Throughout the teenage years, school becomes more important, as homework becomes more difficult and grades start to matter more. During this time, teenagers are also facing a lot of other challenges such as adjusting to the changes in their bodies and in the way they feel with emotions being controlled by their ever-changing hormones.  Their social lives become busy, filled with sports commitments, and other activities. They may also begin to work in part time jobs.

So with all of these new responsibilities and changes, learning how to prioritise and deal with the demands of everyday life can be overwhelming.  In order to be successful at balancing all of these things, a structured and guided schedule is required.

The first step in preparing your teenager for proper studying is to create a private and well equipped workspace.  Make sure they have an area of the house that is quiet and free from distraction.  This area should contain all of the tools they will need including pencils, pens, a calculator, perhaps a computer if necessary and everything else they will need.  Make sure that there are no distracting influences in the room such as a television or telephone.

Be pro-active and learn what classes your teenager has as well as what homework is due and when.  Sitting down with your teenager and discussing and outlining ideas for projects will help them learn how to create an effective strategy and will help them avoid being overwhelmed or frustrated.

Establish a pre-determined routine by setting a regular time each day when homework has to be worked on.  If a big project is coming up, schedule in more time than usual. Offer your support and guidance and help them as much as you can.

Teach your teenager to properly organise their school-work and consider putting an organiser or whiteboard in the room where they will study.  This way they can keep track of deadlines and you can easily monitor their progress.

With your support, studying at home can be a positive experience instead of a dreaded affair.  This is the time when they learn the value of commitment and prioritisation.  This is also when they need to learn to foster important life skills that will help them well beyond their school years.

by Rachel Goodchild

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