Introduction
Your teenager is about to take a summer vacation, and you’re probably looking forward to some relaxing time together. However, there’s one thing that could make this year’s break less enjoyable for both of you: your teen may need to take an additional class or two in order to graduate on time. In fact, many teens are required to do so—and it can be a great way for them to get ahead on credits. But if your child hasn’t been keeping up with their schoolwork during the regular year and has fallen behind in credits, they may not want to go back into the classroom over the summer months. This can create tension between you and your child as well as between them and their teachers because of missed assignments or late work submissions due dates being missed altogether in most cases. Therefore here are 10 things that parents should do when facing this situation:
Your child may need to take summer school classes if they are falling behind in credits.
If your child is falling behind in credits, they may need to take summer school classes. If your child is falling behind in credits and needs to take summer school classes to graduate on time, here are some steps you can take:
Check the grades on your child’s report card.
First, take a look at your child’s report card. This can serve as an important indicator of whether or not your child is falling behind during the school year, and if so, what exactly is causing it. You should be able to tell if your child is struggling in certain areas by looking at their grades and comparing them to their behavior at home.
- Which subjects are they failing?
- Are they making good progress in other subjects?
- Does their behavior change when they get a bad grade on an assignment? Do they act out more often than normal after receiving one of these bad grades?
Ask the school guidance counselor for recommendations.
- Talk to the school guidance counselor. The guidance counselor is your one-stop shop when it comes to summer school, because they can help you find the right class for your child and even find a tutor if your child is struggling in a particular subject. They can also help you register for summer school classes and programs, which could be beneficial if you want to take advantage of those opportunities but are not sure how best to do so.
- Pick up some books from the library or bookstore on studying skills and test preparation techniques—your kids need this kind of knowledge too!
Determine if summer school is the right choice for your family.
If you’ve done your research and found that summer school is the right choice for your family, it’s important to make sure that your child will get full credit. Summer school can be a great way for your child to catch up on what they missed in the academic year, but students should not be penalized for attending summer school if it isn’t required by their district or state.
There are several factors that determine how much time and money needs to go into preparing for summer school:
Plan ahead for summer school transportation and childcare.
It’s important to consider transportation and childcare for your child if they are going to summer school. Your child will need a ride to and from summer school every day, so make sure that you have a plan in place if you can’t take them yourself. You may also want to make arrangements for childcare while they are at summer school, especially if someone else is taking them there or if they have an after-school activity they enjoy (like playing sports).
Talk to your teen about the importance of full credit
Talk to your teen about the importance of full credit. Let them know that getting lower grades than they are capable of will hurt their chances at college. Summer school is an excellent opportunity for students to get ahead and catch up on credits they may have missed during the school year. The first part of this process is talking with your teen about how important it is for them to get full credit in summer school, so they can start off on the right foot!
Set the rules for summer school together with your teen.
Another way to make sure your teen gets the most out of summer school is by setting the rules together.
- Set realistic expectations. Your teen may be eager to get ahead, but don’t expect too much too soon. If they take on more than they can handle, they will only be further behind in their classes when school starts again and you’ll end up with a frustrated student who can’t keep up with their new classwork–or worse yet, an exhausted one who may start failing all over again! Instead, set goals for each week that are attainable and encourage your child when he or she succeeds at them (but also reprimand when necessary). Remember: You’re working towards getting back on track for next semester!
- Set a schedule that works for both of you. You’ll need time and flexibility from both yourself and your teen if this is going to work well for everyone involved–it’s not just about finishing the course material; it’s also about making sure each person feels good doing so. If something doesn’t feel right or isn’t working out as planned then talk about it openly instead of playing games like “I’m fine”/”No I’m not fine”/”Yes we had fun today but I still don’t think this style fits me.”
Encourage your teen to take notes and study in class each day.
- Encourage your teen to take notes and study in class each day.
- Review those notes after class, and encourage your teen to think about how the material could be applied outside of school.
- Help your teen set aside time for homework and studying for tests, quizzes and projects. Set up a routine with specific times when you’ll have study sessions together so that they know what to expect (and you don’t have to worry about it).
- If there are group projects, encourage individual members of the group to work consistently on their parts so that they’re done by the time they need them—don’t let one person do all or most of the work while others put in minimal effort.
Avoid letting your teen sleep late during vacation time.
Your teen is likely to go to bed later and sleep in, but that’s not the best way to get ahead. Instead, it’s better for them to wake up at the same time they normally do on school days and start getting ready for the day. This will help them get into a routine and set their minds in gear for what needs doing during summer break.
It’s important to remember that teens need eight hours of sleep each night in order for their bodies and minds to function properly during the day. Getting enough rest will also give your child energy throughout the week so they can enjoy all of their activities without needing a nap or feeling tired all day long!
Help your teen keep track of assignments and due dates.
The easiest way to make sure your teen is on top of assignments and staying organized is to use a calendar, planner or app. If there’s one thing that can help you avoid summer school, it’s keeping track of things!
In addition to using the calendar/planner/app you choose, be sure your teen knows how important it is to complete assignments on time. Make sure they have a place to study where they won’t get distracted by other students (or their phones). And if possible, consider having your teen take notes in class so that he or she has everything written down for later reference. It also helps if materials are readily available at home—for example, textbooks should be available whenever studying takes place as well as extra pencils and pens when needed.
Make sure your teen completes all assignments in a timely manner.
Make sure your teen completes all assignments in a timely manner. If you don’t complete assignments on time, the school may not be able to count them toward their grade. In some cases, students who don’t turn in their work on time will have to retake the class and pay a fine.
It’s also worth noting that even if you do everything right and follow the school’s policies, there are still things outside your control that could affect whether or not your child gets credit for his or her summer school classes. For example, if another student is involved in an accident or illness that causes him/her to miss class (and therefore disrupts everyone’s schedule), it could impact whether or not everyone gets full credit for their classes.
Have a designated space where your teen can study at home.
When it comes to homework, it’s important that your teen has a designated space where they can study without distraction. The most important thing is to make sure that the space is comfortable and quiet. Your teen should have their own desk and chair so they will not be bothered by other family members or pets. Make sure the room is well lit and doesn’t contain any distractions like TV monitors or radios.
If your child struggles with attention issues, making him or her move out of his or her bedroom could be helpful. In this case, a good idea would be for them to use a guest room where there are no televisions or video games available at all times during summer school hours every day until all assignments are completed satisfactorily each afternoon before their normal bedtime curfew begins again at 8 p.m..
Summer school can be a good choice if your child needs additional classes to graduate on schedule
Summer school is a good choice for students who need additional courses to graduate on schedule, want to graduate early and/or are falling behind in classes.
Sometimes, students need extra help and summer school may be the perfect solution. For example, if your child has fallen behind in one or more classes because of absences or other issues that have prevented them from completing work during the school year, summer school could give them the time they need to catch up. In some cases, this can enable your child to come back during fall quarter without having to repeat any courses.
If you’re considering summer school as an option for your teen but aren’t sure how much time they will spend there or what it will cost (not all schools offer free tuition), ask their teacher what he or she thinks would be best for them academically before making your decision based solely on price factors such as whether tuition costs are covered by work study programs at your university—which is definitely worth checking out!
Conclusion
Your teen will be more likely to get full credit if they are prepared and ready to tackle the challenge of summer school.
