3 Child Help Advices
• Help your teenager choose courses. In high school, students often have some choice of what courses they take. They may also be placed or recommended for a particular “track” or curriculum level based on their present skills and their plans after high school. Many high schools track students into honors, college preparatory, basic, or vocational tracks, though different schools use different terms to describe the levels. Each track or program offers specific courses that can have a big impact on your child’s future college or job success. Here is a description of each track:
- The honors or enriched track, which may include advanced placement courses, is designed for top-performing students who will be seeking
admission to colleges and universities.
- The college or university preparatory track gives students the background they need to enter college, university, or other training
after high school. This track gives students a wide range of options for the future.
- The general or “basic” track provides basic or remedial courses in math, English, history, science, and other subjects. These courses tend to focus on essential skills in math and English, with the goal of helping students complete high school successfully. In some schools, “basic” courses may be designed with fewer requirements for student learning.
- The vocational track provides students with training in specific job skills in fields such as auto mechanics, culinary arts, plumbing, carpentry, and electronics.
Be sure that the courses your child is taking provide real skills and valuable knowledge that will be helpful or meaningful later in life. Parents should be alert to the possibility that their child may just be “passing time” in one or more of her classes. Parents should also be aware of the opportunities for children to develop new interests—in a dance class, a biology class, or an auto repair class. Be sure your child’s classes in high school are opening up opportunities for the future, not closing them off.
Be involved when your teenager chooses courses and makes academic decisions. If you don’t feel qualified to do this, talk with the guidance counselor or find a family member, friend, or neighbor who can help. Remember that one program in itself may not meet all of your child’s needs and interests. For some students, it’s better to be in more demanding classes. On the other hand, if your child feels unable to keep up, he might be more successful in a class targeted to his skills and needs. Make sure your child is in the right program or level to get the best possible education—that he is challenged to learn and develop and is being prepared well for life after high school.
• If you have concerns or if your teenager is having problems, take action and be a problem-solver. Dropping grades or consistently low grades, attendance or discipline problems, or reluctance to go to school each day are all signs that your child may be having difficulty in school. Teachers and your school’s guidance counselor can help. Don’t wait for the first report card or the first parent-teacher conference to contact the school for help. If you sense there is a problem, make an appointment right away to speak with a teacher or guidance counselor.
• Help make school a positive experience. Help your child find activities where she can feel successful and confident. The activity may be
school-related—performing in a school play or band—or it may be a volunteer activity where your child feels she is making a difference, such as a community-service organization, an outdoor club, or tutoring younger students. The key is for your child to be involved in activities where she gains confidence in her abilities and interests.
• Talk with your teenager about the future and about life after high school. It’s normal for young people to be confused about their long-term goals. Help your child think about his options. Other people can help, too: guidance counselors, family friends with a wide range of jobs and lifestyles, relatives, and people in the community who know your child.
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