• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Troubled Teens

  • Home
  • Submit Questions
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy

Academics

Fostering Academic Success at Home: Structuring Study Schedules and Spaces, Part 2

Last updated on June 10, 2017 by TT Staff Leave a Comment

utica loft desk twin over twin bed

Parental relationships go a long way toward fostering academic success, but not nearly as much as when parents communicate educational expectations and prioritize academics themselves (see Part 1). Including school work in the schedule and providing study spaces for your kids can go a long way toward communicating your support and the priority you place on hard work and education, in general.

At the same time, though, there is no replacement for the kind of help and support you can offer by your presence and direct involvement in your child’s education.

study ladder loft bed with desk

Daily Support for High Achievers

How much help and support does your child need? How much should you offer? Those are difficult questions and will depend largely on your child’s school, academic aptitudes, and personality. Even the most self-motivated, independent learner can benefit from having someone quiz her before an upcoming test or quiz, and simply asking about what she is learning — even possibly teaching you something you don’t understand or had forgotten — can help your child cement the concepts for herself.

When your child is enthusiastic about something that does not genuinely interest you, it’s still important to listen as an extension of your love and support for your child. Of course, asking about the outcome of a specific project or test communicates support, as well. For high achievers who can become frustrated about a single percentage point, parents can use the opportunity to curb perfectionist tendencies and encourage a productive focus instead of focusing on resentments.

hideaway loft bed with built in desk

Daily Support for Low Achievers

When you look over your child’s homework and see errors, it’s important not to simply tell him the answer or communicate frustration. Instead, you can begin by pointing out correct answers or well-written areas and asking your child how he arrived at them, then try pointing out the mistake and asking if your child realizes what he should have done, instead. Perhaps he is simply rushing in order to have time to call a friend before bedtime or is distracted by events of the day.

If your child is consistently struggling, the material may be above his or her ability, or the classroom communication may be missing the mark. By providing your child with study support, you’ll know when intervention may be needed sooner, rather than later, eliminating the potential for shock over a poor report card.

maxtrix staircase storage low loft bed for girls with desk

Parental Support at School

While daily support cannot be overemphasized, the occasional parental presence in the classroom and involvement in school activities and events goes a long way toward encouraging student success. Or maybe it’s simply the fact that the kinds of parents who tend to get involved are the ones already demonstrating the fact that education is important and doing all they can to encourage academic success at home.

Whatever the relationship, the correlation between parental school involvement and academic success of children is pretty clear, so next time a teacher asks for a parent volunteer, realize that you’re not just helping the teacher, you’re helping your child, too.

maxtrix staircase bunk bed with desk

The Bedroom Source

Located near the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, NY, The Bedroom Source is your source for the best collection of children’s and teen bedroom furniture. From flexibly configurable Maxtrix furniture to fashionable Berg collections, The Bedroom Source offers high end furniture and professional design assistance to create the bedroom of your child’s dreams.

Contact the friendly staff at The Bedroom Source by calling (516) 248-0600 or by visiting www.BedroomSource.com. We’re a local family owned mom & pop store. When you shop with us, you’re dealing directly with the owners. We professionally assemble everything we sell. We deliver to Long Island, the 5 Boroughs of New York City, Rockland, southern Connecticut, and northern New Jersey.

Filed Under: Academics, Family

Fostering Academic Success at Home: Structuring Study Schedules and Spaces, Part 1

Last updated on May 11, 2017 by TT Staff Leave a Comment

seaview loft bed twin

Whether you as a parent are confident or wary about your children’s school, teachers, and the academic state of the union, in general, the most important thing you can do is to foster academic success on the home front. In a landmark 2012 study involving 10,000 students, the findings significantly place importance on your role as parent: “while both school and family involvement are important, the role of family involvement is stronger when it comes to academic success.”

That involvement includes both nurturing relationships (see Being Intentional about Family Relationships Part 1 and Part 2) and specifically being involved in your children’s education. What exactly does that mean? While it starts with an attitude and expectations, it is demonstrated by concrete schedules and spaces that demonstrate the fact that parents see academics as significant and positive.

convertible loft to desk

Study Schedules and Routines

Whether your kids know that as soon as they get home, it’s time for a snack and then alone time for quiet study in their rooms, or a chance to just veg out for a few minutes before dinner before hitting the books afterward, the important component is a schedule or routine. Once the habit is formed, kids know what’s expected of them, and parents benefit from not having to argue or nag.

