Woodland road blocked by five construction cones with a sign that reads “Roadblocks Ahead” and construction trucks down the road.

If you’re a parent of a middle or high school student, you are undoubtedly aware of the academic challenges your child faces. Adolescence is a defining period filled with complex psychological, emotional, and intellectual changes, and navigating the academic landscape is often fraught with obstacles. This guide aims to identify the 5 roadblocks that undermine academic achievement in middle and high school students and provide you with actionable strategies to help your child overcome them.

Let’s get started! 

1. Lack of Time Management Skills

The first major roadblock is poor time management. Adolescence is a whirlpool of activities, assignments, and social commitments. For middle and high school students, the struggle to manage time effectively can lead to procrastination, missed deadlines, and the snowballing stress that follows. Poor time management can even lead to sleep deprivation, which further impacts their academic performance and mental health.

How to Help:

  1. Implement a “Time-Blocking” Technique: Teach your child to allocate specific blocks of time for each task or subject. For example, 4:00-5:00 pm might be for math homework, while 5:00-5:30 pm could be a break. This creates a structured routine that helps them focus without feeling overwhelmed.
  2. Weekly Planning Sessions: Sit down with your child once a week to map out assignments, projects, and tests. Use a physical planner or a digital tool like Google Calendar to help them visualize upcoming tasks. Encourage them to adjust their plan as needed throughout the week to stay flexible and efficient.
  3. Use Reminders and Alarms: For digital planners, set alerts for deadlines and study periods. This not only ensures students don’t forget important tasks but also helps build a habit of consistently checking their planner.

2. Struggles with Self-Esteem

Low self-esteem can have a big impact on how well your child does in school. If they don’t believe they can succeed, they might not put in the effort needed, which can create a cycle where poor results feed into negative feelings about themselves. This lack of confidence can also make them more sensitive to criticism, causing their self-esteem to drop even further. Over time, this can hold them back from trying new things or pushing themselves academically, because they fear failure or judgment. Supporting their self-confidence is key to breaking this cycle and helping them see their potential.

How to Help:

  1. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Results: Focus on recognizing your child’s effort and progress, not just their grades. Even if the outcome isn’t perfect, praise them for hard work, perseverance, or trying a new approach. This reinforces the idea that growth comes from the process, not just the outcome.
  2. Create Small, Achievable Goals: Help your child set short-term, manageable goals that they can accomplish, like completing one assignment a day or improving by one grade level in a subject. Achieving small victories boosts their confidence and builds momentum for bigger successes.
  3. Practice Positive Affirmations: Teach your child to counter negative self-talk by using positive affirmations. Simple statements like “I am capable,” “I can improve with practice,” or “Mistakes are part of learning” can slowly change their internal dialogue.

3. Academic Difficulties and Gaps in Learning

Sometimes, the problem isn’t motivation but the subject material itself. Over time, these gaps can build up, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, making it harder to keep up as children move into middle or high school. 

As a result, they may struggle to understand new material because they’re missing foundational knowledge, which can lead to frustration and a drop in performance. We’re already seeing this with incoming 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. Helping them fill in those gaps is key to getting back on track and building their confidence in the classroom. 

How to Help:

  1. Hire a Subject-Specific Tutor: If your child is struggling with certain subjects, a specialized tutor can provide targeted support. Tutors not only fill gaps in knowledge but can also personalize teaching methods to fit your child’s learning style, helping them understand challenging concepts more effectively.
  2. Use Online Resources and Practice Tools: Encourage your child to use online resources like Khan Academy or IXL, which offer step-by-step tutorials and practice exercises. These platforms allow students to review and master specific topics at their own pace.
  3. Create a Learning Recovery Plan: Sit down with your child’s teachers to identify specific areas where they are struggling. Develop a plan to address these gaps, including extra study time, review sessions, or additional learning materials.

4. Social Pressures and Distractions

Peer pressure and social distractions can have a huge impact on school performance. The need to fit in and be part of a group, especially in middle and high school, sometimes leads to decisions that aren’t great for keeping up with schoolwork. We’ve all been there as teenagers ourselves. On top of that, social media makes it even harder to stay focused, with constant notifications and distractions pulling students away from their studies. Finding a good balance between social life and academics is important, especially with so many things competing for their attention these days.

How to Help:

  1. Teach Boundary-Setting Skills: Talk with your child about setting boundaries with friends and social activities. Help them understand the importance of prioritizing schoolwork, and teach them how to respectfully say “no” when needed. Role-play different scenarios where they might feel pressured to make poor decisions.
  2. Limit Social Media Use: Set reasonable time limits on social media, especially during homework or study time. Many apps, such as Forest or StayFocusd, help limit social media distractions by blocking apps and websites during certain periods.
  3. Encourage Positive Peer Relationships: Discuss the value of positive friendships with peers who have similar academic goals. Suggest study groups or encourage them to partner with classmates who are academically focused. This not only provides social support but also helps create a collaborative learning environment.

5. Stress and Anxiety

Finally, the elephant in the room — stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are huge factors when it comes to academic performance. Not only do they affect a student’s well-being, but they can also make it harder to focus and think clearly, which hurts their ability to do well in school. When stress builds up, it can even cause physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches. That’s why it’s so important to address these issues early. Helping your child manage stress can go a long way in improving both their mental health and their academic success.

How to Help:

  1. Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Teach your child mindfulness practices like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or guided meditation. Apps like Headspace or Calm offer beginner-friendly exercises that can help students learn how to manage stress in the moment. 
  2. Encourage Regular Breaks and Physical Activity: Short breaks during study sessions, such as the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break), can help reduce stress. Physical activity, whether it’s a quick walk, stretching, or sports, also reduces anxiety and promotes mental clarity.
  3. Build a Support System: Encourage open communication so your child feels comfortable sharing their feelings. Let them know it’s okay to ask for help, whether that’s talking to a parent, teacher, or school counselor. Creating an environment where they feel supported can alleviate much of their stress.

Final Thoughts

Being a parent of a middle or high school student is not for the faint-hearted. Academic challenges can be daunting, but identifying the roadblocks and knowing how to assist your child in overcoming them can pave the way for academic and emotional success. 

From time management and self-esteem to specialized tutoring and self-advocacy, your involvement and support are key factors in helping your child navigate the intricate landscape of academic achievement. With your guidance, your child can develop the skills and resilience needed to thrive in both their academic and personal life.

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5 Roadblocks That Undermine Academic Achievement — and How to Help