The 1st Step to Take if Your Student is Struggling Academically
What do you do if you feel your student is not being successful in their academics?
The first step ALWAYS is to talk to their teacher. Most teachers have higher education degrees and have a good idea(s) when it comes to the reason a student is not understanding concepts. Start with an email, both because it is always a good idea to have everything in writing and it also gives the teacher time to recognize your concerns and check her/his grades and notes. When you reach out the school I would recommend you follow these steps.
Collect your thoughts- Why do you think you student is behind. Have you noticed their assignments and test scores are low? Have you noticed them struggling when you are working together at home? Write down your concerns- noting specific assignments and tests. Talk to your student, what is their point of view? Can they identify the cause of their struggle? Ask questions such as: “When the teacher is giving instructions do you understand what they are saying?” “When you get your assignment, do you understand what you are supposed to do? “ “What part of the problem(s) are hard for you?” “Do you feel you are able to complete the whole assignment at one time?”.
Identify the Teacher: Determine which teacher you need to contact, ensuring you have the correct name and subject or grade level.
Gather Contact Information: Look for the teacher’s email address, phone number, or other contact methods provided by the school or on the school’s website.
Prepare Your Message: Outline the reason for your contact, including any specific questions or concerns you wish to address. Write a draft with your concerns.
Use Professional Language: Start your message with a polite greeting, such as "Dear [Teacher's Name]." Be respectful and clear in your communication. Even if you are frustrated, remember that your student’s teacher has 20-35 students in their room and may not have additional support in the room to help meet everyone’s unique needs. Most teachers are doing their best to meet the needs of everyone, sometimes though you will see things they will not as the parent.
Introduce Yourself: If necessary, briefly state who you are and your relationship to the student (e.g., parent, guardian).
State Your Purpose: Clearly explain why you are reaching out. Be concise but provide enough detail for the teacher to understand the context.
Request a Response: Politely ask for a response by a certain date if you have a time-sensitive matter.
Thank the Teacher: Close your message by expressing appreciation for their time and assistance.
Proofread: Review your message for clarity and grammar before sending it. Leave it in your drafts for 24 hours, then re-read and it sounds good, then hit send.
Follow Up: If you do not receive a response within a reasonable timeframe (typically a week), consider sending a follow-up message.
Here is an example letter
Hi Ms. Hinton,
This is Ambyr, Tucker’s mom, a student in your 3rd period math class. I hope you are enjoying this cooler Fall weather. We are definitely in our Fall vibes era at our house.
I am writing as I have noticed he has been struggling on his recent math assignments. It looks like he received a D on his math assessment last week and has been receiving low marks on his homework assignments. I am concerned as it appears as if he is not understanding this current unit. When I spoke with Tucker, he said he gets really confused by all of the steps and he just gives up because he is confused. When I asked if he asked for help, he said he didn’t as he didn’t want to stand out.
How has he been doing during class? Do you feel like he is able to follow along during instruction? How is he doing on the practice problems during class? Have you noticed any barriers to his learning? What are you seeing on your end?
We want to make sure we are supporting him at home. Are there strategies we could use at home when he is doing his homework that would help him? Or is there something that would help him at the school level? We are open to ideas and suggestions for both school and home.
As the quarter ends in a few weeks, we would love to get some feedback in the next week so we know the best way to work with him.
Thank you so much for all that you do and I look forward to working with you to solve this problem.
Ambyr
