Third Grade Academic Problems: Helping Your Child Succeed in School

Helping Your Third Grader Succeed in School

Communicate with the Teacher Immediately

When you notice your child is struggling academically in school, contact the teacher to find out exactly what the problem is. Lessons in school usually build on each other, and when students fall too far behind or struggle with foundational material it can be difficult for them to keep up. In fact, if your child's early challenges are not addressed quickly, he may have to repeat the grade. Therefore, set up a conference with the teacher at the first sign of academic problems to formulate an effective remedial plan.

Establish High Expectations

As students advance in school, they should also begin taking ownership of their grades and overall success. One way you can foster this in your child is by routinely establishing high expectations for her. When children are given goals to shoot for, they tend to focus more on their work and have fewer problems in school.

Review Material from Previous Years

When your child is struggling with third grade work, you may need to review lessons and standards from second and first grade. Unfortunately, there are times when children are passed on to the next grade even when they have not mastered the work in their current grade. This can happen for various reasons and can play a major role in students' academic problems. When reviewing the content from previous school years with your child, you may discover some unknown educational gaps that need to be addressed in order for him to succeed in the third grade.

Review the Causes

Depending on the severity of the academic problems, consider having your child tested for a learning disorder. Your child may be struggling because of an undiagnosed condition, such as attention deficit disorder or dyslexia. Sometimes, these problems are overlooked or mistaken for something else. Becoming aware of any such problem early on will not only help your child get the help he or she needs to pass the third grade, it will also help him or her in future academic years.