Parents and Teachers in the education of Teenagers

Parents as well as teachers play a big role in the education of teenagers. Dealing with teenagers in general is not an easy thing and it becomes a lot trickier when it comes to their education and high school.

While many parents decline their participation or think it’s better to let their teens be, it is crucial that parents should have more or less the same involvement in their children’s education even after they cross their elementary stage.

While the involvement of teachers in education may be obvious, there are certain things beyond the classroom or subject lessons and teachings which being a teacher to teenagers involve.

The overall academic success and performance of a teenager can be greatly enhanced when both the parents and teachers bring in everything they can to the education of teenagers.

Here are some pointers as to how the joint efforts of parents and teachers can help teenagers’ education

Get them thinking

Instill some kind of thoughts about their career or college plans in them. This could lead them seriously considering about their education.

For example, asking about their college/university preference, career interests, etc make them have at least something to think or focus on for their adult life.

Talking to them and letting them start this career mind is important because this is the stage where those matters might not even cross most of their minds. It makes them more serious about their school and aspirations.

 Parents and teachers both should try to talk to the teenagers about their education in the present as well as their plans for the future. Teenagers can be quite repulsive and might rebuff any help or suggestions from the parents. However, try every now and then to get to them. A friendly approach rather than a parental approach could work in some case.

Motivation and Expectations

Always remember that your teen child/student needs motivation especially from you. Showing them encouragement and high expectations from you greatly bolsters their confidence. It makes them convinced that they have potential and that they are believed in – which significantly increases their performance.

However, don’t set too high expectations on them. Unrealistic expectations can do the total opposite of what encouragement does. There are many teenagers who succumb to their own failure of their inability to live up to the expectations of parents leading to deep sense of frustration and loss of confidence.

Homework Help

Your sons and daughters may be out of elementary schools, still you can help them out with their homework. You just need a little change in the way you offer your help. Get them study resources, related books, new age study aids like PowerPoint, online classes, etc. Parents can also help teenagers raise certain questions to discuss with their teachers in classroom.

Show them time Management

Showing your teenagers from early on the wise use of time is important and will help a lot in their adult stage. Limit their time spent on unproductive things like TV, computer games, computers, etc. Suggest and encourage on other better extracurricular activities like leisure, taking up language classes, etc

Stay in touch with the school

Many teenagers not wanting parents to participate in school activities or events are not uncommon. As such they will keep away school information and notices from you. Try to keep in touch with someone from the school like a teacher, staff, counselor, etc. It is also good to connect with parents of your teens’ friends so that you can know the way your teen behaves with others. Parents’ school involvement can create a great difference in teenager’s school life. Parents can also check out the school website to stay updated.

Take Part in Decision Making

Join the teacher parent organization, parents club/committee, attend parents conference, and try to be there in every stage of your teenager’s educational decision just like you would in their kindergarten.

Parent-Teacher relation

Communication between parents and teachers is key for the teenagers’ good school performance. Parents should try to meet teachers in person from time to time. It’s good t show support to teachers from the parent’s side and also the concern for their teens. Teachers must also reach out to parents for any additional support necessary for the student. Establishing a good parent-teacher relationship in the beginning makes it much easier to solve any problem with the child’s education in the later years. It also develops a trust factor between the student, parents and teachers.

Know Their Interests

A teacher must try to find out what interests the teen students and approach them accordingly. For example, teenagers are social media savvy, so they might like interacting with subject experts through Skype which otherwise they would have found boring or even intimidating.

Parents should do the same and help them focus on subjects close to their interests which can turn to career in the future.

Whether you are a concerned parent wanting the best education for  your teen child or a teacher fortunate enough to be teaching teenagers, it’s a known fact that handling and reasoning with teenagers is a challenging task. This becomes even harder when you try to be a part of their circle. In this case, approach yourself with the ‘friend, philosopher and guide’ attitude. For teenagers to accept your engagement in their educational affairs, it is best to extend your helping hand to them as a friend rather than as a condescending and patronizing figure. How do you deal with teenagers in their education? Share your own ways and methods of helping your teenage students in the comments section.