close up photography of colored pencils

Secret School Tips For Parents 

colored pencils representing school tips for parents

As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve good grades. However, sometimes you may worry about your child’s performance and be unsure how to support them best. 

Will they struggle with studying? Will they fall behind? 

No parent deserves to be stressed out constantly, and students deserve the support they need to reach their potential. To help out, I’ve created a list of secret school tips that can help your teenager get good grades and thrive academically. With these school tips and hacks, you can empower your teenager without becoming a drill instructor. 

Why Your Teen Needs School Tips and Hacks 

Let’s face it, school is complex, and it’s gotten much more complicated since you were in school. If your teen struggles, it’s probably not because they are lazy. There is a good chance that your teen is putting in the effort behind closed doors. 

Academic struggles are not always indicative of a lack of intelligence or ability. Instead, they may be due to various factors that can be addressed with the proper support and strategies. 

Working hard is not a guaranteed path to success anymore. Your teen needs to work smarter, not harder. 

Unfortunately, your teen is probably not learning the skills needed to work efficiently in school. Schools nowadays are far too focused on content and end-of-year exams. As a result, your teen may face some of the following challenges:

frustrated students need school tips

Lack of practical study skills: Many teens may not have developed effective study skills, such as time management, note-taking, or active reading techniques. These skills are crucial for academic success as they help students organize and retain information effectively.

Weak organizational skills: Teens may struggle with staying organized, keeping track of assignments, managing deadlines, or prioritizing tasks. Poor organizational skills can lead to missed assignments, lower grades, and increased stress.

Lack of motivation or engagement: Some teenagers may struggle with low motivation or lack interest in their studies. This can be due to various reasons, such as disinterest in the subject matter, lack of clear goals, or external distractions.

Until your teen develops these skills or improves their mindset, there is a good chance that they will struggle academically. Thankfully, you can use these tips to help them bridge the gap and get on the right path.  

The 4 Secret School Tips and Hacks for Getting Good Grades:

I’ve developed these success tips for school students based on my 20 years of experience as an educator. You know your teenager better than anyone else, so pick the information you think is most applicable to their situation. 

I recommend implementing 1-2 tips at a time. Otherwise, you might overwhelm your teen. 

a dart board representing setting goals for students

School Tip 1: Set Clear Goals 

Working with your teenager to set clear behavior-based goals can have numerous benefits. Establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), goals together can help your teenager develop a sense of purpose and direction. 

Behavior-based goals focus on actions and habits that directly impact academic performance, such as completing homework on time, attending class regularly, and studying consistently. This approach encourages accountability and responsibility while also fostering a growth mindset. 

Additionally, focusing on and praising your teen’s behavior rather than the outcome will give them greater control over their academics and help them build confidence.

School Tip 2: Encourage Balance and Self-care

Encouraging school/life balance and engaging in self-care routines with your teenager can significantly benefit their academic performance. Prioritizing a healthy balance between school responsibilities and personal well-being is crucial for long-term success. 

You can model this by engaging in self-care routines alongside your teenager, such as exercising, practicing mindfulness, and setting aside time for hobbies and interests. These behaviors promote a healthy mindset, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being, which can boost cognitive function and academic performance. 

A well-rested and emotionally balanced teenager is better equipped to manage their school workload, focus on their studies, and retain information. Encouraging school/life balance and self-care routines also helps prevent burnout, promotes time management skills, and encourages a positive approach to managing academic stress. 

clasped hands representing school tips of a supportive environment

School Tip 3: Foster A Supportive Environment 

Fostering a supportive environment with your teenager can positively impact their academic performance. Creating a safe space where mistakes are accepted, focusing on being encouraging, and demonstrating trust in your teen are vital components of fostering a supportive environment. 

When teenagers feel comfortable making mistakes without fear of harsh criticism, they are more likely to take risks, learn from their errors, and grow academically. Encouraging, offering praise, and celebrating their successes can boost their confidence, motivation, and self-esteem, improving their grades. 

Demonstrating trust in your teen by giving them autonomy, respecting their choices, and valuing their opinions can foster a sense of responsibility and ownership over their education. Trusting your teen can inspire them to take their studies seriously, be proactive, and strive for excellence.

School Tip 4: Seek Help When Needed 

You should remember that they do not have to take on the burden of providing academic support alone. While tutoring can be a helpful resource for content-specific challenges, it may not always address the underlying foundational problems affecting their teenager’s academic performance. 

