Webster County High School

Teach your teen to write everything on a calendar Teens are busy people. They must juggle assignments, practices, part-time jobs and other commitments. Encourage your teen to keep track of everything on a personal calendar. It can be on paper or in a digital app. Ask daily if anything has come up that your teen needs to add to the calendar. Then have your teen check the calendar at the same time each morning. This habit helps students be prepared and avoid last-minute panic. https://tpitip.com/?32bR18889

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Seeing a doctor regularly helps teens stay healthy Even healthy teens need regular medical checkups, and this is especially important during a pandemic. A doctor can provide fact-based answers to questions about vaccines and pandemic protocols. A doctor can talk with your teen about nutrition and ask and answer questions about alcohol, drugs and sexual activity. Your teen may feel too old to see a children's doctor. If you need help finding a doctor for your teen, a pediatrician may be able to recommend someone who specializes in teen health. https://tpitip.com/?32bP18889

Avoid these communication pitfalls Talking to teens can be tricky. But keeping the lines of communication open is an important way to support your teen's efforts in school. Instead of giving speeches, listen to your teen. Avoid giving commands without explanations, and compliments that aren't really compliments (You'd be great if only…). And if your conversation gets heated, ask for a break so you can both calm down. https://tpitip.com/?32bO18889

Every day is the right day to send a message of love Teens don't always know how much their families love them. Experts say parents need to express their love specifically, in words and actions. To make sure your teen gets your "I love you!" message loud and clear, say it often. Then show it, too: Listen without judgment when your teen wants to talk. Set aside time to do something together. Help your teen figure out a solution to a problem. Offer a loving hug. https://tpitip.com/?32bN18889

Help your teen take responsibility for improving grades If you are concerned about your teen's grades, you may want to take action. But it is important for your teen to be involved in finding solutions. Ask for your student's thoughts about the reasons for each grade, and what your teen can do to improve. Encourage your teen to ask the teacher for suggestions on how to study more effectively and resources for help. You may also wish to schedule a parent-teacher-student conference. At the conference, you can clarify expectations and plan ways for your teen to meet them. https://tpitip.com/?32bM18889

Simple strategies help teens stay alert while studying Putting in hours of studying won't help if your teen is fighting to stay awake the whole time. Encourage your teen to study at a desk or standing up, rather than snuggled in a blanket in bed. If drowsiness strikes, switching tasks for a few minutes can keep it at bay. Taking a short break to stretch every hour can also help teens' minds stay focused. https://tpitip.com/?32bK18889

Join the effort to prevent bullying Bullying affects safety and interferes with learning. It can take many different forms. Some bullies ridicule, threaten or physically abuse their victims. Others spread rumors online or persuade others to ignore or isolate one person. Regardless of the tactic, bullying is wrong. Take time to talk to your teen about it. And if you suspect that your teen (or any student) is being bullied, report it to the school. https://tpitip.com/?32bJ18889

Teens who feel closely connected to their parents tend to do better in school. If your relationship with your teen has taken a nosedive, think of yourselves as countries that need a peace talk. Let your teen know you want to work on your relationship. Ask what would improve it. Your teen may fire off a list of your faults; just listen. Wait until you are both calm, then ask if your teen is willing to improve things together. https://tpitip.com/?32bF18889

Share editing tips to improve your teen's writing Students don't always know what to look for when editing their own writing. Encourage your teen to read work aloud and listen for things that sound awkward. Students should ask themselves, "Does this make sense? Does it move smoothly from one idea to the next?" They should also eliminate any extra and overused words. Before handing the piece in, your student should also proofread it carefully and make sure to give sources proper credit. https://tpitip.com/?32bE18889

Let your teen take the lead in handling social drama Friends and social life provide a lot of drama in teens' lives that can affect schoolwork. Most teens are on both the giving and receiving ends of negative social behaviors. As tempting as it may be to intervene in a situation, your teen must learn to manage these problems. Offer a listening ear, and unless the problem is serious (your teen feels threatened, or is being bullied), stay on the sidelines. https://tpitip.com/?32bD18889

Is your teen at risk of dropping out of school? Pandemic challenges have significantly increased the number of students at risk of dropping out of school. Some teens disconnect emotionally from school well before they actually drop out. Be alert for these warning signs: constant complaining about school, skipping classes or whole days, failure to complete assigned work, poor or failing grades in core subjects, giving excuses for failure and hanging out with new friends who aren't in school. If you see one or more of these signs, work with the school counselor to get your teen back on track. https://tpitip.com/?32bB18889

Study strategies help teens learn a foreign language Learning a foreign language means developing new habits. Remind your teen that memorizing words, conjugations and phrases takes daily practice. Encourage your student to study out loud. Speaking the words while reading them uses both sight and hearing to reinforce learning. When an unfamiliar word pops up, your teen can try to figure out the meaning from the context, jot it down to look up later, then keep on reading. https://tpitip.com/?32bA18889

Discourage digital multitasking during homework time Teens love their digital devices, and often use them to help with homework. But before long they are distracted by the latest viral video or meme. To help your teen stay focused, discuss multitasking and how research proves it doesn't work. Have your student put any device not needed for the assignment in another room. Then set an example: Don't check your phone when you should be concentrating on something else. https://tpitip.com/?32ae18889

High personal expectations motivate teens It is important for parents to have high expectations for their students' academic achievement. But it is just as critical for teens to have high expectations for themselves. Encourage your student to envision the future and set short- and long-term goals. Help develop and strengthen your teen's talents, and focus on what is possible, rather than on what isn't. If a setback occurs, ask, "What can you do differently next time?" https://tpitip.com/?32ac18889

You can help with math homework you don't understand Sooner or later, most parents face questions from their teens about math homework the parents don't understand. When it happens, help your teen figure things out by asking questions like these: What do the directions say? What do you already know that can help you? Can you show me what you've done so far? Can you find an explanation in your textbook, your notes or online? Would it help to draw a diagram? Can you call someone from your class for help? https://tpitip.com/?32ab18889

How important are college entrance exams to your teen? If your student is anxious about the ACT or SAT exams, collecting some information may help. Have your teen list colleges that may be of interest, and then research answers to two questions: How important are SAT or ACT scores to admittance at those schools? What range of scores do admitted students have? Your teen may be relieved by the answers. More schools are becoming test-optional, and students with a wide range of scores gain college admittance. https://tpitip.com/?32aa18889

Ask your teen to write about screen time Watching TV or videos is usually a pretty passive activity. Why not make it a chance for your teen to build writing skills instead? Ask your student to write about the show. Then read and discuss your teen's writing and the shows. And if your teen watches less because writing about it seems like work? That frees up more time to read, exercise and engage in other positive screen-free activities. https://tpitip.com/?32aZ18889

Study schedules help students stay on track It isn't strictly necessary to study at the same time every day. But sticking to a study schedule is the best way for your teen to be sure to get homework done. Students are more likely to follow a schedule they make. So suggest that your teen schedule homework sessions on a calendar. They should be scheduled for times your teen is most alert. Help your student be realistic about the time each task will take. https://tpitip.com/?32aX18889

Review class expectations with your teen Your teen is expected to participate in class activities, whether school is in person or online. Make it clear that this means arriving prepared and on time, paying attention, asking thoughtful questions and contributing to class discussions and group activities. Reinforce that paying attention means actively listening even when not called on, and not daydreaming in class. Your teen should also never do work for one class during another. https://tpitip.com/?32aW18889