If you pay close attention, signs that your child may need extra academic support or personalized tutoring become very clear.
Underneath all the teenage facade, the “tough guy” act, the “I’m too cool for school” attitude, and even the procrastination, all teenagers want the same thing—they want to feel successful.
In the 10 years that I’ve taught high school English, I’ve learned a thing or two about teenagers. Having taught a wide range of classes, from IB Language and Literature courses to special education classes, I’ve realized that no matter what levels or abilities students come in with, there comes a point in their high school years where they begin to struggle just a bit.
When students find themselves at this crossroads, where they begin to struggle just a bit but not enough to tip over, it’s an important point to intervene before things get worse. As a teacher, I want to share the signs I’ve noticed over the years that indicate a student may need personalized tutoring. I hope you’ll consider these observations as you decide whether your child needs extra support.
1. Consistent Struggle with Assignments
One of the very first telltale signs that indicate a possible need for tutoring is a consistent struggle with assignments even after one-on-one help and multiple practices.
Middle school and high school can be a very difficult time for students, especially if they’re used to smaller classrooms and more one-on-one support from teachers and classroom aids. In high school, classes move at the speed of light, and students are expected to grasp complex concepts at a fast pace.
Struggling with assignments alone is not necessarily a “bad” thing. It’s good to struggle, students learn and grow from struggling. But this consistent struggle is alarming when paired with these other signs:
- Difficulty starting the assignment
- Difficulty completing the assignment
- Incomplete assignments
- Missing assignments
- Copying peers’ assignments
When students exhibit this behavior paired with the struggle they’re having on difficult assignments, it’s time to consider getting a tutor for your child. Personalized tutoring can provide focused assistance, helping your child grasp difficult concepts and improve the quality of their work.
2. Missing Homework
Missing assignments, especially homework, is a concerning sign and indicator that your child may need one-on-one tutoring. Teenagers can be very deceiving. It might seem like they know what they’re doing in class because it’s easy to blend in, especially if the student is social.
I’ve encountered this too many times before. A student is a great speaker, participates in class discussions, and works well in groups. Yet, they constantly turn in incomplete work or have a mountain of missing homework.
How could this be?
It wasn’t until I started grading their individual assignments and homework that I realized, “This student doesn’t actually know how to do this.”
Teens tend to mask their weaknesses with their strengths, so it’s easy to be deceived by what you see in class. Students think that they can get by if they compensate in other ways while avoiding the difficult work altogether. Your child may seem like they’re doing okay until they’re not okay, and that usually becomes clear at the end of the first quarter.
Check in with your child about their homework and make sure they understand the concepts that have been taught in class. If there are clear signs of struggle, get a tutor before your child falls too far behind.
3. Declining Grades
A noticeable drop in grades is one of the most obvious signs that a student may need extra support. When a student’s grades don’t reflect the effort they’re putting in, it clearly indicates a mismatch between their input and the results they’re achieving.
While one or two lower test scores might just mean a rough patch, a consistent decline over several weeks or months is quite concerning. It can mean that a student is struggling to keep up with the pace of the curriculum (which is very common in high school), has gaps in foundational knowledge, or is finding the lessons or assignments challenging.
Check in with your child’s teachers and get as much feedback as you can. Review past assignments and your child’s work whenever possible. This may allow you to pinpoint where things started going awry.
Sometimes, students don’t even know that they’re struggling until they see their grades.
Early intervention through personalized tutoring can help address your child’s learning gaps early on. By reviewing past tests and homework, a tutor can pinpoint areas that need attention and provide targeted practice. This proactive approach can help prevent a temporary dip from turning into a long-term academic setback. Tutoring also provides students with new study skills and habits as well as different approaches to problem-solving that they can apply across subjects.
4. Lack of Confidence and Self-Esteem
If you pay close attention, you’ll find subtle signs that indicate your child may be struggling with confidence and self-esteem. This is a common occurrence in middle and high school as teens navigate their identity while balancing school. But a lack of confidence and self-esteem issues, when unchecked, can cause significant damage to a child’s mental well-being and academic success.
A lack of confidence can hinder a child’s ability to learn and participate in class. When a student doesn’t understand something or lack a skill, they are less likely to participate or learn due to the fear of getting things wrong, especially if it means getting things wrong in front of classmates. So rather than be embarrassed, they won’t participate at all.
Oftentimes, the most common root cause of this is the lack of skills and understanding. Once students gain the necessary skills to complete a task or understand a complex concept, they’re more equipped and feel more confident to learn, answer questions, and interact with peers.
Addressing this issue is critical; personalized tutoring can play a significant role by offering a safe and supportive environment for your child to learn and make mistakes. By addressing the root of the academic struggle, personalized tutoring can boost your child’s self-esteem, help them gain essential skills, and encourage active participation in class.