Instead, you may want to consider reaching out to an academic coach. Academic coaching goes beyond content knowledge and focuses on developing study skills, time management strategies, organizational techniques, and other essential skills to help students succeed. 

Academic coaches work with students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and create personalized plans to improve their academic performance. By seeking the right educational help, you can give your teenager the support they need to thrive in their studies and achieve academic success.

Implementing these secret school tips can empower your teenager to excel academically and succeed in high school. Remember that every student is unique, so it’s important to tailor these tips to your teenager’s needs and learning style. Working together as a team can help your teenager overcome academic challenges and thrive in their educational journey.

school tips can help parents collaborate

Parent-Teen Collaboration While Implementing School Tips 

It’s not uncommon for parents to face challenges when working with their teenagers on academic matters. Teens may resist parental involvement, ignore advice, or push back against perceived interference. 

This dynamic can create conflicts and strained relationships, as parents may struggle to understand why their teen isn’t listening to them or taking their guidance seriously. Teens may resist parental involvement for several reasons, such as a desire for independence, a lack of effective communication, or differences in learning styles and preferences.

In such situations, an academic coach can be a valuable intermediary between you and the teen. An academic coach is a neutral, trained professional who can bridge the gap and facilitate effective communication between parents and teens. They can provide personalized guidance and support to help teens improve their academic skills, set goals, and develop effective study habits without the emotional baggage that may come with parental involvement. 

An academic coach can also help you understand your teen’s unique needs and perspectives while providing practical strategies for parents to support their teen’s academic success. By working with an academic coach, you can alleviate some of the burden and frustration of navigating academic challenges with your teenager on their own, leading to a happier and healthier relationship between the parent and the teen.

Taking The Next Step

You can greatly support your children’s academic success by implementing secret school tips such as setting behavior-based goals, encouraging effective study habits, fostering a supportive environment, promoting school/life balance and self-care, and seeking the right kind of academic help. 

As an academic coach, I am here to make this process easier for you and your child. I can provide personalized guidance, strategies, and support to help your child excel in their studies and achieve their academic goals. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me for assistance in unlocking the secrets to academic success. Together, we can help your child thrive in their educational journey.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …
10 Traits of A Good Student
A student is so much more than their grades. In fact, I …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

man sitting on a green grass field

10 Traits of A Good Student

The ten traits of a good student

A student is so much more than their grades. In fact, I believe that grades are one of the least valuable metrics to use when defining the traits of a good student.  

If you spend too much time focusing on grades, it can be easy to ignore the traits of a good student. I know many Straight A students who didn’t have these traits and struggled in college. I was one of them.

Grades are not the end goal. School’s objective should be developing the right mindset and learning the skills to help you succeed. Plus, putting grades on a pedestal can increase the stress you feel from school.

What matters most is the traits you possess and how you use those traits to your advantage. It’s these traits that can help you find success in college, professionally, and throughout life. 

This list includes 10 traits of a good student. You can stack these skills and use them in college and your career. They are the foundation on which you can build your success; these skills will last you a lifetime. 

10 Traits of a Good Student

This list of traits is not in any specific order, and each will contribute to your long-term success.

1. A Good Student is Growth Oriented: 

A good student is always looking to improve and grow. They don’t just accept what they know but strive to learn more. They understand learning is a lifelong journey and are up for the challenge.

Good students view mistakes as part of the learning process and use them as an opportunity to learn instead of indicating failure. They take criticism positively and use it to their advantage.

Learning to be growth-oriented is a crucial mindset shift. You can embrace this trait of a good student by changing your perfection about mistakes and focusing on what you can learn from them instead of punishing yourself.

organization is one of the most important traits of a good student

2. Organization is an one of the most important Traits: 

Good students have an organized and systematic approach to learning. They use note-taking, planners, calendars, or any other system that helps them stay on track.

They plan accordingly, break tasks into manageable chunks, and are always prepared. Their organization helps them stay on top of their academics and prevents them from falling behind, even when the unexpected happens.

Organization is one of the most straightforward traits to improve. You can start by creating a habit of writing things down, making a calendar to track tasks and deadlines, or using an app to help you stay organized. The most important aspect is picking a system of organization and sticking with it. 

3. Courageous: 

Courage is a trait that many people don’t associate with good students, but I believe it is one of the most important on this list. Good students are not afraid to ask questions, even if they think people will judge them.

They take risks and pursue their interests despite any obstacles they may face. Most of all, they are unafraid to fail and learn from their mistakes.

