Tips to help your teen get organized

• Plan a daily routine and stick to it
• Post a family calendar and schedule study time, etc.
• Keep track of assignments
• Listen to oral reports, proofread first drafts
• Provide a quiet, comfortable study place
• Provide materials necessary to organize by subject

     To succeed in school and work, teenagers need to know they are capable of doing a good job.

     Teachers working daily with middle school and high school students report that the most important “school supply” a teenager can bring to school is a “Can Do” attitude. Parents play a major role in building confidence in their children.

     Here are some ways mom and dad can help:

Be generous with praise. Try to make five positive comments for each negative one. Don’t be insincere, but look carefully for things your teen does right. Comment on these first and then approach the negative in a positive way.

Encourage “personal best.” Help by encouraging them to do their personal best in school and at home. Remember that personal best does not mean perfect. Learning is not the same as high grades and children, like adults, must be free to make mistakes and learn from them.

Let your priorities show. Your attitude toward school attendance, education and involvement in the school makes a strong and lasting impression.

Keep skeletons in the closet. If you want your youngster to succeed, don’t provide such excuses as: “I was never any good at math either.”

Show interest in school work. Talk about school each day. Ask to see class work. Encourage your teenager to discuss new ideas and defend her or his opinions. Express pride in their expressed views and demonstrated skills. Show interest and appreciation.

Don’t pressure your teen. Pressure results from comparing one person with another. Inspire a young person to perform to her or his own personal best. Have specific suggestions on how to do better.

Help set goals. At the beginning of each quarter or semester ask your teenager to identify three or four goals. (You could settle for just one.) Put the goals where the teenager can refer to them. Make sure the goals are more specific than just “better grades.”

              --From the Illinois Federation of Teachers