Getting great report card grades can be challenging for students. Frustration, stress, and worry about school performance can lead to poor grades and prevent students from seeking help.
Fortunately, with planning and understanding how to manage challenges, helping your child improve their performance in school is within reach. With the right support and learning strategies, students can reach success on their own.
How To Improve Your Child’s Performance In School
Improving your child’s academic performance starts with having a plan for three important milestones during the school year:
- The beginning of the school year
- The first report card
- Throughout the remainder of the year
Keep reading to discover tips for each milestone and how you can help your child succeed in school.
Build Good Habits At The Start Of The School Year
- Create A Homework Schedule
Good grades start with good homework habits; a well-planned routine ensures good habits stick throughout the school year.
Create an after-school schedule with your child that outlines how much time they should spend doing homework, when to complete it, and how much time is allowed for other activities.
Setting a schedule lets your child know what is expected of them each day and how to manage their time effectively. - Check In With Your Child Frequently
Check in with your child each day after school to find out what they learned in class, what homework was assigned, and when assignments are due.
These check-ins will help you stay informed about your child’s learning and keep your child on track with schoolwork. If your child can’t recall classwork or homework, it may be a sign of school stress or poor attention skills.
Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss in-class performance. Address any issues early on and make a plan to overcome barriers to prevent surprises when report cards roll around. - Encourage Your Child To Do School Work (Even When Nothing Is Assigned)
Occasionally, your child’s teacher may not assign homework, but it’s important to keep your child engaged after school every day.
Whether reviewing notes from class, reading a book, or completing practice questions from a textbook, there are always opportunities for further learning. Encouraging your child to complete work nightly will help them maintain good after-school habits.
Have Conversations About The First Report Card
- Have An Open Discussion With Your Child
Report card time is a good opportunity to have a conversation with your child about how they are feeling. Discuss their school performance, the teacher’s comments, what subjects they enjoy, and what areas they find challenging.
Find positive things to discuss, such as a good comment or note-worthy progress. Discuss poor grades or areas of concern, but avoid having your child feel that this conversation is a punishment.
Instead, ask questions about why your child feels like they are struggling or what they think happened to end up with lower grades. Validating your child’s struggles by acknowledging them is important for creating a plan to improve in the future. - Attend Parent-Teacher Interviews
Relying on your child’s perspective about how school is going doesn’t always provide a clear picture. Parent-teacher interviews are a chance to gauge how your child is doing in class, address report card concerns, and create a plan for improvement.
Developing a relationship with your child’s teacher is important to keep open and frequent communication about your child’s progress. - Offer Encouragement And Support
Express your confidence in your child by letting them know that improvement is within their reach. Let your child know that they don’t have to tackle challenges alone and that you are available for support.
When children know parents are willing to help them succeed, they are more likely to seek out support when they are struggling.
Explore our guide for everything you need to know about report cards!
Use Report Card Results To Plan For Success The Rest Of The School Year
- Encourage Your Child To Set Goals
After reviewing the report card with your child, have them set clear, achievable, and measurable goals to work toward for the next report card. Focus on major areas of improvement, like the subjects they are struggling with most or certain skills that need developing.
Encourage your child to start with small, incremental goals. Having smaller goals to achieve gives your child a roadmap to bigger end goals, like improved grades on the next report card.
Some examples of goals include:
A) Study science for an extra 20 minutes per night,
B) Contribute in class twice per day,
c) Get a B+ or higher on the next math test
Helping your child set goals teaches perseverance, builds confidence, and motivates your child to improve. - Readjust The Homework Plan
If your child struggles in certain subjects more than others, ensure they prioritize homework for those subjects before others. Encourage your child to spend more time reviewing notes or studying for those subjects.
If necessary, increase the amount of time spent on homework each night. Readjusting your child’s homework plan will help them stay focused on the areas needing improvement.
Ask your child’s teacher if there are opportunities for further learning in the areas where your child needs extra help, such as worksheets, extra one-on-one learning time, or other materials. - Seek Out Tutoring
Some students need extra support to improve their school performance and reach their academic goals. If your child struggles in certain subjects or feels frustrated with learning, tutoring could be the answer. Tutoring can give your child the extra attention and support they need. It’s also a great way to build school confidence in a low-pressure environment.
Help Your Child Improve The Next Report Card Results
Taking an active role in your child’s school progress is important for carving a path to success (and avoiding surprises on the next report card).
Taking an active role in your child’s school progress is important for carving a path to success (and avoiding surprises on the next report card).
If your child is struggling in school, don’t wait for things to improve on their own—take action and help your child get the support they need to succeed. Contact us today to discover how we can help your child reach success in the classroom and beyond.
Updated and republished Sept 2024. Originally published November 2019
