Factors that contribute to academic success in children include parental involvement, socioeconomic status, quality of childcare and early education, nutrition, and peer relationships. Success is also influenced by individual factors and self-motivation.
There are a number of factors that contribute to children’s academic success and there are many theories as to what will help increase your child’s academic success. Some issues may be out of reach or parental control. Others can be modified to give your child a great start in school and continued success.
General stroke issues that can affect performance in school include socioeconomic status, parenting, amount of time spent with children, quality and quantity of time spent away from primary care providers, degree of physical health, and mental health and the effects of peer relationships. Other things that can influence success in school include motivational and well-trained teachers, parental expectations, reading at age-appropriate levels, and meeting nutritional needs. Every child is also an individual and needs to be addressed as such at home and in any day-to-day setting to help the child be successful in school.
It is important to remember that factors for academic success are based on statistics, which means that some children will be successful academically despite being at high risk of failing academically. We have all heard inspiring and inspirational stories of people who have risen from poverty, abuse, cultures of violence and other dire circumstances to great heights through constant trying and sheer courage. Such self-motivated individuals may be helped along the way by teachers—perhaps the only recourse, in some cases, to achieving their dreams. These successful children are wonderful, but they tend to be exceptional in their ability to motivate themselves, something that may be deprived of other children in similar circumstances.
Probably one of the biggest determinants of school success is parental involvement and motivation. About 70-90% of children who get A or B in school report being encouraged by their parents to do well in school. This alone can help children understand that school is important. Such parents may also be around to help with homework, occasionally volunteer at school, and attend conferences or teacher meetings. In contrast, children who earn Cs or less, at least in one study, report about 49% that their parents do not encourage them. Schools also regularly report that better academic performance and success are more likely when parents are actively involved in their children’s education.
Socioeconomic indicators for achievement in children tend to exclude children — about 19 percent in the United States — living in poverty. Middle- and upper-class children generally tend to get better grades, while children from poorer families, especially the poorest, are more likely to repeat grades. Traumatic events, parental abuse, the impact of violence, and single parenthood often correlate with lower grades. Ultimately, what appears to determine academic success the most is the degree to which a single parent has time to share with their children, since in most cases the single parent must work at least full-time to support their family. It is evident that many single parents do very well, are able to balance the demands of work and family, and be amazing parents.
The quality of childcare and early childhood education, especially of a caliber that helps children develop socially, mentally and emotionally, tends to be a positive factor in academic success. Conversely, childcare in crowded institutions that are the only choices for parents on a budget may not equip children with the skills they need to do well in school. Children’s programs like Early Intervention Preschools and Head Start tend to make a difference.
Getting adequate nutrition cannot be underestimated. Many studies have shown that students perform better on standardized tests when given breakfast on test day. While this is great knowledge to have, many parents wonder why students aren’t fed every day, since grades aren’t usually determined by performance on standardized tests. When schools can offer free or reduced lunch programs, these can have a positive impact on academics, but many argue that these programs are not far-reaching enough and only cover the poorest children.
Regular school attendance tends to produce more successful students. Frequent absences, whether due to illness, a messy home life or chronic conditions negatively affect success. Peer relationships, especially when bullying occurs, can affect both school attendance and success, so both parents and educators need to be vigilant about potential situations of bullying or abuse in the school environment.
This short list is only part of the factors that create academic success. There are clearly many things that will affect student performance and it takes great teachers, great schools and good parents to help every child progress.
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