How do I help my child catch up in school?

Five Ways to Help Your Child Catch Up On Learning

Plan … don’t panic to best help your child. These steps will smooth your child's transition to school and build a strong foundation for learning—and catching up.

(1)     Give your child time to settle in. Children, especially younger children, need to relearn—or learn for the first time—the basics of classroom behaviour, from putting up their hand in class to working well with their friends on group projects.  Be patient and wait a few weeks before getting too concerned about whether they're on par with their classmates. Once your child is back in the routine, the learning will begin to happen.

(2)    Share information with your child’s teacher. Once the school year starts, if you think your child is behind, you should watch closely and record any details for the teacher. If your child is struggling to read, which words make do they struggle with or mispronounce? What type of books do they like best? Can your child finish homework by themself? Discuss this with your teacher when you speak with them.

(3)    Develop a plan together. Parents and teachers should work together, work in hand. Teachers should inform parents about lesson plans and how parents can support the curriculum at home. It's not so much about buying extra resources or books for your child, but it is about knowing how to reinforce what they're learning in class.

(4)   Consider using a tutor. Research has shown that one-on-one or small group tutoring can be one of the most effective tools for helping children who have fallen behind. Not all parents can afford to use a private tutor, nor should they be expected to. Ask if your school provides one-to-one or small group tutoring. Children can't hide in a one-on-one lesson, and they can focus on building the specific skills or content they have missed.

(5)    Remember the big picture. School is more than just academic subjects. Your child needs time to connect with their friends, learn to take turns, speak in front of an audience, and work in teams on a project.

Read more about the benefits of tuition here.