put what he learns into practice whenever possible because it will lead to more awareness and interest. Creating an enjoyment for learning is possibly the best gift a parent can offer a child.

One common mistake parents make is to ask their teen everyday whether they have done their assignments and allocate times for homework. This usually elicits a mechanical response on the part of the teen. The homework may get done but the learning really hasn’t. Let the teen take responsibility by asking how he or she is going to handle the assignment rather than lay down the law. Always offer your support, even if you may not be a math whiz or you don’t understand the science project. Even moral support helps.

If you think your kid is being taxed by all the homework, talk to the teachers and explain the situation. One teacher may not be aware of the workload another has given. For instance, seven assignments in a week put undue pressure on a student. Keep in close contact with your child’s school so that you are aware of any developments.