Low Academic Performance in Adolescence

One of the biggest concerns for parents with school-aged children is often related to low academic performance. The problem becomes particularly acute starting from the 5th grade, when children begin to experience physiological and psychological changes characteristic of adolescence, the curriculum becomes more complex and voluminous, and the logic of relationships with teachers and peers changes.

When discussing low academic performance, it's essential first to understand its causes: does the child lack sufficient learning abilities, or do they simply not want to learn?

In the first case, we often deal with high parental aspirations and great expectations from teachers. Here, neglecting the child's abilities and capabilities, excessively high demands are placed on them, and the failure to meet these demands is considered a consequence of laziness. If in elementary school a child takes only a few subjects, is not cut off from art (has art, music, and in some cases, dance classes on their schedule), has few homework assignments, and a lot of free time, then in middle school, the child begins to encounter a number of humanities and natural science subjects.

This is where their special abilities and inclinations, conditioned by the peculiarities of their brain, become apparent. It's no secret that some people have good predispositions for scientific, rational, logical activities; others are inclined towards art and creative activities; still others have excellent physical attributes to excel in certain sports; and others can successfully engage in social activities, and so on.

Now, let's imagine a student from whom parents expect only excellent grades in all subjects, whom teachers complain about and compare to the straight-A student sitting next to them, who is labeled as a "poor learner," and who, in turn, begins to behave accordingly.

So, what can be done to avoid such a scenario?

Replace the "red pen" with the "green pen": instead of pointing out mistakes, shortcomings, and failures, highlight everything that is done well with a green pen. When a child is constantly told about problems, it creates tension, feelings of shame and inferiority, and achievements are overlooked.

Create the necessary conditions for organizing learning activities – from a comfortable table and chair, and adhering to a daily routine, to ensuring situations where the child can observe themselves from different angles and make self-discoveries. For example, involving children in hikes, excursions, competitions, volunteer work, and social events, and encouraging their initiatives, can also have an indirect positive impact on academic activity.

It is necessary to help the child understand their strengths and weaknesses, recognize their resources and capabilities, and accept that people are different and not everyone can fully meet all the demands of the educational system. This seemingly simple point becomes complicated in practice by the fact that adults surrounding the child also often adhere to stereotypical approaches. They perceive human differences not as normal characteristics, but rather categorize everything into highly debatable and ambiguous "good" and "bad" categories, demanding perfection from their children in everything and not tolerating any deviation from an invented "norm." Meanwhile, it would be useful to remember that many great scientists and artists known throughout history did not fit into that norm at all.

And finally, it is important to remember that a child did not come into the world to fulfill a parent's expectations and dreams, but to best discover their own potential and chart their own path. If we do not teach a child from an early age to recognize and accept their own peculiarities, but constantly set an inappropriately high bar for their abilities as a result, it is highly probable that we will end up with an individual with low self-esteem and high anxiety. Parental maximalism and high demands often create tension in teacher-student relationships as well, whereas the best results can only be achieved through healthy cooperation, where the child's psychological health and harmonious personal development are prioritized over grades.

In the second case, when a child is not unable to learn, but rather unwilling to learn, in other words, has low academic motivation, it is necessary to pay attention to several factors.

Age-related characteristics: The academic motivation of younger schoolchildren is generally high. The situation changes in adolescence when interactions with peers become more important than academic activity. Teenagers often devalue lessons and grades, and not studying sometimes becomes a way to express their rebellion and protest, with "don't tell me what to do" becoming their life motto. There are also many adolescents in love who simply temporarily lose interest in everything else, especially lessons, against the background of intense emotions.

Teachers: If for younger schoolchildren the teacher is generally a serious authority, then teachers working with adolescents sometimes have to go through serious trials before earning their respect and acceptance. The attitude towards a subject and the motivation to learn it are generally formed in students according to their attitude towards the teacher. Teachers who love their subject and work, and who use new and interesting methods, usually do not complain about low academic motivation in students.

Student's personal relationships: The student's relationships and position in the classroom and school have a great influence on academic motivation. It is very difficult for a student who frequently finds themselves in conflict situations or is subjected to bullying to concentrate on lessons. Another important factor is the presence of non-constructive leaders in the class who do not consider studying fashionable and may even mock high-achievers.

Family influence: Family problems and an unfavorable atmosphere also affect a child's academic motivation, as lessons become secondary for a child in an emotionally unstable state. It is also important what values are accepted in the family. If education is not valued, and parents do not show proper support and consistency towards the child's academic activity, then there is a high probability that the child will not consider learning very important either.

This list can be continued, as when examining each case of a student with low academic motivation, it is possible to find factors specific only to that case.

After knowing all this, the next step should be to create a support plan for a specific case. If the teacher and parent have healthy cooperative relationships, truly know the child, and can understand their needs and requirements, then they will also be able to find the best way to support them.

Author of the material: Araks Arakelyan