Just like anything that becomes part of the parent-imposed routine, when doing homework and studying takes a central place in the family’s daily routine, its presence communicates the parental value placed on education, as well as the work ethic that precludes success during the school years and beyond.

maxtrix high study loft natural wood

Study Spaces for Support

Many families find that the kitchen table is an ideal place for kids to work on homework, especially when parents are preparing or cleaning up from meals nearby. The central location allows kids easy access to parental help and support as well as the all-important study snacks!

While the kitchen table is a great place to foster closer parent-child relationships, it really shouldn’t be the only place your children study. Sometimes, a quiet place for independent work is needed — especially if you have more than one child in the house. That’s where a separate study space becomes important.

captain bed with pull out desk

Study Spaces for Independent Learning

Whether you have a designated “office” for your child or simply a corner of a bedroom dedicated to school work, it seems that a simple piece of furniture goes a long way toward communicating the fact that school work is important: Your child needs a desk (view a selection of available desks).

Having this dedicated piece of furniture designed to provide space for study materials turns out to be a significant way that parents can communicate the significance of academics while equipping their kids for success in school.

Continue reading with Part 2.

dorm loft bed with desk underneath

The Bedroom Source

Located near the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, NY, The Bedroom Source is your source for the best collection of children’s and teen bedroom furniture. From flexibly configurable Maxtrix furniture to fashionable Berg collections, The Bedroom Source offers high end furniture and professional design assistance to create the bedroom of your child’s dreams.

Contact the friendly staff at The Bedroom Source by calling (516) 248-0600 or by visiting www.BedroomSource.com. We’re a local family owned mom & pop store. When you shop with us, you’re dealing directly with the owners. We professionally assemble everything we sell. We deliver to Long Island, the 5 Boroughs of New York City, Rockland, southern Connecticut, and northern New Jersey.

Filed Under: Academics, Family

Are Teen Boot Camps a Good Choice?

Last updated on March 17, 2017 by TT Staff Leave a Comment

Teen boot camp and military-style boarding schools are sometimes cited as an effective way to rectify negative behavior in teenagers and set them on the path towards becoming a responsible, independent young adult. However, although popularized by daytime talk shows, teen boot camps have a number of drawbacks that need to be addressed before you decide whether or not this is a smart option for your teen.

You might have limited contact with your child.

Military-style boarding schools often operate under the goal of instilling a sense of discipline and independence in teenagers. In keeping with this goal, some schools choose to limit students’ contact with the outside world. This often includes their families. If you worry about not having contact with your son or daughter during their stay, then perhaps you should find an option other than military-style boarding school or boot camp. And if you do opt for one of these programs, be sure to select one that allows you to check up on/ provide encouragement to your child.

It might not work.

Military-style boarding schools and boot camps operate under the mentality that the thing that disobedient or troubled teenagers need more than anything else is discipline. This may be true for some teenagers, but for others, this approach will be incredibly ineffective. For those teenagers suffering from emotional disorders like depression or an eating disorder, for example, a school built around the idea of discipline and intimidation is very unlikely to be effective as treatment. Military-style schools and boot camps aim to teach children obedience and responsibility, but many times, their method for doing so is to browbeat your son or daughter into submission and obedience. Intimidation tactics are effective for some students, of course (Otherwise, how would these schools stay in business?), but for others, these methods simply will not work. Teenagers who have defiance problems or issues with authority, for example, are unlikely to take the military-style school’s officials seriously. If the teen doesn’t obey you- the parent, the person who arguably has the most control over their life- what makes you think they’ll obey a complete stranger, someone who has, quite literally, no power over them? All in all, it’s important to remember this: Regardless of your teen’s behavior, they are still a child at heart. Teenagers may look like adults and may sometimes even act like it, but their emotions and judgment skills still have a long way to go. The intimidation and fear tactics employed by boot camps and military-style boarding schools are often not the smartest choice.

There are better options.

The good news is that there are alternatives to military-style boarding schools and boot camps. Therapeutic boarding schools and facilities use a much more balanced approach and are therefore highly successful. These facilities treat your teen as an individual. They recognize that while discipline and obedience are very important, they are not the only characteristics that matter in a young adult. These facilities balance discipline with love and obedience with freedom, and the result is a teenager who is obedient and respectful because they recognize the importance and value of being so. These types of boarding schools and programs treat your child with respect and provide them with support, while still applying guidelines, discipline, and treatment methods. Whatever you decide for your teen, be sure to research the facility thoroughly before making a choice. Troubled teen treatment options come in all forms- from Christian to non-affiliated and from military-style to therapy-oriented.  Only you can decide what’s right for your child.

Filed Under: Academics, Behavior & Emotions

When Does Overachievement Become Bad?

