School grades are a metric system that helps teachers track the progress of students, and parents and children themselves assess their own abilities in various subjects. But at the same time, assessments are only one method of testing knowledge, and adults sometimes place too much importance on them, making children feel pressured. Especially in adolescence, when hormones are raging, priorities, circles of interest and communication change, values are redistributed. If the pressure is too strong, adolescents can protest in different formats, for example, by denying the authority of the evaluation system. They may deliberately neglect lessons and homework in order to separate themselves from the system. This does not mean that they really do not know the subjects well! Sometimes yesterday's excellent student, who experiences psychological discomfort, can also switch to threes.
So do not rush to scold and lecture the student for low academic performance - first it is better to understand the root causes of such a result.
4 reasons why a teenager can get bad grades
Lack of time management skills
There is knowledge, there is self-confidence, time for high-quality preparation too, but it constantly goes in the wrong direction. Why? Because the teenager has not yet learned to feel time and distribute it competently: not so long ago, his parents were responsible for his daily schedule, and now the responsibility has abruptly fallen on him.
Conflicts with teachers
In our society, it is more customary to trust the assessments of competent adults, because experienced teachers allegedly cannot be bad people and slander students. But in fact, alas, conflict situations often occur, which are provoked and developed by the same teachers. Of course, situations when a teenager overreacted emotionally to a situation or perceived something incorrectly also happen, so the task of the parent is to figure out what exactly happened or is happening to the child at school.
Inability to present oneself
Fear of speaking in front of a group of people is a common phenomenon. Add to it teenage insecurity or the desire to prove to everyone that public approval is cringe and the last century. So, you will get one of the reasons that can prevent a student from expressing himself in the classroom.
The world is unfair, and life is pain
Remember yourself in your school and student years: have you always agreed with the teachers' assessments? We are sure that the episodes when you felt injustice to yourself and your knowledge were in your school biography! So your child can have the same things. If the assessment system is unfair, then why take it into account and try at all?
How to help a teenager overcome difficulties and return his motivation to study
The most important thing that is required from parents is support and understanding. Believe me, criticism and condemnation in his life will happen more than once, but their source should not be those whom he trusts, whom he respects (that is, you). Instead of negative showdowns and conversations in a raised voice, choose the tactic "Tell me how I can help you" or offer help to the teenager in one of the directions first:
- Talk to the teacher: if you find out that the student really has conflicts with teachers, then you can act in this situation as mediators who will help eliminate problems.
- Determine the range of interests and the range of opportunities. Sometimes teenagers get lost in their own priorities and life plans, because of this, their motivation and desire to do something, develop, try, etc.
- Organize time productively: share checklists, video recommendations, and schedule apps with your child. Show him by your own example how you can correctly distribute even a small amount of time.
