It’s been said there is no elevator to academic success—you have to take the stairs.
For thousands of students each year, achieving academic success is a constant struggle. Becoming a better student requires much more than simply completing assignments on time or occasionally referring to a rubric— good study habits and a positive mindset are critical when approaching each new challenge in education. Broadly speaking, students who lack a strong accomplishing executive function skills requires often struggle in school—but, as each child has different needs, addressing the problem requires a more individualized approach.
Why Students Struggle in School
In terms of education, every child has different needs. Some of the top reasons kids struggle in school include factors such as learning differences, social skills, and a general lack of self management skills. Oftentimes, children who exhibit one or more of these challenges may be frustrated and discouraged academically, struggling to meet certain standards that have not been specifically taught but are expected as a condition of improving learning skills in general.
More broadly, many schools lack the tools and resources needed to ensure the needs of each student are met. Many educators are already overworked and lack the means to provide more individualized attention that certain students require, education advocacy feels like the one of the few remaining avenues to incite change—but this process is often slow. With few places for parents and educators to turn, academic struggles have almost been accepted as the natural way of things in education; simply put, some students succeed while others do not.
While learning differences and other educational limitations might seem unique to each student, the collective statistics paint a rather somber picture. Research from DoSomething.org indicates nearly 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States each year—about 7,000 each day, translating to one additional student every 26 seconds on average.
Common Warning Signs of Struggling Students
Whether you’re a parent or an educator, recognizing when a child might be struggling in school can be difficult to spot. Some of the indicators are more subtle, well below the surface level. According to Verywell Family, warning signs can include:
- Abruptly refusing to discuss schoolwork
- A significant change in attitude about school
- A sudden loss of appetite
- Difficulties sleeping at night
- Spending too much time with homework
- General behavioral issues
As busy adults, it’s possible to miss many of the early warning signs that your child is struggling in school. Keep in mind: it’s not necessarily when you recognize there is a problem, it’s how you respond.
Students may feel ashamed or embarrassed when struggling with school. Fears of reprisal or disappointing parents is one of many reasons why children are reluctant to vocalize their issues. When talking to your kids about school, avoid asking negative questions like, Why are you struggling in math class?, and, instead focus on more open-ended questions, like How do you feel about math class?.
Effective Students: Nurturing Education for a Lifetime
Effective study tools for students aren’t just essential for succeeding in middle school or high school—they’re essential for succeeding throughout life, often the gateway to independence.
Our academic success coaches understand time is a luxury—that’s why our courses are designed to improve learning skills and provide impactful study tips and organization tasks in as little as 15 minutes per week. We’ll teach your student how to work smarter, not harder.
Many of today’s schools don’t put enough emphasis on teaching organizational strategies for students. Imagine asking a mechanic student to fix a car when they lack any tools necessary to complete the work—it’s a similar dynamic for many students across the country when it comes to schoolwork and tests. Seeing a growing need in the education sector, we developed the Effective Students Method to level the playing field and ensure students, parents, and educators have the resources they need to improve learning skills.
There is no understating the importance of study skills or access to quality education. According to Habitat for Humanity, education illustrates the importance of hard work and allows us to grow and develop into critical thinking adults. Nurturing an education that lasts a lifetime and enables today’s students to accomplish tomorrow’s challenges is a unifying goal that benefits our shared world.
Regardless of your learning requirements, Effective Students helps you build a road map to academic success. Whether you’re currently struggling with school, seeking better grades—or want to push yourself to perform at the top of your class—an academic success coach trained in the Effective Student Method ™ can help. Learn study skills online from the comfort of your own home, develop test taking skills on a flexible schedule, and improve learning skills to build your brighter future.
At Effective Students, we believe there is a path forward for every student—regardless of an existing learning difference or otherwise, our specialized academic coaching can make a significant difference. Contact us to get started!
