Things have not gone well this school year. Grades, behavior, social stuff, moving, upheaval…your list is pretty long. But you’d like to change all of that. So, how do you get your kid’s school year back on track?
I’m going to be honest: this will take some doing and won’t happen overnight. You’ll need to work at it for a bit. But you 100% can turn things around at school for your child.
How Do I Get My Kids’ School Year Back on Track?
You’ll need to follow a process and it’s pretty simple once you get started. Just follow this plan and you’ll be well on your way!
Identify & Prioritize
Your first step is to figure out what went wrong. Make a list and put them in order from biggest worry to least concerning.
Figure out if some areas are connected, like trouble with math word problems and low reading scores.
Need help tracking your child’s progress? Grab your FREE copy of School Success for Busy Parents!
There’s a grade tracker inside to help you see all the grades all at once. It’ll make this first step so much easier!
Reconnect & Request
This might be the easiest step. Send the teacher an email, share your concerns, and be specific. Like really drill down and get into the nitty-gritty.
You can find email templates to do exactly that inside your copy of Talk to the Teacher.
Ask for a meeting with the teacher to talk more about your worries and to find out what they see in class. If your child has several teachers, especially older kids, you can limit it to certain subjects. For example, if math is the worry you could just talk to the math teacher.
Plan & Track
At the meeting, make a plan to help your child. The teacher will have all sorts of great ideas and opportunities.
There might be tutoring help after school or special support during the school day. Teachers might have a lead on online programs, too.
You’ll need to get your child to buy into this plan, too. The best laid plans won’t work if your child doesn’t care to try or doesn’t like the idea. Consider adding an incentive for success that works for your child.
Set reasonable goals for your child. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Low grades or poor behavior aren’t going to change overnight either.
Over the next few weeks, track what’s happening at school. Remember, it could take up to two months (a long time, I know) for real change to be seen.
Stay the course and keep trying.
What Happens Next?
Well, that depends on where your child is after the first plan and intervention.
Did you see some progress? Did your child stay the same or get worse?
Those next steps, leading to RtI or an IEP evaluation, can be tricky to navigate. You might wish that you had a helping hand to show you the right way.
That’s where a coach and advocate comes into play.
By working with someone outside your family and school, you might find great options that you didn’t know were possible. Education coaches help to create solutions, systems, and strategies to make school less stressful and more successful. Education advocates help you plan meetings and often sit beside you for support.
Are you ready to get your child’s school year back on track? Email Meg today for a FREE consult!