Many students with good grades lack courage, preventing them from maximizing their potential. You can develop this skill by stepping outside your comfort zone and seeking challenging activities and classes.

4. Consistent: 

What separates an average student from a great student is consistency. Consistency helps keep you focused on your goals and keeps you ahead of the curve.

Good students understand that success is a marathon and not a sprint. They practice good habits daily, set aside time every day to work on their school work, and take the time to care for themselves mentally and physically.

One of the best ways to stay consistent is to meditate and build a routine. Simple activities like waking up at the same time every day, writing in a journal, and eating healthy can help you stay consistent and focused.

Being goal oriented is one of the key traits of a good student

5. Goal Oriented:

Many students claim they are goal-oriented because they want to get Straight As. However, this goal is controlled by their teachers and often encouraged by their parents. Good students set their own goals based on their behavior.

For example, a good student aims to study every night for a test instead of aiming for a specific grade. This type of goal setting allows them to control their destiny and set achievable goals to measure progress.

If setting goals is new, focusing on behaviors instead of outcomes is essential. You can’t directly control your grade on a test; you can control how often and how long you study. Focusing on behaviors will set you up for success.

6. A Good Student Advocates for Themselves:

Unfortunately, many students think that good students always know the answer and don’t ever need help. As a result, many students don’t want to ask questions or seek assistance because of fear of judgment.

Good students, however, are unafraid to ask for help and speak up for themselves when necessary. They recognize their limitations and know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

You can build this trait by becoming confident in your voice. Practicing speaking up in class or expressing yourself through writing can help you build this skill.

Good students are responsibile

7. Responsible: 

Another essential trait of a good student is being responsible. Responsible students understand their obligations and complete tasks promptly.

They are reliable, and others can count on them to do what they say they will do. Being responsible isn’t just about remembering to turn in assignments on time. It also involves being mindful of the consequences of your actions.

Great students take responsibility for their mistakes and learn from them. You can develop this trait by taking ownership of your tasks and speaking up when you make a mistake.

8. Honesty is an Important Trait: 

Honesty is the most crucial trait of a good student, and it not only applies to academic integrity but also to being truthful in relationships with your peers and teachers.

This trait is important because it helps build relationships with other people. If your teacher and peers trust you, they are far more likely to help you in a time of need.

Good students understand that honesty is essential for trust and respect. They don’t lie to impress people and take responsibility for their mistakes.

You can build this trait by speaking up when something isn’t right and being open to constructive criticism. Honesty is always the best policy.

9. Intrinsically Motivated: 

Good students don’t need external motivation to stay on track. They are motivated by their own goals and dreams and display a positive work ethic.

Intrinsic motivation means that you are motivated by the process of learning and improving, not grades or rewards. Intrinsically motivated students want to learn, grow, and use mistakes as learning opportunities.

Unfortunately, intrinsic motivation is one of the most complicated traits to learn because of the pressure put on many students by their teachers and parents. Identifying what motivates you when other people push you is hard.

The best way to develop this trait is to take the time to think about what you want, what you want to accomplish, and, most importantly, what success looks like to you. Your ideas may not align with what other people think, but that is ok.

10. A good Student is Focused:

The final trait of a good student is focus. Focus is vital for students because it helps them stay on task and avoid distractions.

Good students can manage their time and prioritize what needs their responsibilities. They also have strong concentration skills that help them focus on the task until it is complete, and they know how to do the things that can distract them from accomplishing their goals.

You can build this trait by learning to manage your time, setting realistic goals, and breaking them down into smaller tasks. Creating your study space and removing distractions like your phone can also help. Thinking about your goals and why you want to accomplish them is another method to stay focused.

Developing Traits of A Good Student

All of the traits on this list are far more important than grades. If you can develop these traits of a good student, your grades will improve, you will have more free time, and your future career will be much brighter.

Let’s chat, if you are looking to build these traits. I’m an academic coach, and I have helped hundreds of students reach their potential by developing these traits in a welcoming and accepting environment.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

person in white shirt with brown wooden frame

Low Grades in High School: 7 Ways to Bounce back

7 Ways to bounce back from low grades in high school

High school is a huge step up for students in terms of rigor and academic expectations. No matter how well prepared a student is, they will likely experience low grades in high school sometime during their academic career.

Getting low grades in high school can be disheartening and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to define your teenager’s future. Getting a few low grades can serve as an excellent learning experience for high school students and allow them to develop organizational and study skills and the proper mindset needed to succeed in high school and the future.

To help your teenager make the most of this learning opportunity and bounce back as quickly as possible, I’ve outlined several key strategies that you can help your teenager implement. I’ve chosen methods based on my experience as an academic coach and a classroom teacher. These strategies can immediately improve your teen’s grades, but consistency is the key to long-term success.

1. Get Organized To Overcome Low Grades in High School 

The first step to bouncing back from low grades is getting organized. Help your teenager create a system for tracking upcoming assignments, due dates, test dates, and topics to be covered. Organization can help them stay on top of their work, prevent last-minute cramming, and ensure they’re always prepared for assessments.

A great place to start is their backpack. Make sure it’s free of clutter and that they have a designated space for important documents, which can also help prevent assignments from being lost or forgotten.

Their digital workspace should also be organized. Students rely increasingly on Google Drive for classroom resources; an unorganized Google Drive is an easy way to lose assignments or valuable study resources. 

a routine is a great way to overcome low grades in high school

2. Develop A Routine To Improve Low Grades

Creating a consistent routine for studying and completing homework is crucial to improving grades. Encourage your teenager to develop a schedule that works for them, including studying for a few hours each day or setting aside one weekly session to catch up on missed assignments or practice tests.

In addition to setting time to study homework time, it is also a wise idea to schedule weekly reflection. Reflecting once a week on what went well and what could go better in the future is a great way to encourage your teen to focus on the positives while still acknowledging and focusing on growth areas. Setting aside time for just reflecting on the material can also be beneficial.

3. Encourage Them To Ask Questions At School

Students should not be afraid to ask questions when they are uncertain about the material. Many times low grades can be attributed to a lack of understanding. However, many teenagers see asking questions as a sign of weakness or don’t want to look stupid in front of their friends.

If your teenager is uncomfortable asking questions in front of the class, encourage them to take advantage of their teacher’s office hours or send emails. During office hours, your teenager can talk to their teachers one-on-one and get a better understanding of the material.

It is also helpful to model this behavior for your teenager to demonstrate that it is OK to ask questions in class. You can do this by asking them questions, asking for help at the store, or talking to your teenager’s teacher.

a man reading indoor

4. Be Strategic about Studying

Encourage teenagers to be strategic about their studies rather than just “cramming” for assessments. Cramming is an effective way of studying and does not produce meaningful results.

Instead of cramming, encourage your teenager to break study for short periods, multiple days a week. Studying for shorter periods is less daunting and more effective than cramming.

Finding study groups is also a great way to study strategically. Studying with other students is a great way to outsource the accountability to their peers and allow your teen to learn from their age mates in a less threatening environment.

The final piece of the puzzle is getting your teen to focus on what they don’t know rather than what they do know. Many teenagers tend to focus their studying on the topics they are confident with. Unfortunately, this can cause them to miss other topics. Encourage your teen to focus on the areas that need work and revisit familiar material as required. While this concept may sound apparent, many teenagers that I have worked with did not learn to study this way.

5. Create a Plan for Catching up on Missing Assignments 

Missing assignments are among the biggest causes of low grades in high school. Zeros will dramatically decrease your grade, even if your teen’s performance on more recent assignments improves.

The first step in catching up on missing assignments is to talk with the teacher. Teachers can be incredibly accommodating if they know that your child is trying to get caught up, and they may extend due dates and mark some assignments as excused.

The next step is to develop a schedule for catching up on missing assignments. This schedule should outline what missing assignments your teen is working on each week and when they will spend time catching up.

Goals are a great way to overcome low grades in high school

6. Set Achievable, Behavior Based Goals

Throughout this entire process, setting goals is essential. Not only so your teen can know where they are going but also so you can celebrate them when they achieve their goals.

Many people make mistakes when they set goals and focus on outcomes. Outcomes like a certain GPA or a grade on a specific test are hard to control. It is far better to set behavior-based goals. Some examples of reasonable behavior-based goals include studying for 30 minutes each day, going to office hours once per week, and turning in homework assignments the day they are assigned.

These goals should be achievable, measurable, and timely so your teenager can track their progress. The goals should focus on an action or behavior rather than an outcome.

Finally, letting your teen set these goals is best, rather than assigning them. Allowing your teen to select their goals will empower them and increase their ownership over their academics. Don’t forget to celebrate your teen’s accomplishments when they reach their stated goals.

7. Get Academic Support To Overcome Low Grades in High School

If your teenager is still struggling, it may be beneficial to look into academic support. