7 year old throwing away papers...

by Melissa
(Indiana)

I was just notified by my daughter's teacher that she found 3 crumpled up tests with low scores in the trashcan at school. I definitely push my daughter to do her best but hiding bad scores? I have NO idea how to handle this!

Comments for 7 year old throwing away papers...

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It's a Learning Process
by: Anonymous

She must be throwing her papers away because she's embarrassed or afraid of what will happen if someone see's them. That someone could be you, or a classmate, perhaps.

My son use to do the same thing. I helped him understand that there is nothing to be embarrassed or afraid of. Learning is a process. It starts with paying attention in class then doing the assignments. All of this leads up to good test scores. Poor test scores are a sign that something is going wrong in the process. Take time to understand, talk with the teachers, know the homework assignments, etc. Also, know your child's student ID number and visit the school website often. You can see daily grade reports and email the teachers. This is a great way of staying on top of things.

Don't "freak out" if you see a bad grade on, say classwork or homework. These are learning tools for your child and help you and the teacher understand where the child's weaknesses are. The grades are usually weighted, too, with tests and projects having more weight than homework. So one bad grades, doesn't mean an overall bad grade.

Make sure your child is eating well, sleeping well, and that everything is okay in her social realm, as these things effect school performance. Poor grades can take a toll on self-esteem. Taking a positive interest in your child, showing her that you care about her more than her performance at school, will help her want to do better. Rather than "pushing" her, guide her through the learning process.

(From Sara...great advice! Thanks!)

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