Truly, nobody is happy to hear anything about repeating a class; not you, not your child.
Whatever the reason they are now repeating might have been, read on for all the juicy tips on how to get yourself back on track and get it right this time.
1. Decide How You Will Tell People
If you are truly Nigerian, then surely, you’ll understand the importance of this and why it comes first.
Because eventually, you will have to tell close friends and family that you are being held back.
The right decision on who to tell and when to tell them will depend on the relationship you have with your friends and family.
2. Remind Them It’s Not The End Of The World
Any human regardless of age or grade is likely to be saddened by the news that they have to repeat a class.
This is why you need to do your best to draw positive rays from this situation and remind your child that it is not the end of the world. This is a good way to prepare your child to repeat the class.
In fact, if you can convince him/her to go about it with a good attitude and use it as motivation to do better in school, being held back may actually do them a lot of good in the long run.
Explain to them that repeating a class does not mean they are stupid or bad students.
It simply means that they need some more time to reach the benchmarks of that specific class.
“The school administration decided to hold you back because they want what’s best for you, not because they want to punish you.”
Their classmates may pick on them for having to repeat a class, but prep them for them not to be bothered again.
Decide with them on what to say to negative people ahead of time so it will be easier to keep their composure.
For you, put away whatever conflicting feelings you may have for the sake of your child because if he/she becomes withdrawn in school due to feeling bad about repeating a class, they’re likely to perform worse.
3. Keep In Touch With Old Friends, Make New Friends
Just because they’re not in class with their old friends anymore does not mean they have to lose touch with them.
Encourage them to make an effort to spend time with close friends outside of school.
However, this doesn’t apply if some of those old friends contributed to the reason, they are having to repeat the class in the first place.
He/she should spend more time with friends who encourage them to do well in school. They should also stay open to making make new friends.
It might be tough at first to make new friends, but it will pay off by increasing their chances of enjoying being in school and being successful.
They should try joining sports or clubs to spend more time with their classmates outside of the classroom.
4. Get Extra Help
Consider getting your child extra help if you find them struggling in the class again, and do this before it’s too late.
The sooner you do, the easier it will be for them to get better and improve their grades.
You can ask their teacher for help, by watching out for your child asking questions in class/encouraging that they are always paying attention during lessons.
Tell your child that the first thing to do if they don’t understand something in class is talking to their teacher about it.
But you’ve got an introvert who is super shy asking questions during class, you can have an arrangement where they sit down with the teacher after classes.
Also Read: How To Know If Your Child Should Repeat A Class
However, if the teacher is unable to provide as much extra help as you’d want your child to have, consider hiring a private tutor to come and help them out with school work, at home.
But if you find this too expensive for you (some of them can be), consider enrolling them in a tutoring center after school.
5. Add A Focus On Your Child’s Positive Skills
Having to repeat a class generally translates to a child just not being ready for the next grade level — yet.
Unfortunately, sometimes there is a stigma that goes with holding back.
Your child may feel that they are not smart enough or somehow just not able to do things right, and this can cause a serious blow to self-esteem.
Therefore, a part of knowing how to prepare your child to repeat a class is providing your child with opportunities for success that can prevent the stigma of grade retention from affecting your child.
Things like enrolling your child in extracurricular activities that play to their talents. This will make them always have something positive to look forward to in their school day.
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