Just like adults, children are very sensitve about criticism. And just like adults, they struggle to articulate how they feel sometimes.
When it comes to school, dealing with the disappointment of an end-of-year report can be tough. Some children shrug their shoulders to give you the impression they’re not bothered – when in fact they are really upset about it.
Struggling children already feel different to their peers. They see class mates getting consistently top marks. Teachers sometimes seat them on a table of ‘other’ strugglers – even announcing to the class that those with special needs ‘sit there.’
An end-of-term report often compounds feelings of failure. Even though plenty of positive comments are made, children with knocked confidence often sieze upon the negative ‘must try better’ comments as an affirmation that they are rubbish.
Poor behaviour in class, or a child who is often distracted from the lesson, could be a sign that he or she is struggling with that subject.
Turn a negative into a positive
Instead of telling your child off, or stressing they must try harder next term, it can help to have a relaxed chat about the report. If you struggled at school in a subject, tell them. Share your experiences, use empathy.
This approach is more likely to make your child feel they are not alone, and that certain subjects such as Maths, English and Science are tricky for other people too.
Also, over the summer, see if you can build in some opportunities to help your child with the subject they are struggling with. There are some fantastic resources nowadays. Or you can call us – of course – if you are in the Manchester or Cheshire area, to arrange for one of our fab tutors to come along to work one-to-one.
Holiday tuition can give your child a huge boost before they go back to school in September. Sometimes, all it takes is a few sessions to completely change a child’s view of a subject. Or to clear up any confusion.
Just give us a ring or email the team to find out how it works…
Tags: a bad report, behaviour issues, holiday tuition, special needs