As we make our way back in from the Holiday break, the goal for the New Year may be to take care of falling grades and missing homework assignments, or simply staying on top of it all! Falling behind in school is a challenge that many children face, whether due to learning differences or personal commitments, if you find your child lagging in their studies, here’s a guide to help you navigate this challenging situation. **Recognize the Signs** Before taking action, identify if your child is genuinely falling behind. Signs may include: – A sudden drop in grades – Difficulty completing assignments – Increased frustration during homework time – Lack of enthusiasm about school or learning – Changes in behavior, such as withdrawal or irritability Understanding these signs can help you determine when it’s time to step in. **Open Communication** Engage your child in an open and non-judgmental conversation. Ask them how they feel about school, which subjects they enjoy, and where they think they struggle. Creating a safe environment for expression helps them articulate their feelings and challenges. Share your observations and reassure them that it’s perfectly okay to seek help. If They Are Behind, Don’t Give Up! There are ways to get back on top… 1.**Talk to Their Teacher!!** Teachers are invaluable allies in your child’s education! Schedule a meeting to discuss your child’s performance and gather insights on their classroom behavior, participation, and tailored learning needs. Teachers can offer strategies to support your child’s learning, recommend additional resources, or connect you to special services if needed. If they have gotten behind in their assignments teachers are often willing to give points for material made up, or offer extra credit assignments. 2. **Assess Learning Styles** Every child has a unique learning style that can influence their academic success. Some children are visual learners, while others may excel in auditory or kinesthetic learning environments. Observe how your child absorbs information best. You might consider providing varied resources such as videos, interactive activities, or hands-on projects that align with their preferred learning style. 3. **Establish a Routine** Creating a structured daily routine can significantly improve a child’s academic performance. Establish specific times for homework, studying, recreational activities, etc. Consistency helps children feel more in control and develop better time management skills. It is also helpful if they have a study area that is organized, and free from distractions. 4. **Explore Evaluation and Support Services** For persistent academic challenges, it may be beneficial to evaluate your child for learning differences or disabilities. Consultation with a pediatrician or psychologist can provide clarity and direction. If your child is found to have specific learning needs, the school is obligated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan to tailor their education accordingly. *Also, if you notice signs of anxiety, stress, or depression, a school counselor or child psychologist is a valuable resource in navigating providing coping strategies. 5.**Stay Patient, Encouraging and Engaged** Show genuine interest in your child’s educational journey. Patience and encouragement play a large part in getting your child reinvested and feeling good about themselves. Set realistic goals that emphasize progress rather than perfection, celebrate small victories, whether mastering a difficult concept or improving a test grade. Reading together, discussing topics from class, simply talking about the school day can reinforce concepts learned in school. And finally, find Additional Support like Elite Tutors…. If struggles persist, consider seeking tutoring or after-school programs designed to provide extra assistance in specific subjects. Local community centers, libraries, and schools often offer resources and programs to help students catch up. Online platforms with interactive learning tools can also add an engaging dimension to traditional education. Here at Elite, we want you to know that if your student falls behind in school, you are not alone. We have tutors who can help with not only the subject matter needed, but with consistency, time management, and who serve as mentors invested in inspiring your child to see the joy in learning. Happy New Year on behalf of the Elite Team!
Having a child with ADHD can be hard as a parent, especially when it comes to school. Learn 5 simple strategies to help your ADHD child achieve success in school: The first step to helping your child achieve success is through making sure their teacher is aware of their ADHD. This information does not always get passed along the chain of teachers. Through informing their teacher, you can work together with them to be on the same page and work on the same goals. Inform their teacher of any medication the child may be on as well as they can watch and let you know how well the medication is doing for your child in during school hours. If there comes a point of the medication not working as well, the teacher can let you know of possible medication changes that may need to happen. Find ways to help your child learn to their fullest. Your child may need a few different goals than others, or more goals that are smaller. Making their goals smaller may make it easier for your child to reach their goals. Always make sure as goals are hit, you point them out and celebrate them. Even just a fun sticker or pencil to say GREAT JOB goes a long way. They need that praise. This way they feel like they are accomplishing something! This leads to them strive to reach more goals as children need to feel self-worth! When working during class time or at home, ensure to give them time. If something is too hard or they become frustrated, have them move on to the next question or problem. You can always come back to the hard ones later! During test time, if they are having problems concentrating, have them take a short walk to the drinking fountain. This short walk will help them clear their mind and walk off a little energy! This is a great plan to bring up to the teacher. Maybe during conference’s, or call or email. Not all teachers have dealt with the same degree and amount of ADHD children, so do not assume the teacher knows what is best for your child. Never do any work for your child. This may be frustrating for both of you, but there will be no success from you doing their work. If you are having a hard time, try stepping back and thinking of clues to help them find the answer. Make the clue’s easy to begin and as you move on give clues that are a little harder and require more thinking. This is a great way to help them catch on and learn how to find the answer on their own! Help your child stay organized. Children with ADHD are prone to being messy. Have your child put their work in different colored folders. If there is a project due, begin the work together. Work together to put all your child’s notes together and organized. Have your child work a little every day on their project. Talk everyday about how many days are left before their project is due to limits stress. The main thing to always remember with ADHD children is to always be patient! Their brains work different than ours and they need to take small breaks to stay focused. Every year, you will learn more and more about what works best for your child. Just always keep teachers and other adults in their life up-to-date with this information so your child can learn to their fullest.
