There’s a unique type of panic that comes with checking your child’s progress report to see surprisingly low grades.
As the owner of a tutoring company, I often have parents call me up when their child’s grades are slipping. Sometimes, slipping marks come out of the blue, and parents are left to wonder why their child, who normally performs well at school, is now getting C’s and D’s. Slipping grades happen for a variety of reasons, and it’s always important to rule out academic difficulties and learning disabilities before seeking other explanations. But if your child doesn’t seem to be struggling to grasp what they’re learning in class, there may be a non-academic reason their scores are less than desirable. Below are some of the reasons I commonly see grades slipping outside of academic difficulty.
Not completing assignments correctly
Some students struggle to follow directions, which can lead them to complete assignments incorrectly and therefore receive poor grades. If your child is making a habit of going rogue on assignments, take some time to guide them through how to study the directions, and check in frequently as they work to help them stay on track. This guidance should help your child become more independent when completing assignments in the future.
Failing to turn things in
Students who fail to turn in assignments on time will see their grades slip quicky. If your child is losing their homework or forgetting to turn it in, helping them implement a homework turn-in system such as a homework folder might be helpful. If your child is struggling to remember when work is due, helping them start, and stay on top of, a planner system might be a good first step.
Being afraid of failure
Students who fear failure often become tempted to not put in effort. If they don’t try to succeed, they don’t have to feel the disappointment of failing after trying their hardest. If you suspect your child is suffering from a fear of failure, I would highly suggest reading the book “Mindsets” by Carol Dweck for practical tips to help your student.
Not asking for help
The skill of asking for help from authority figures isn’t a skill all students automatically master once they enter school. Your child might not know how or when to ask their teachers questions, and this might be causing problems when it comes to grades. If you think your child is struggling to ask about anything from directions to academics, it might be helpful to role play this skill at home. Give them examples of ways in which they can start their question (like “Excuse me, I was wondering…”) and allow them to practice with you at home before trying it out in the classroom.
Experiencing anxiety
Anything from academic and testing anxiety to worry about a parent who is deployed can cause your child’s grades to dip quickly. Anxiety keeps your child’s brain in fight or flight mode- meaning they won’t be able to retain and access information like they normally do. If your child is anxious, speak with them about their anxieties and try to find ways that work for your child to cope. If anxiety is getting worse or keeping your child from doing daily activities, it might be helpful to set them up with a counselor or therapist.
Distraction
It may be difficult for your child to focus in class due to distraction. Anything from sitting by a cute boy to being worried about the mid-year PCS can cause grades to slip. Talk to your child about what might be distracting them, and help brainstorm ways they can redirect their focus when it wanders. If distractions are caused by something physical such as friends or phones, talk with them about making adjustments to get away from distractions when needed.
Exhaustion
Kids are busier than ever with after school clubs, sports, and lessons. If your child is overextending themselves, or not getting enough sleep, their grades may do a nose-dive. It’s impossible to do your best academically when fighting to stay awake. If your child seems to be falling asleep at the wheel, it may be time to reevaluate the number of activities they’re involved in, or what time they’re going to bed.
Lack of test taking skills
Bad grades on tests can bring the whole ship down in a short period of time. If your child understands the material but isn’t doing well on the test, it may mean they don’t possess test taking skills they need to succeed. Help your child learn basic test taking strategies such as eliminating answers, skipping (and coming back to) questions, and underlining important information. If you suspect your child feels anxiety when test taking you can also review relaxation and deep breathing techniques to use during crunch time.
Too much pressure
You would think pressure would make your child work harder and get better grades, but this isn’t true in all circumstances. If your child is putting too much pressure on themselves, they may overwork. This can actually cause issues with under performance because of exhaustion, discouragement, and inefficient study and work habits. When your child doesn’t get the result they want, it causes panic and anxiety, which starts the whole cycle over again. If you suspect your child is struggling with high pressure, try having a conversation about their goals, your expectations, and how they can achieve without being so hard on themselves.
If your child’s grades are uncharacteristically low, it’s best to start by having conversations with your child and their teachers to get a better picture of what might be going on. After your conversations, reference this list to see if any of these themes stick out from your observations.