What can a parent do when this happens besides break down and cry or ground your child for life? There are more reasonable (and productive) ways to deal with a poor report card.

1)   Don’t scream and yell at your child.  It will only make matters worse.  They won’t admit it, but they probably feel three times as bad as you do, after all it’s their report card, not yours.  Give them time to explain what happened.  Try to remain calm and chances are you will get the truth, not a shrug of the shoulders and an “I don’t know, I thought I was doing great!”

2)   If they admit they just don’t understand the subject or can’t deal with their teacher, listen with an open mind.  The teacher problem you can do nothing about.  Tell them they have to learn how to manage their teacher, just like a boss. The teacher isn’t going anywhere, but they have the power to make your child’s life miserable. Explain to them they are going to encounter all kinds of people in the real world who they dislike and it would behoove them to try to do what the teacher is asking.  If they don’t understand the subject, ask them if a friend is doing better and can study with them or consider getting a professional tutor.  Parents who think they have an excellent rapport with their kids usually are miserable if they try to help them.  There is just something about mom or dad trying to teach Algebra or Chemistry that turns normal kids into monsters.  Strongly consider outside sources to keep the peace between you and your child.

3)   In the future, don’t set yourself up for surprises.  Most middle and high schools have websites that post the homework assignments.  There is certainly nothing wrong with checking the site and asking to see the work.  Looking at the homework doesn’t mean reading it word for word; you goal is to be sure it has been completed.   A savvy parent should know that reading Chapter Three in World History is going to take much less time than preparing a 1,000 word essay complete with a multi-media presentation for your student’s English Literature class.  Be aware of how your student is spending their time after school and how much time they are devoting to homework.

4)   One of the most important classes missing from the agenda at a school is study skills. Most kids don’t know how to study, organize or adequately prepare for a test if their grades are low.  If they also just don’t get the subject matter at all, they are guaranteed a low or failing grade.  Get a professional involved to work with your child on not only learning the concepts, but applying them.  Our tutoring service teaches from the school’s curriculum.  Your child will benefit from a tutor that can look at their textbooks and assignments and help them to apply what they are learning, not just memorizing it and then forgetting it the next day.

5)   If you receive a retention letter, call the school immediately, especially if the letter is a surprise to you.  A child in the primary grades has to be performing well below grade level in order for the school to make a decision to retain.   If your child has not been diagnosed with any learning disabilities, ask that the school to test them to rule out any kind of disability that is adversely affecting their performance.  Parents have a legal right to ask for testing and to receive it within 40-50 days of  your written request.  Ask your child if they can see the board and hear the teacher.  I have interviewed many children who simply didn’t realize they needed glasses or had a hearing problem that went undetected for several years.

6)   If your child has a diagnosed learning disability and the school still wants to retain them, ask that the principal, special education director and teacher all meet with you.  It is the school’s responsibility to meet all of your child’s requirements as far as special education.  If the school is recommending retention, something in your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) needs to be revisited.

7)   Retention, on the other hand, is not a bad thing for a child who started school young (their birthday is between the end of August and the end of December).  It could be that they are not mature enough yet.  Many of my clients were retained one grade, much to the parent’s dismay, and it ended up being the best thing for the child.  The next year they did so much better and developed wonderful self-confidence and self-esteem.

Report card time can be emotional for parents if their children are not performing as well as they should be.  Take a good look at the reasons for the poor grades.  Revisit your child’s involvement in extra-curricular activities and their study habits.  Are they overbooked with sports to the point that homework and academics are the last priority of the evening when they are too tired to complete any homework?  Are they just plain lazy and apathetic about school?  Are they trying their best and not meeting your expectations (which may be too high)?  Not all students are capable of straight A’s.  Does your child feel too much pressure to perform so they are shutting down? 

Give your child a chance to redeem themselves.  Sometimes a stern talking to and the removal of some privileges works wonders.  Sometimes you need to reach out and get some outside help.    Taking yourself out of the equation will do wonders for your relationship with your children.  Of course you care about them and want them to do well, but they have to learn to be independent and establish good study skills at the same time.  Selecting the appropriate tutor will not make you the “bad guy”.  Your children will thank you for it years from now!

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/feb/06/county-surf-story-becomes-festival-film/

High school parents also calling wanting help with test taking strategies and organizational skills, especially at the freshman level. We provide all of that, and do so directly from the school’s curriculum. The tutor’s job is to work themselves out of a job!  We foster independence in students and take mom and dad OUT of the equation when it comes to homework, especially when a student reaches middle school. I’ll be in Moorpark, Ojai and Thousand Oaks this week on consultations – busy, but I love knowing we are making the difference for many kids (and parents!)

A Charter School is a school that is financed by the public but operated independently.  Education at charter schools are free to all students.  So, how exactly is a charter school different than a public school?

1) Charter schools are attended by choice; there are no districts.

2) Charter schools are financed by the public, but are not held to the same rules and regulations as many public schools.

3) Each school must have a ”charter” which defines accountability for meeting and maintaining certain standards of education, i.e. a mission statement it is held to and judged by to stay open.

4) Many times the charter school is started by activists, parents and administrators who want an alternative to the neighborhood public school.

5) Charter schools frequently specialize in a certain field, such as the arts, sciences or math.

For a list of local charter schools in our area visit the following link:  http://www.vcoe.org/Districts/CharterSchoolsinVenturaCounty/tabid/2053/Default.aspx

Also had plenty of calls from individuals wanting to be a tutor.  Luckily, we have over 60 professional tutors on our active tutor roster so at this time I am not doing any interviews for more, unless the person can tutor Advanced Math and Science on the high school or college level.

Good day, overall!

My experience with my clients has been that they do not feel comfortable with a high school tutor.  I would be interested to know your thoughts. Post a comment and give me  your opinion!

As 2009 comes to an end and I am vacationing in chilly New Hampshire, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my clients a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!  We truly appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you in 2010.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-me-textbooks8-2009aug08,0,7197708.story

Test Date: October 10, 2009 Register by: September 9, 2009
November 7, 2009 Register by: October 1, 2009
December 5, 2009 Register by : October 30, 2009
January 23, 2010 Register by : December 15, 2009
** March 13, 2010 Register by : February 4, 2010
May 1, 2010 Register by : March 25, 2010
June 5, 2010 Register by : April 29, 2010

** Please note that March 13 is the only day the SAT ONLY test is offered. The rest of the dates, Subject Tests are also given along with the SAT exam. For more information about the Subject Tests, please feel free to email us at: info@brightappletutoring.com or call us at : 805-376-0033