The school year is in full swing, and you’ve noticed that your child who was happy, relaxed, excited to begin school in September is now anxious and reluctant to engage in learning. Come to think of it, this is a pattern you’ve noticed them display for a few years now. Students who struggle with academics often display this pattern. Most of the time, the heart of the issue is a learning struggle. However, these avoidance behaviors can also be labelled as ‘laziness,’ which impacts self-confidence. Laziness does exist, but it’s important to understand that avoiding a school assignment is often due to a difficulty and/or an inability to complete it successfully.
Butcher, baker, candlestick maker. What did you want to be when you grew up? Once upon a time, the choices were more obvious: teacher, doctor, firefighter, mail carrier... Today, ask friends what their job titles are, and their actual work duties may not seem so straightforward. The 21st century has been largely about innovation and quick development of the knowledge and skills to take us into the future.
By the time Meira Mednick’s daughter was in third grade, homework time had morphed into lengthy, embattled evenings fraught with angry tears as frustrated daughter and frazzled mom squared off. “My daughter began showing signs of difficulty in focus on homework in Kindergarten. By second grade, we were drowning,” says Mednick.
Do you dread hearing from your child, “I hate math!”? While math may seem boring or challenging to some children, research shows that despite what they may think, most students can succeed at high levels in math and enjoy it. Build a positive outlook and help your child do better in math by showing them that it can be interesting and fun.
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