Bannerman High School

Higher Success 2017 -2018

Tips for Parents

Maintaining Motivation and Encouraging Persistence

  • Agree the balance between work and social life and stick to the agreement. Flexibility is the key. If something unexpected or special comes up, negotiate how they will make up the work.
  • At times all pupils will fall behind, feel demotivated, overwhelmed or struggle with the competing demands of school, jobs and their social life. When your child feels like this, berating and threatening them will have a negative effect. Talk to them about issues and acknowledge their feelings. Recognise that they want to find a solution and help them prioritise and work out a schedule.
  • Consider a reward structure. Rewards don’t have to be financial or very big. Talk to your child about what they would value – an extra night out, an extension in the time they can come in, being let off household chores, etc. Little and often (for small achievements) is more motivating than one big reward for good results in the future.
  • Be flexible. Use the 80 /20 rule. If your child is sticking to what they agreed 80% of the time, they will be doing alright.
  • If they say they have no homework be suspicious. Beware however of making accusations which just result in a confrontation. Keep track of the ‘excuses’ your child makes (write them down with a date and subject). Agree or suggest a solution. Follow up without fail. If necessary explain that you are concerned that school ‘isn’t giving you homework’ and that you will contact us (feel free to do so if homework isn’t forthcoming!). Remember the aim is to get the work done, not win the battle. Let your child save face as long as they agree to do the work and stick to it. You can track your child’s homework using the Show my Homework App (using your parent pin when you first login). All homework will be shown with when it was issued and when it is due. If you need your pin re issued please let us know.
  • If your child is anxious or withdrawn, encourage them to talk to you or a trusted adult. Let them know that you are there for them and are proud of them whatever. Talk about their successes and avoid damaging self esteem by always talking about behaviour rather than about them.
  • If your child asks for support, encourage them by helping them see the difficulties in perspective. Teenagers often take an all or nothing ‘catastrophic’ approach to difficulties. Talk through their problems and help them see that there is always a solution.

Studying

Supporting your child in setting themselves up for studying

  • Talk to your child about what they would find helpful and supportive.
  • The simplest things can often get in the way of studying – days go by while they ‘get some folders and get organised’. Get round this by simply providing files, dividers, stationeryetc.
  • Encourage your child to empty their bag and file handouts, notes, etc from lessons at the end of each day. These won’t seem important until they need them – at which point they may be lost under piles of other papers.
  • Support your child in choosing one good revision guide per subject – it’s the best investment you will make.
  • Help your child plan a study timetable. This will take an investment of your time but it will make the biggest differencein the effectiveness of the studying. Keep the timetable somewhere public where you can both refer to it. Remember to revisit this often and renegotiate if necessary.

Supporting your child in studying

  • Support your child in sticking to the study plan and keeping to the start and finish times they have agreed. Praise them when they do it.
  • Quietly top up the ‘workbox’ with pens, rulers, paper etc. Don’t get wound up about lost items if you can help it – keeping up motivation for revision is hard enough without arguments about a 50p pen.
  • Provide favourite snacks and water for study periods.
  • Come to an agreement about avoiding distractions. Perhaps you could babysit their phone during study times or consider some study sessions in a more public part of the house (even if this inconveniences others in the family). Negotiate where they should study. Working in their bedroom might not always be the best place.
  • Be flexible. If they want to go out on a study night, agree when they will make up lost time.
  • Be sensitive to the pressure your child is feeling. Let them know if they are really not up to it on an odd occasion then it’s not the endof the world. Remind them of all the good work they have done and will continue to do. It’s the big picture which counts.
  • Have regular check ins but try not to nag in between times. Show an interest in their studying, talk through difficulties and help them reschedule if necessary.
  • Keep thingsin perspective. Your child may not be doing things the way you would or as often as you would like, but they are doing their best in a way that works for them at the stage they are at.