Tutoring jobs can be difficult to find and even more tricky to find clients to commit. Find hope in this list of 10 websites from online tutoring companies to searches for individual jobs, we’ve rated them to make it simple. 1) www.schoolspring.com/ Not the best but it’ll do. SchoolSpring offers an exhaustive list of jobs but that’s just it. It is exhausting. The only selections available are the following: state, grade level (not subject) and position searching/ hours intending. This may however be a great website for tutors seeking teaching career. But is certainly hit or miss whether a specialty is even available. 2) www.wyzant.com/TutorHome.aspx Ability to search jobs according to subject or city. Failure in the search is that city and subject cannot be chosen together for search optimization. Either one must be weeded through to find specific jobs or areas near tutor’s city. 3) www.tutor.com/apply Work only in areas of expertise and tutor from home online. Tutors can take an online test in areas like; calculus, German, finance and other specific subjects to gain preference in the application process. However, some specific areas of tutoring may get passed over in this process. 4) www.varsitytutors.com/tutoring-jobs Select general subject topics, enter in test scores, teaching certifications and hours available and Varsity Tutor will contact potential tutors. 5) www.care.com With hundreds of local tutoring gigs to choose from, tutors can certainly find postings desiring their subject offerings. There are multiple tutors competing for the same job and clients don’t always follow through. Also, tutors seek, set up schedules and collect payment themselves. 6) studypoint.com One-on-one tutoring with resources and training for tutors. Required 2 years teaching or tutoring experience and a Bachelor’s degree from a 4 year university or college. Tutors who are serious about long-term tutoring assignments and commitments will love Study Point. 7) www.universitytutor.com/tutoring_jobs Fees, rates and schedule of availability is set by the tutor. Online and in-person jobs. Tutors are selected by clients and find preference through the reviews received. No real stability in finding long-term or more than one-time positions. 8) www.elitehometutoring.com/jobs Elite Home Tutoring is a favorite because tutors set their own hours, only tutor in desired subjects and cities and receive emails when a tutoring job meeting their criteria is met. The tutors choose which jobs to accept. Payments are always direct deposit and collecting a fee is done by Elite Home Tutoring so Tutors can focus on teaching. Find the right fit for you and may your adventure begin!
Can the words “homework” and “focus” truly coincide in the same sentence without a nuclear meltdown? As a blogger and mom of three, I think this theory is probable. Having scoured the internet and begged friends, teachers and experts for their suggestions: these are a few of the tried and tested methods that bring relief to the homework issues in my home. School is not Finished when the Bell Rings Just as a forty hour work week can stretch into sixty hours, students need to understand that their work is not finished until the job is completed, and not when the bus arrives. There can be exceptions, for example; baseball practice, orchestra concerts and dance recitals. But be intentional about scheduling a time to get the work done. Set an early morning alarm to work on those math problems that were missed while partying late celebrating Grandma’s birthday. Understand the Subject Matter Most educators are willing to meet by appointment before or after school hours to assist students with difficult subjects. It’s a crazy idea, almost like it’s their job and desire to assist with learning. Tutors specific to the area of study are an amazing help. They are devoted to the student’s needs and don’t have the time limitations that teachers often have. Take a Break Sitting in a controlled environment all day, students need a 15-30 minute break to stretch their legs and eat a healthy snack before sitting down to focus on schoolwork again. If studies journey into a long session of concentration, take a short break for the brain and body. Set a Timer, Set a Goal Set a 5-20 minute timer and set a goal, for instance, state a number of problems to complete or sentences to structure in the allotted amount of time. It’s amazing how much focus can be found when a challenge is presented. Homework can be a daunting, often (feeling) endless task. With a timer set, there is a limit to the work and possible reward of a break between timer settings until the work is completed. Develop an Atmosphere Conducive to Learning Kitchens often become the afternoon hub in a home. Instead, have a designated area for homework only. Where students can escape if noises and distractions become an issue. A desk in a bedroom or office perhaps? Have all supplies at the ready. In work areas or desks have rulers, pencils, calculators and healthy snacks all within arms reach. Time will not be wasted tracking down supplies. Above All, NO SCREENS! Sorry to blow that ship out of the water, but it’s nearly impossible to do a complex math problem or write an essay with the TV blaring in the background. social media, gaming and “research” online, should be set aside for post-study hours. Come on who are we kidding? Everyone knows these things can easily suck us into a time vortex for which there is no escape. Save screen time for a reward, don’t allow it as a distraction. Hopefully this article helped you find a least a few methods of respite from your homework monsters With some simple changes, focus can be painlessly redirected toward homework and peace restored.