Dear Parents,
The First Quarter Marking Period ended on Friday, November 1 and your child’s Report Card is scheduled to be posted in the afternoon on November 15. However, Parent & Teacher Conferences are scheduled for the afternoon and evening of Monday, November 4. Please be assured that Report Cards weren't needed in order to have Parent & Teacher Conferences. You should have received a notice regarding scheduling a conference with your child’s teachers. If you were unable to secure an appointment, please call the School Counseling Office and an appointment may be scheduled during a school day in the coming weeks.
This is a good time to talk with your children about how they are doing in school. If your child is doing well, discuss what is working for them, study habits, organizational tools, a schedule, staying motivated, etc. If your child did not do as well as either you or they expected, sit down and talk about the possible reasons why; do they clearly understand class expectations, are they influenced by friends who believe that academic “success” isn’t cool, are there emotional concerns, have you set up a schedule and a place to study in your home, is it a case of an underdeveloped work ethic, etc.? Young adolescents have many changes happening to them emotionally, biologically, and socially.
During this time, the motivation for learning of many young adolescents takes a nosedive. A young teen may begin to grumble about assignments and teachers, ask to drop out of a favorite activity, complain that they are bored or show signs of being lost in the educational shuffle.
Motivation is defined as “the love of learning, the love of a challenge” and is often more important than initial ability in determining a person’s success. Here are some ways that you can encourage your child’s motivation:
- Be a good role model. Young teens benefit from seeing their parents putting forth their best effort, completing work and meeting obligations. Parents need to demonstrate that they value learning and hard work.
- Let your child know that a sustained effort over time is the key to achievement. Teach them to set high goals and to work hard to achieve them. Help them to see the value of tackling challenges and of finding ways to meet or exceed those challenges.
- Steer your child toward suitable activities. Young teens need opportunities to excel and be useful. Success can be a powerful motivator and boredom may be a sign that your child hasn’t enough opportunities to develop their talents. They may need an art class or the chance to volunteer at a homeless shelter.
- Offer support. Insincere praise or praise for poor efforts is no help, but young teens need to be reassured that they can do something. Sometimes kids will say they are bored, but it’s because they haven’t done an activity before. Your child may need hints about how to start a new project from you, another adult, an instructor, or a book/video.
- Find strengths and build on them. Every child can shine in some area. Identify what your child does best, no matter what it is.
- Communicate with your child’s teachers, counselors, or principals when necessary. A drop in grades is not uncommon when students go from one grade level to another. But if your child’s grade changes drastically or if it persists for more than one marking period, get in touch with someone at the school.
- Hold realistic expectations. It’s important to hold children to high standards. But when young teens are asked to do the impossible, they may stop trying. Holding realistic expectations also requires that you consider your child’s personality and temperament. For example, not all 6-foot teens enjoy playing basketball. Make sure that your child knows, deep in their heart that you love them for what they are and not for what they do.
- Be patient. Children’s motivation generally improves when parents take the steps listed above. However, patience may be required: Many teens need the gift of time to develop the maturity that allows them to complete homework assignments and chores with a minimum of supervision, you are still needed.
(Information from: Helping Your Child through Early Adolescence, U.S. Department of Education.)
Again, the end of the First Quarter Marking Period is a great time to find out what’s going on with your child. Take the time to sit down and discuss your child’s motivation level and work together to develop a good work ethic, a quality needed for a successful life.
November is a very busy month, the beginning of the Second Quarter Marking Period started on November 4 as does the beginning of a very busy Holiday Season. There will be many opportunities for our students and their families to help out people in our community during this time of the year. Let’s take advantage of these opportunities to motivate our young adolescents to contribute to their community and foster a sense of responsibility for others – PRIDE in their Community! Notices will be posted on our webpage, Facebook and Instagram pages for the various activities, please look for them. Also, our school calendar is on the website. On behalf of the faculty and staff, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Ponaganset Families!
Warm Regards,
Patricia Marcotte
