5 Ways to Help Your Struggling Child in Public School

  1. Educate yourself on the grade level requirements for your child in your school district.
  2. Meet with your child’s teacher to get a clear understanding if the issue is behavioral, academic or social.
  3. If the issue is academic and your child is more than one grade level behind, find out if the school provides specific tutoring to bring him/her up to speed.
  4. Write a letter to the school principal and copy in the teacher requesting an assessment be done on your child. Sometimes it will involve the school psychologist who will do a complete battery of test on academics, and behavior.
  5. Depending on the test results request a meeting with the teacher and principle to discuss the specific plan of action to bring your child up to grade level.

Ask what type of research- based approaches they will be using to equip your child for victory. Will it be a multi-sensory approach to learning—that engages different parts of the brain for long term retention? Be prepared to request accommodations to provide opportunities for success for your child. Be sure these requests are documented in his cum folder for the next grade when you schedule an appointment with his/her new teacher.

Remember you are teaching your child how to accept their academic challenges and move forward in a positive direction requesting instruction in the way they learn best. Your child will be doing this for themselves in college, career jobs and possibly with their own children. Many learning disabilities are hereditary.

Be aware that you will be your child’s advocate until your child is mature and prepared to be their own advocate. This is an ongoing learning curve for many parents to understand what is really going on with their child. Every parent must be ready to address this with a new teacher every year as each teacher manages their classroom differently.

If the child has a diagnosis for learning disability then you’ll either be issued a 504 plan or an IEP, individual educational plan. This means you will meet with a Team of educators every year to review your child’s progress and set new goals and expectations for the year ahead.

If you would like more information and guidance from a trained Certified Tutor for children with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and ADD/ADHD please schedule a complimentary coaching call at www.calendly.com/sallybetters. I look forward to hearing from you.

By Sally Betters, Certified Life Coach