Recognize When Your Student is Struggling and not just "Being Lazy"

Parents love to tell us that their child is "just lazy".  In some instances this may be the case but more often than not, the lack of motivation is masking deeper problems. 

Many students who did fine with basic reading, writing and math may experience problems as subjects become more complex.  And some students struggle in the early elementary years acquiring basic phonics, comprehension and math skills.   How can you recognize the warning signs that your student is truly struggling and not just "being lazy", before your student becomes totally discouraged?

Following are several red flags to watch for:

· Your student typically receives good grades, and you’re seeing a sudden dip in one subject in particular-or more than one.

· Your student seems to struggle to gain traction on homework, or gets stuck easily.

· Your student has questions about areas covered in class that he or she did not understand-but he or she can’t seem to help him or herself through notes or the textbook.

· Your student can't identify the important information in a reading assignment.

· Your student continues to miss the same problem types over and over in math and/or science.

· Your student continually gets stuck on one part of a problem and struggles to move past it to complete the problem.

· Word problems are difficult for your student because he or she can’t separate the important and irrelevant information.

· Math is becoming increasingly difficult for your student to do independently because he or she struggles to understand the directions.

· Multi-step math problems are difficult for your student.

· Your student’s homework is sloppy or unreadable.

· Your student struggles to interpret data provided for problem solving.

· Despite genuine effort, your student’s grade in a certain difficult subject is suffering. 

Though many students ask for help once they begin falling behind, others may be less forthright with their struggles.  The obvious red flags are poor grades and elevated frustration at homework time, but if you suspect that your student is lost in class and could use individualized help, it’s never too late to provide your student with the support they may so desperately need.

About Huntington
Founded in 1977, Huntington is a pioneer and leader in the tutoring industry. For over 35 years, Huntington has provided quality instruction to hundreds of thousands of students. Huntington prides itself on being "Your Tutoring Solution" for students in all grades and subjects.  They tutor in academic skills, such as reading, phonics, math and study skills; and in advanced math and science subjects ranging from algebra through calculus and general science through physics.  They also prepare students for state and standardized entrance exams, such as high school entrance exams and the SAT and ACT.