Three Ways Parents Can Help Students Prevent Second-Semester Burnout
1) Check In With Your Student
Academic burnout is described by Binghamton University as "A negative emotional, physical and mental reaction to prolonged study that results in exhaustion, frustration, lack of motivation and reduced ability in school." As the caretaker of your student, it is vital that you be able to recognize those signs in your student and be willing to talk and discuss them once they arise.
One of the most important things we can do as parents is to simply talk with our students and be willing to listen to what they’re going through. It’s amazing the type of power that love and empathy have to help a child excel (Romans 12:15-16).
2) Give Them a Carrot
Even though your student is a loved individual and obviously not a donkey, there exists the classic metaphor of helping the donkey to move along by offering up in front of them a carrot tied onto a stick. All of us sometimes need motivation and a goal in which we’re striving towards.
Discuss with your student some of the activities/rewards which await them if they are able to finish the semester strong. It may be a hard road ahead, but it always helps when there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Make your student a part of this decision process.
- What would it mean for them to do well during the second semester and to keep their grades and motivation up?
- What would they like to accomplish during this second semester?
- What are they hoping to achieve before the break?
- Where are some places your student would like to go after the semester?
- What are some small breaks which you as a family can take during the semester?
All of these are questions that you can (and should) discuss with your student in order to create the excitement needed in order to continue forward.
3) Change in the Environment
No, this has nothing to do with global warming. What we mean is that sometimes, all that the student needs is just a change in their study environment in order to avoid feeling burnout and stagnation. This can be accomplished in many different ways.
For instance, rather than working on their homework in the same room that they have been in since last semester, it’s instead time to mix things up. Try a new space, or, even better, do something to liven up the space that they’re already in. Write a bunch of encouraging post-it notes and place them all around your student’s room.
Put up lights, decorations, pictures, etc., that will add a new dynamic so that your student doesn’t feel trapped in the same dark dungeon.
Likewise, maybe your student just needs to get away from the homework for a little bit and spend some time outdoors. Go on an impromptu camping trip, or just take your student on a day hike. Either way, take some time together to appreciate God’s creation and get a breath of fresh air, away from the pressures of academia for a little while.
Haywood Christian Academy Waynesville, NC
The team here at Haywood Christian Academy recognizes that your student is a person just like everybody else and that every person needs the encouragement and love of others. This is why we want to help you offer that care to your student at home and why we strive so hard to provide encouragement and leadership at school!
Haywood Christian Academy is an accredited private Christian School in Waynesville, North Carolina. If you have any questions about us as an institution or about the values that make us who we are, feel free to call us at (828) 627-0229 or visit our website.