To learn more about confidence and motivation, read our article “Motivating Your Unmotivated Child Part 1: The “Why” Behind Motivation Struggles”
5. Negative Behavior Changes
Significant changes in behavior, like increased frustration, irritability, or avoidance of schoolwork, can be indicative of academic struggles. When a student struggles with schoolwork, it can manifest in many different ways. From my experience working with a wide range of students, these are the four main behavior changes to watch for:
Avoidance behavior
Avoidance behaviors, like skipping homework, making excuses to miss school, or downplaying the importance of grades, can be a sign that a student is feeling overwhelmed. When school becomes a source of stress, students may shut down and give up entirely. By this point, they’ve convinced themselves that they simply don’t care about their academic performance.
This behavior is dangerous and can become cyclical if no one steps in. The avoidance will lead to further academic decline and reinforcing feelings of inadequacy. When students avoid school work, most of the time, it’s because they don’t understand how to do it, don’t have the skills to do it, or fear making a mistake. Many times, it’s a combination of all of these things.
Easily irritated
Many parents have experienced the nightly battle of homework. You know what I mean. An assignment that should take 30 minutes drags on for hours, often accompanied by tears and frustration. If your child consistently struggles to complete homework or gets frustrated when tackling assignments, it may be a sign that there’s a deeper issue with understanding the material or time management.
In the classroom, I often see students lash out or shut down completely when they’re overwhelmed by an assignment. Sometimes, it’s not the school work but rather personal things happening in their life that make it difficult to focus on school and complete assignments. Whatever it may be, it’s important to communicate with your child to get to the underlying issue while helping them work through challenges step-by-step.
Behavioral issues in class
As a teacher, I always try to find what’s driving any behavioral changes or challenges in my students. When students feel overwhelmed or like they can’t keep up with lessons, frustration often spills over into disruptive behavior.
This can manifest in a range of ways: frequent outbursts, talking back, or being unusually chatty to avoid paying attention to classwork. Other times, behavioral issues can take a quieter form. This can look like withdrawal, daydreaming, or even isolating themselves from their peers. As a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how these actions can mask deeper struggles that students face.
Teachers’ feedback is crucial in these cases. Their observations help you to better understand your child’s behavioral shift in the classroom. While behavioral issues in class can be a sign that your child needs more academic support, it may also mean that your child could benefit from mental health support.
Loss of interest in learning
If your child is usually excited about learning and optimistic about school but suddenly has a loss of interest, this may be a sign that your child needs extra support. A loss of interest in learning can be subtle at first. Maybe your child starts saying school is “boring” or stops sharing what they learned during the day. This shift can turn into avoiding homework or downplaying the importance of projects and tests.
In my experience, students often disengage when they don’t feel successful or are struggling to keep up with the pace of lessons. This happens frequently when students reach high school classes. A lack of interest in learning can be a protective mechanism to avoid facing these challenges head-on. A sudden disinterest in learning and activities is a red flag that should not be overlooked.
6. Feedback From Teachers
Teachers can provide valuable insights into your child’s academic performance. After all, we are the ones spending the most time with your child throughout their academic life. It’s safe to say that many students spend more time with their teachers than they do with their families. This is why we’re usually the first ones to notice the signs.
As a teacher, I always try to offer additional support, usually one-on-one, within the classroom. But we all know that by a certain point, the lessons must move on. If a teacher mentions that your child could benefit from further help, it’s a clear sign that intervention may be necessary.
Don’t view this as a “bad” thing — there’s no such thing.
Every student needs what they need, and sometimes, that just means some additional help outside of the classroom. Personalized tutoring can align with the feedback from teachers and specifically target those areas where your child struggles the most. For example, if a teacher notes that a student has difficulty grasping a certain concept, tutoring sessions can focus on reinforcing those points. This tailored approach helps bridge those gaps and ensures that your child actually understands what is being taught.
Final Thoughts
Every child’s school journey comes with its ups and downs, and as a parent, it’s not always easy to know when to step in. But recognizing the signs that your child might need some extra help can make all the difference. Trust me, asking for help is never a sign of failure. It’s a smart, caring step to help your child feel supported and capable, especially if they’re in middle or high school. Those are the toughest years!
From my years of teaching, I’ve seen that when kids consistently struggle with assignments, skip homework, see their grades drop, or start losing confidence, it’s a signal that they could use some one-on-one support. Tutoring can be the bridge they need to rebuild their confidence, tackle tough concepts, and learn at their own pace.
If a teacher reaches out and suggests your child might benefit from extra help, don’t see it as a negative thing. At the end of the day, we all want our kids to feel confident, capable, and excited to learn. Personalized tutoring can zero in on the areas where your child needs the most support, building up their skills and showing them that they can do it. Your support, paired with the right intervention, can set them up for success and bring back that spark of curiosity and confidence.
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Do you want to help your child get better grades and improve study skills? Contact us today to discuss your child’s needs and how we can support them!
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FAQs for Concerned Parents
Q: How can tutoring benefit my child?
A: Tutoring can offer personalized learning, improve understanding of subject matter, enhance academic performance, boost confidence, and foster a love for learning.
Q: When is the right time to start tutoring for my child?
A: The earlier the better! Early intervention can address learning gaps before they widen and can reinforce understanding of the subject matter.
Q: How do I find the right tutor for my child?
A: Look for experienced and qualified tutors who can tailor their approach to your child’s individual learning needs. Explore reviews and ask for recommendations.