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The things that trip teens up
academically...
and how to help them avoid these pitfalls
It's no secret that it's getting harder to earn a high
school diploma in New York State. Yet high school
success lays the foundation for your teen's success in
college, work and life.
Throughout high school, teens still need their parents'
gentle guidance. We asked high school guidance
counselors, social workers, families and teachers about
the most common things that trip teens up academically -
and how to avoid them. Here's what they said:
Poor organizational skills
Teens need solid organizational skills to help them meet
school deadlines and still have time for work and play.
Despite all the electronic organizational tools
available, guidance counselors recommend that teens use
basic paper planners/agenda books. They fit easily into
backpacks and purses and don't need batteries or cables
to power them. If teens didn't learn to rely on their
planners during middle school, help tutor them now on
how to record their assignments, activities and
necessary supplies.
Another helpful, low-tech organizational tool is a
large-grid wall or desk calendar to map out long-term
assignments, upcoming tests, appointments and
activities. Being able to visualize what they're
responsible for over a week or a month can help students
budget their time more wisely (e.g., tackling a
long-term project a little each day rather than right
before it's due).
Homework? What homework?
Admittedly, there are a lot of things teens would rather
be doing outside of school hours than homework.
Instituting a family "work first/play later" policy -
requiring teens to use study halls or setting aside a
chunk of time right after school to complete work each
day - can be a great motivator for those who can't wait
to get online or see friends. This works particularly
well with teens who still rely on parents for
transportation to and from events. Chauffeur services
become the payoff for good study habits.
Letting social lives take priority over schoolwork
"She said WHAT about me!" High school social workers say
that girls are generally less able to separate
themselves from teen social turmoil and focus on
schoolwork than boys (although some boys are just as
easily caught up in the drama.) Despite what you might
think, parents still have a lot of influence over what
their teenagers believe about their talents and goals.
Talk with your teens about what they're passionate
about, what they are good at and how these might
translate into careers. Help them understand that doing
well academically can make these dreams a reality in the
future - a future where they likely won't even remember
who was going out with whom!
Helping teens see the link between education and
future earnings
At one time, even the students who skated academically
during the high school years could find decent work when
they graduated. Not so today. If teens want to find work
in a satisfying, well-paying profession, they need to
apply themselves academically. In an increasingly
competitive and technology-heavy workforce, most high
school grads will need as least two additional years of
schooling (college or technical training) to land a
decent job.
Average earnings by highest level of education (based on
2002 U.S. Census Bureau figures) for those with advanced
degrees was $72,824; for bachelor's degree-holders,
$51,194 and for high school graduates, $27,280.
Non-graduates earned on average $18,826 annually.
The Census Bureau report The Big Payoff: Educational
Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings
shows that over an adult's working life, high school
graduates can expect, on average, to earn $1.2 million;
those with a bachelor's degree will earn $2.1 million
and those with a master's degree will earn $2.5 million.
A recent survey by the National Association of Colleges
and Employers shows a slight up-turn in the job market
and starting salaries for 2005 college graduates,
particularly in the fields of business, engineering and
computer-related fields.
Family resources:
- The Seven Habits
of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey Organizing
from the Inside Out for Teens, by Julie Morgenstern
and the related Web site
www.organizedteens.com
- Life Strategies
for Teens, by Jay McGraw (optional related pullout
stat)
- Women who take
more than two college-level math courses often
achieve pay equity with men, and in many cases,
receive higher average pay than men.
Source: Expect
the Best From a Girl-That's What You'll Get,
www.academic.org
Getting high on more
than life
Though it may seem like a no-brainer to you, teens may
not see the damaging effects that getting high or drunk,
even occasionally, can have on their mental and physical
development. Research shows that teen brains respond to
alcohol differently than adult brains. Just one
alcoholic drink can affect their ability to think and
speak clearly and move well. Research also shows that
marijuana-the number one illicit drug of choice for
teens-impairs teens' concentration and ability to retain
information. This can be especially problematic during
peak learning years.
At
www.theantidrug.com, you can learn about the many
drugs available to teens and the dangers they pose. You
can also learn about ways to talk with your teens about
why staying clean and sober, despite intense peer
pressure, is the way to go.
Senioritis sets in
It used to be that by the senior year, teens had their
required coursework out of the way, college acceptance
letters had begun rolling in and they could safely
"slack off" a bit. Not anymore! Today, many seniors are
still working at coursework needed for graduation.
Moreover, a preliminary college acceptance letter
doesn't mean they're off the hook academically since
more and more colleges are withholding final acceptance
based on end-of-senior year grades.
Having too many irons in the fire
This can be a tricky balance. On the one hand, guidance
counselors say that the busier teens are the better they
tend to do with schoolwork. In fact, extracurricular
activities have many clear benefits. However, this
assumes that teens aren't spreading themselves so thin
that they aren't putting good effort into all that they
do.
Working too much or too soon
A part-time job can spell freedom in the form of money
for a car, clothing or cell phone. But, when teens begin
working too young or too much, schoolwork is likely to
be pushed off as they try to earn still more money to
pay for car insurance, repairs and gas. Also, teens
don't always realize that employers expect them to show
up for work whether they've studied for tomorrow's test
or not. Steering your enterprising teens toward
youth-friendly employers-more and more require proof
that students are maintaining their grades- might be the
best way to help your enterprising teen keep academics
"job one."
For permission to reprint this article, please contact
the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service.
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