It’s the start of a new year, and that’s a good time to take stock. Are your teen’s grades where she—and you—would like them to be? If not, it may be time to make some learning resolutions.
Here are three to try:
- Get to class on time every day. Teachers can’t teach students who aren’t in class. And if teens consistently miss a class, or if they arrive late, they’re going to miss something important.
- Read for pleasure. Research shows that teens strongly benefit from time spent reading. Unfortunately, according to studies collected by Common Sense Media, there has been a clear decline in reading among teens. Nearly half of 17-year-olds say they read for pleasure no more than one or two times a year. So encourage your teen to spend time reading something she likes—a sports story, a thriller or a magazine. It doesn’t matter what she reads, just that she reads.
- Cut down on screen time. Studies show that most teens spend more than seven hours a day using media. Not surprisingly, those with the highest media usage had the lowest grades. So have your teen turn off the TV and put her phone down for an hour or two. Encourage her to use that time to read, be active or just daydream.
(Source: J. Ludden, “Why Aren’t Teens Reading Like They Used To? “ NPR.org; “Generation M²: Media in the Lives of 8 to 18-year-olds,” Kaiser Family Foundation.)
More tips, ideas and information for parents to support their children are available in the Parent Connection’s Parents Make the Difference monthly newsletters available on vbschools.com here. One newsletter for each school level – elementary, middle and high – is published monthly September through May.