Three Ways to Boost a Teen’s Motivation

The snow is slowly melting and the days are getting longer, but kids have to stay in school until late June. Unfortunately, it seems that most students’ motivation is inversely proportional to the temperature outside, so here are a few ideas to keep your teens going until the end of the school year!

1. Give them freedom

Being told “Study if you want to pass,” is far from motivating. If you want your teens to hit the books, you might want to sweeten the deal!

Have you ever considered that more freedom could be the key to getting high school students to study or do their homework? You could:

• Let them plan their schedule (should homework time be before or after dinner? Or maybe during lunch?)
• Allow them to study online—games are way more fun than their exercise sheets!
• Suggest that they study with a friend, whether at home, on the phone or via Skype.

This should satisfy their need for freedom and independence! Remember: you might have to do whatever it takes to help them stay motivated.

2. Sign a contract

While you do trust your kids, sometimes you just want to make sure they work well. Get the best of both worlds by creating a contract. See the suggestions below for some ideas.

Provisions for the teen:

• All my homework will be handed in on time.
• I will rewrite my notes every day.
• I will study every day for at least X minutes.
• If I have trouble understanding something, I will ask for help (from my teacher, my parents, my siblings or my friend, or go to remedial or searching for help online).

Provisions for the parent:

• I will not ask how things are going every day. However, I want to discuss your progress and difficulties once a week.
• I will be available if you have questions or need someone to help you study.
• I will always have your back, especially when you struggle a bit more with a subject.
• I will help you find good studying strategies.

3. Ask for help

When you notice their grades or motivation is slipping and getting back on track is harder than expected, there is always the possibility to hire a tutor. They will likely be reluctant at first, so remind them that this would be a new experience and that it can only help them improve!

So keep going, now’s not the time to give up!

This article was written in collaboration with School Success, a company dedicated to the academic success of primary, secondary, and college students. School Success offers homework help, remedial classes, curriculum enrichment, and test preparation services.