August - Back to School
Parent Resources
Reach out to me! I am an academic coach for teens and work with a lot of teens who are struggling with organization, time management, getting the grades they want, studying, etc. I do free calls with both parents and teens to see if we are a good fit. Learn more about my teen coaching here and my parent coaching here.
Helping Your Teen Succeed in High School - PDF from the National PTA
10 Ways To Help Your Teen Succeed in School - Kids Health
Helping Our Teens Succeed in School - my blog
Conversation Starters
“If you could change one thing about how school works, what would it be?”
“What kind of study setup works best for you—music, silence, snacks, breaks?”
“Are there any subjects that feel harder than they should? What do you think makes them tough?”
“When you feel stressed about school, what helps you calm down or refocus?”
“Do you feel like your teachers really get you? What makes a teacher easier to talk to or learn from?”
“How do you like to prepare for big tests or projects? Do you feel like your approach is working?”
“What’s something you’ve learned recently that actually felt useful or interesting?”
“Do you feel like school ever makes you feel anxious or overwhelmed? What’s the hardest part?”
“How can I support you better with school stuff—do you want reminders, help planning, or just someone to talk it through with?”
“What’s one class you actually enjoy this year? What makes it better than the others?”
Parent Teen Night Ideas
This great 8-minute video gives ten tips for taking exams. Watch then pick one or two your teen can try on their next test!
2. What do top students do differently
Douglas Barton gives new, inspiring ways to improve academic performance.
3. The Secret to Student Success
Arel Moodie, a best-selling author, talks about growing up in a tough New York neighborhood. He explains that with the right amount of effort, you can be good at practically anything.
4. The Super Mario Effect: Tricking Your Brain Into Learning More
In this fun 15-minute Ted Talk, NASA engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober discusses the Super Mario Effect: Focusing on the Princess and Not the Pits to Stick with a Task and Learn More. One of our favorite Rober videos is this one where he engineers a glitter bomb trap for porch pirates. It’s so funny!
5. Cognitive Dissonance Theory: A crash course
Teaching our teens how to handle cognitive dissonance is so important because they will come across it everywhere, particularly online but also in school sometimes. This short video talks about what it is and you can then discuss real-life scenarios where your teen might experience it. You could pair it with this short video, as well.
6. How to read a 400 page book in two hours
This is a fun quick four-video series (each is only a few minutes long) about how to get quicker at reading and comprehending books.
7. The Mind, Explained
This Netflix series has some really interesting videos about the teen brain, dreams, personality, creativity, and other cool topics. My teens love watching these!
Things to watch OUt For:
1. Your teen has a sudden or consistent drop in grades. A single bad test or a rough semester can happen to anyone—but if your teen’s grades suddenly fall across multiple subjects or continue to decline, it could point to stress, lack of support, attention challenges, or emotional struggles.
2. They avoid schoolwork or lie about assignments. If your teen is frequently saying “I don’t have homework” (when they do), hiding bad grades, or refusing to talk about school, it’s often a sign they’re overwhelmed, discouraged, or not sure how to catch up.
3. Your teen has a lot of ongoing stress, anxiety, or burnout. Frequent meltdowns, sleepless nights, or panic around tests and grades could mean your teen is under too much pressure. Chronic academic stress can take a serious toll on mental health.
4. They have a loss of interest in learning or school altogether. If your teen used to be curious or at least engaged, and now they seem checked out or apathetic across the board, it may be a sign of depression, boredom, or a mismatch in learning style and support.
5. They have trouble focusing or completing basic tasks. Struggling to organize assignments, meet deadlines, or concentrate even with effort might suggest executive functioning challenges, ADHD, or other learning needs that warrant a closer look.
6. Your teen has social or emotional issues tied to school. This might include bullying, peer conflict, teacher tension, or feeling like they don’t belong. If their grades are slipping and they are also withdrawn, moody, or acting out, it’s worth exploring the root cause beyond academics.