Is Your Child Struggling in Class?

Children sometimes have trouble in the classroom. There are numerous reasons why your child might have a bad day, such as going to bed later than usual or not having homework completed. If the struggles continue for any length of time, then it would be best to talk to the child’s teacher about how the child acts in class. Are there any students in the room who are having the same issues, or is it only your child?

A Disorder

There is a possibility that your child has a learning disorder that you don’t know anything about. Some children pretend that everything is alright in school so that they aren’t picked on by other children. If the disorder is getting worse, then it can affect the performance in the classroom. Most of the disorders that children have don’t affect the intelligence of the child. They simply make it difficult for the child to learn the things that the teacher is going over in class. Your child might have trouble reading by putting words in the proper order. A doctor can help diagnose a learning disorder so that you and the teacher can help the child with the areas of concern.

Attention Deficits

Some children have problems in the class because of attention deficit disorders. The most common type is ADD, but you also have to consider ADHD. Either condition can make learning at home and school challenging. The child won’t be able to concentrate on one thing for a long period of time. This makes sitting in a classroom for a few hours difficult. The child will want to get up and move around or only concentrate on one subject for a few minutes before moving onto something different. When you throw in the hyperactivity, the teacher might think that the child simply wants to get up and play. The child might talk more than usual. There are medications that the child can take, but some of them could make the child drowsy. Some educational therapies can help with getting the child to focus on work in the classroom that needs to be accomplished. Talk to the teacher about giving your child separate work that covers the same subjects but changes from one topic to another in a short period of time.

Peers

When children are bullied in school, they don’t want to focus on the work they have to finish. This is a sad reality that is affecting numerous children across the country. Children who don’t have the best clothes or who might not be as smart as others are often picked on by their classmates. One way to help your child who might be experiencing these problems is by reassuring him that he is a good student. If your child is shy, then consider a small play group. The child can join a club related to hobbies he likes. The school counselor can help with social issues by offering individual and group sessions.

Issues at Home

If things aren’t good at home, then it can carry over to the classroom. Fighting between parents and between parents and siblings can affect how the child thinks in the class. He won’t care about completing homework because he will focus on the arguing. Malnutrition is another issue that many children face. When a child doesn’t get all of the nutrients during the day, the child won’t be able to focus on work. Instead, he will think about hunger and how to get something to eat. Reach out to organizations if there are any financial issues so that there is something in the home. Some schools have programs so that children take food home for the weekend.

The Teacher

Some students simply don’t like the teacher. They feel that the teacher ignores them when they are trying to do their best. When the teacher ignores the student, then he will stop trying to do well. Instead, the child could start trying to get attention in other ways by acting out in class. There are websites that you can use as a tool for finding qualified teachers so if your child does have an issue, you can find a suitable teacher for your child’s needs.

When a child has issues in school, there could be a variety of causes. Some might be as insignificant as not wanting to be at school that day, and there are some issues that go deeper, such as bullying. Talk to your child to find out what he is thinking so that you can help him do better in class.

Talk to Me: Have you ever noticed your child struggling in class? Do you have any tips to add?