"How do I help my child do better in school?" is probably the most asked question I get from parents of middle and high schoolers. Such a dubious task at best. Students often avoid work that is either too hard or too boring, so you have to figure out which problem belongs to your child. In some cases, children's grades begin to slip due to a situational circumstance beyond their control such as a divorce or a death in the family. In those cases, grade drops will be temporary and expected, and the most important thing is to make sure your child's emotional health is being taken care of.
Back to difficult and boring . . . make sure to have set study times at home, when your child must study, or do nothing fun. It works, it really does. Another idea is to set a kitchen timer, have your child work for a set amount of time, then take a 15 minute break to get a snack, walk around, or use the restroom, then go back and set the timer again. This works wonders for elementary age children especially, or children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Homework sessions should generally be supervised if possible, to help keep children on task. If that is not possible, offer a weekly reward for getting homework turned in on time or completed.
There is much to be said on this subject, so as I remember things that work I will post them. One book that is old, but tried and true, is a book called Homework Without Tears by Lee Canter. It has a lot of great tips especially for parents, with easy to implement ideas.
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