If your child struggles with being motivated to make their best effort in school, there are a number of possibilities as to why. Learning issues, social challenges, attention or emotional problems can all cause disengagement in the classroom. However, not all students who are underperforming have a diagnosable problem. How can you, as a parent, motivate your child to try their best in school?

Get Involved

Your presence as a parent is vital to your child’s commitment to their schoolwork. Help them with their homework and make them aware that you are there to answer questions. Ask questions about what was learned that day to let them know you are interested in their life at school. Make sure not to ask too many questions, though; you don’t want to sound like you are interrogating.

Reinforcement

Have you ever heard the phrase “Don’t applaud a fish for swimming?” Providing rewards for good work in school follows this mantra as well. Tangible rewards can turn into a slippery slope, but there are ways to use extrinsic motivation that will resonate well with your children. Rather than purchasing a gift when report cards roll around, give praises, hugs, high fives, and vocalizations of how proud you are of your child’s great accomplishments. They will want to achieve because it feels good internally rather than skimming by just to earn a tangible reward.

Get Outside Help

If homework time is causing tension between you and your child, get help from an older student or tutor. An older peer that your child can look up to may be more likely to motivate them to get things done. There is also a chance that they will behave better since they are under the supervision of someone closer to their age.

Communicate with the Teacher(s)

Work with your child’s teacher when it comes to his/her education and motivation. The teacher may have some great insight on how to help or what your child may be struggling with, and you can share any strategies that have worked in the past. They may be able to make small tweaks to help your child in class, like checking on them more often.

Walton Academy

Walton Academy is a private school located in Greenville, North Carolina. We are always striving to provide a consistent, nurturing and innovative environment for our students. We understand that early childhood education plays a large role in your child’s development. Therefore, it is our job to ensure they receive a high-quality education. With small classrooms and highly qualified teachers, you can be sure your child will receive individualized instruction, character education, and social-emotional habits.
Walton Academy firmly believes that an environment with minimal distractions is key to student success. To achieve an optimal learning environment and experience, we require each child to undergo our enrollment screening process. During our enrollment screening process, students are observed and assessed academically, behaviorally, and socially. Our enrollment screening ensures that our classroom environment remains focused and that each student can excel and reach their full potential. Contact us today to learn more!