Parent Tips
For information regarding some of the most common academic-related pitfalls that parents face throughout high school, read through the scenarios below.
"Keeping up with the Joneses"
Remember that your child is unique! Avoid at all costs getting caught up in trying to do what you perceive everyone else doing...it will only make you run around in circles and confuse both you and your student. When you have a question, simply go directly to the source and get the right answer.
"I Decided to let my Student be More Independent"
Resist at all costs the urge to "let your child handle things" as a freshman. It is also imperative that you take the time to monitor what happens after the school day is over...and yes this means checking homework! Our teachers, despite their best efforts and ability to motivate, have NO control whether or not your child chooses to do homework. Our teachers also do not have enough time in the day to call every parent every time a student has failed to turn in an assignment. What they will do is post the expectations regularly on their websites...and parents can easily determine whether or not the homework their students have claimed to have done matches what the teachers assigned.
"I'd Better Call Johnny's Teacher...To See if he did his Homework..."
Do not take your student out of the "responsibility equation!" Another parent temptation is to call teachers regularly or to e-mail them constantly about their student's progress. Unfortunately, this takes all of the responsibility off the students...they soon realize that they don't have to do anything other than simply show up for school and that their parents will do the rest. Instead, let your students know that it is THEIR responsibility to do what is asked of them, and to show you that they have done it. Are you interested in finding out if Johnny has done his homework that day? Simply review the website, and make sure Johnny has done what was asked of him and that he checked it off in his daily agenda (agendas are a MUST). If you have such a system in place, you will never be surprised when you get a progress report.
"My Student Won't do his Homework ..."
Who is the boss? Students need enforceable rules that are consistent...and they need a parent to enforce them. Depending upon the student, positive or negative reinforcement is standard operating procedure. A school has no way to make your student do anything at home. We can provide instruction, support, motivation, and an optimal learning environment, but no students will reach full potential they PRACTICE what they learn. If you have tried EVERYTHING at home to "encourage" your student to do what is expected of them, to no avail, it may be time to enlist the assistance of another source. Many parents have sought parenting classes, therapists, or psychologists in their quest for keeping the peace in their household. It is far better to tackle the problem early than it is to let it spin out of control.
"My Student has been Acting Differently... His Attendance has Become an Issue, and his Grades have Dropped..."
Whenever a student demonstrates a drastic change in behavior, or even a change in behavior that has been gradual but destructive, parents NEED to rule out several factors.
- Consider a physical.
Adolescents go through numerous physical changes, and it is good practice for them to have a checkup regularly. Certain physical maladies can certainly affect scholastic performance. Some parents may also wish to have their child tested for drug use during the physical. Remember, regular drug use or experimentation is somewhat common during adolescence, and many parents have been surprised when they found out that there child who would "NEVER" use drugs has in fact been using them for months or years. Students choose to "self medicate" for a variety of reasons, but the underlying theme for drug users is that they are developing habits that will unquestionably negatively affect them. Click here to learn more.
- Consider a consultation with a therapist or a psychologist.
Your physician can make a referral, or you can find a professional who is included on your insurance plan. If you do not have insurance, you can find a professional who offers a "sliding fee scale." Therapists and psychologists can access your student for a host of common adolescent concerns including depression, sleeping disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, and many other conditions that can adversely affect them both socially and academically.
- Friend check!
Who does your student "hang around" with? Years ago, parents used to call the parents of every kid that their kid wanted to spend time with. Now, in the age of two-parent breadwinners, latch-key kids, and a general shift in societal norms, many parents have no clue who their student run with. Since peer pressure is a HUGE factor in a child's life, it is crucial to talk to your children about what they do and who they do it with when they are out of sight. Time and time again, when I find a student who is in trouble, some quick investigation leads me to realize that his or her friends are in similar situations.
"My Student is having trouble passing a class at Sunset High School...maybe we should enroll him in an off-campus course."
Although a student can take up to 30 credits of coursework off-campus, and transfer the credits to a Sunset High School transcript, it is extremely important to look at the bigger picture before you embark on this route. First, determine if by taking the off-campus course your student will in any way jeopardize his or her opportunities for post-high school goals. For example, prestigious colleges often question (via phone calls) why a student who generally gets B's or C's in science somehow earn an A in a chemistry class taken at a school other than Sunset High School (especially if the student could have taken it at Sunset High School). Second, realize that if your student takes, for example, a math class off campus, such as algebra II, he or she will still have to demonstrate math knowledge not only on an SAT/ACT but also for many college entrance placement tests (such as those at the UC/CSU). Hopefully, if the course was as rigorous and as inclusive as the one offered at Sunset High School, your student will do well on such tests. If the course was easier, however, you are not doing your student any favors by offering the off-campus class as an option.
To sum things up, you should NEVER have to pay for an off-campus class, because a student can earn 240 credits at Sunset High School (only 230 are required to graduate). If you do choose to pay for an off-campus class, keep in mind that your student's transcript will identify where the course was taken...so any college will realize that the straight As he or she earned off-campus may or may not be an accurate representation of his or her ability.