Last updated on September 7, 2016 by TT Staff Leave a Comment

Walk the halls of any high school, and the classic stereotypes will come alive before your eyes. The Preps, jocks, nerds, bad kids etc. Most people are able to pick them out and know behavioral patterns. Perhaps the most overlooked teens are actually the ones in the spotlight. This teen is on the honor roll, takes AP classes, plays a sport and has a hand in school organizations. They may even hold a job outside of school. This kid does not appear to have any overt issues. This is the all-American teenager, living it up in high school before getting the amazing scholarship to the perfect college. But what is the price tag which accompanies that amazing scholarship? What will that perfect college acceptance letter really cost them? [Read more…] about When Does Overachievement Become Bad?

Filed Under: Academics

Advice for Parents of Low-Achieving Students

Last updated on August 31, 2016 by TT Staff 1 Comment

As a classroom teacher in both private and public schools in a variety of socioeconomic settings, I noticed six characteristics commonly found among students who routinely succeeded:

  • Propensity for academics
  • Drive toward high achievement
  • Prior knowledge and basic study skills
  • Opportunity to complete assignments
  • Healthy lifestyle choices
  • Parental involvement

While parents may not be able to make a bookworm out of an athlete or an overachiever out of their laid back kid, they can have an effect on the remaining characteristics. Aside from moving or changing schools, parents can fill in the gaps of their child’s education by providing enrichment activities based on low test scores, grades, or their own observations. Summer school or summer tutoring can be helpful, as can creating your own learning lab at home, working with your teen on meaningful projects that help connect skills with real life.

Providing your teen with a space conducive to study and the time to complete class work is important, too. A growing number of today’s teens are too busy with part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and family responsibilities to have time to get enough sleep, as it is. Add homework to the list, and you have a sleep-deprived teen who’s unlikely to be able to concentrate during tomorrow’s lectures.

With epidemic numbers of “latch-key kids” who come home to hollow houses every day, come increased chances of unhealthy snacking and overly processed convenience meals, along with blaring music or TV to fill the unwelcome silence. A healthy diet feeds a healthy mind, as does a healthy social network. If you can’t be there to greet your teen, at least try to call to welcome him or her home and ask about the day. Tell him or her where to find healthy snacks, or ask a friend or family member to hang out until you’re home.

You may not think that your teen wants your input, and maybe he really doesn’t. But he needs it. If a chain-link fence of Os on a quarterly grade sheet shocks you, then you need to act. You can respond by routinely e-mailing teachers to ask about upcoming assignments and check up on your teen’s progress. If that isn’t enough, you can require your teen to gather teacher signatures next to assignments or upcoming assessments, allowing you to know for sure if it’s true that he was given no homework over the long weekend.

The bottom line? When you put action to your concerns, your kids will benefit. Not every teen is capable of straight As in basic classes or of passing Calculus, but I’m convinced that a parent-supported teen is much more likely to enjoy success than one whose parents fail to get involved.

Filed Under: Academics

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Struggling with Your Teen?

Have a question about something you're facing with your teenage son or daughter? Ask us! Just click here and share your question.

Boarding School Reviews

Get your boarding school or youth residential treatment program reviewed here. Looking for a marketing agency? Contact us.

Popular Posts

  • Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Controversy Surrounds "Bully" Movie
  • The Risks of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Signs and Symptoms of Huffing
  • Teens and Rape Victim Blame

Recent Articles

  • Teen Shoplifting
  • Is Scripture Irrelevant to Contemporary Teens?
  • Fostering Academic Success at Home: Structuring Study Schedules and Spaces, Part 2
  • Underage Drinking: More of a Problem Than You May Think
  • Communication Overload
  • Combating Teen Obesity
  • What Technology Reveals About Today’s Teens, Part 2
  • What’s Your Excuse? Don’t Pretend, Be Real
  • Why “Fifty Shades” Is Dangerous (For You and Your Teen)
  • Parents: Look to Hollywood Movies for Parenting Tips

Reader Feedback

  • Tara on Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • TNH on Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Sharaaz Khan on Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Dionne Duarte on Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Clarice A. on Teen Bedwetting
  • Margaret Campbell on Causes of Sexual Promiscuity in Teens
  • Elizabeth on The Sexting Problem
  • Lisa Arquette on Handling Hard Questions: Having Empathy for the Ache
  • L. C. H. on 3 Reminders for Dealing with Rebellious Teens
  • Peter D'Angelo on Which Kids Stay in the Church?

Copyright © 2023 TroubledTeens.biz · All Rights Reserved