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GET
TALKING!
Sometimes opportunities are missed, questions go unanswered and
conflicts stay unresolved simply because teens are hesitant to approach
their teachers or professors and ask for help on a topic or to get
clarification on a grade or assignment. It’s never too early to teach your
child to be responsible for themselves, and speaking up when necessary
and solving their own problems are valuable life skills. Here are three
ways you can get them to start communicating with their teachers.
By Jasmine York
MAKE THEM AWARE.
Sometimes students are too proud and choose
not to ask for help because they want to figure
it out by themselves. Help your child figure out
if and when it’s necessary to ask for additional
help. Encourage your child to seek help if they
just can’t grasp the material or continue to
misunderstand a lecture
or a concept.
after class to make these kinds of inquiries
though.
ROLE PLAYING.
Many teens feel embarrassed about asking
their teacher for help in front of others. If your
child gets shy about raising
his or her hand around their
classmates, suggest that they
write down their questions
POPPING THE
and ask their teacher in
private. Try role-playing
QUESTION.
with your teen to build up
Some students don’t
Help your teen learn how to
their confidence. The more
realize that most
get to the point. They need to
prepared your teen is, the
teachers are more
be clear and concise with their
more comfortable they will
than willing to extend
request or question so
feel about speaking up.
additional help, if
nobody’s time is wasted.
By training them to talk to
needed. Teachers may
authority figures and solve
offer extra credit, accept
their own problems, you’re
a late assignment (some
helping your teens grow up to be independent
credit is better than no credit), or even offer
and responsible adults. They’re more able to
tutoring services. Asking questions is the only
reach their potential if they learn to use their
way to find out what each teacher will do in
own voice to get what they want out of life.
each instance. It’s best to wait until before or
A LESSON
TO LEARN
16
www.potentialmagazine.com
THE GOLDEN RULES
Always tell the truth.
If your teen has missed an assignment
deadline and is asking for a make-up,
outlandish excuses won’t win them any
points. Remind them to just be honest
and ask for what they want, respectfully.
Be prepared to do the work.
If they ask for extra credit, they need to
be ready when they get it to, first, say
“thank you” and second, get moving on
earning those extra