Help Your Child Excel in Academics

American education system is one that focuses on activity based learning for school children. Although the nation boasts of 98% literacy rate over age 15, research studies in 2008 indicate that the graduation rate from high school stands at a mere 77%, quite dismal for a nation with overall better infrastructure facilities than most developed/developing nations. This statistical figure gives a strong indication that academic excellence in the country is being compromised with.

“We can't afford our kids to be mediocre at a time when they're competing against kids in China and India who are actually in school about a month longer than our kids…" said President Barack Obama in a recent town hall meeting in California.

He also said -"You can't put the entire burden on a teacher. If you're not making sure your child does their homework, if you're not reading to them, instilling a sense of excellence and a thirst for knowledge in them, then they're not going to do very well, no matter how good your teacher is"

President Obama’s concerns echo the need for educationists and parents, to team together and drive the American kids towards academic excellence in order to collectively raise the education standards of the nation.

Academic excellence is something that needs to percolate beyond school hours and into the everyday life of a child. Parents need to be proactive enough to understand their child’s educational needs and address them in time and in an effective manner.

To begin with the responsibility of the parent doesn’t end with finding the right school, but begins by partnering with the school and making the extra effort in ensuring the child excels in his regular course of study. In fact, most kids past grade 5 find it difficult to cope with subjects like Math and Science and require extra help or personalized training from a teacher, parent or expert(tutor) apart from their regular school coaching to excel in these important subjects.

While cost can be a major driving force in deciding the choice of a support system for a child, the options available are a plenty. From personal tutors to online tutorials – the list is long. One has to search for a support program which best suits the needs of their child. The medium has evolved to the extent that today some online tutorials like etutorworld – use innovative techniques like Learn by design wherein they customize the curriculum as per your child’s speed and aptitude and work towards making them fundamentally strong in these subjects. Parents who have used these services vouch for it.

“ …. The (online) program has allowed our daughter the opportunity to relax at home and feel at ease while working to improve her math skills. The staff is very open to listening to her personal needs and working with her on her areas of need. We would definitely recommend eTutorWorld to other families.”- Say Ted and Shawna: Parents, Anne Arundel County, MD

It is not possible for all parents to help their children with their daily lessons or homework; hence it is advisable to leave the job to professionals who can support the parents in their pursuit for academic excellence for their children. The realization has slowly set in and the mindset is changing, as is evident from the above testimonial found in an online tutoring site.

Apart from subject training sessions, regular counseling is required to boost the child’s drive towards academic excellence. It is the primary duty of every parent to provide their children with a peaceful study conducive environment at home. Regular meetings with class teachers can also help identify pain points for the child, and to act accordingly in time. This combination of specialized training and an encouraging family can work wonders for any child.

Success is immaterial if it does not matter to the people who matter to us; hence it is essential to make your child believe that you are his ally, his partner in his pursuit for academic excellence. His success and failures matter to you as much as it matters to him and you are ready to do anything to make it work for both of you.

Taking up the challenge and making an intelligent and proactive decision now can help you and your child reap benefits in the long run.