Learning that your teen is not on track to graduate on time is upsetting. It can disrupt your plans for your own life and for the future that you envision for your child. However, having a son who is not on track to graduate isn’t the end of the world. If you take action quickly, you can help him get back on track to earn his high school diploma.
If you are feeling overwhelmed trying to help your teen stay on track at school, consider sending them to a therapeutic boarding school. At Sundance Canyon Acadmy, trained counselors help the boys overcome their hurdles to graduation by addressing the root causes and providing a supportive academic environment.
Common reasons for teens to struggle in school
There are numerous reasons that teens can struggle in school. No matter the reason, you can help your teen overcome their struggles and stay on the path to success.
Procrastination Many teens have not developed good time management skills, and they are prone to procrastination. Doing school work isn’t fun, and there are a lot of other things to grab their attention. Your teen may need to develop the time management skills necessary to complete their work on time.
Apathy If your teen has struggled at school for a while, they may have developed a sense of apathy toward school. When schoolwork always seems like an uphill battle and they feel like a failure, teens can lose the drive to fight for scholastic success.
Problems at home Problems at home can impact a student’s performance at school. If there have been significant changes at home (Ex: divorce, death in the family, etc.), your teen might be struggling to focus while at school. When bigger life issues take center stage, schooling can fall to the wayside. If this is the case, you may need help from a trained therapist to help your child work through those problems.
Mental health issues Teens who have ADD or ADHD struggle more than average to complete their schoolwork. Their inability to focus makes it tough to pay attention in class and to complete tasks on time. If your teen struggles with mental health issues like depression or anxiety, schoolwork can be even more difficult. While some schools are great at accommodating students with learning difficulty, others are not. If your child’s school is not up to the task, you may need to look for a new school.
How to help your son get back on track to graduate
Talk to him Ask your teen why they think things aren’t going well at school. Make sure that you listen to what they has to say without interjecting and blaming. Encourage your teen to accept responsibility for their part in the situation, but don’t try to make them feel like a failure for not graduating on time.
Make a plan Once you have talked through the issues preventing your child from graduating on time, make a plan with them to address the issues. In all likelihood, you will also need to make a plan with the school to help with credit recovery and additional tutoring. Encourage your child to stay future-focused and build a plan that will make them successful.
Get involved Follow up with your teen and their teachers regularly for progress reports. When possible, get involved with school functions that will help you stay up-to-date on how things are going with your teen. Make it clear that you aren’t trying to spy on them but that you do need to know how they’re doing in school.
If traditional schooling isn’t working for your son and he is not on track to graduate, consider sending him to an accredited boarding school like Sundance Canyon Academy. Students receive enough high school credits to earn a diploma upon completing the curriculum. He will also receive guidance from trained counselors to help him overcome the hurdles that held him back so that he can have a more successful future.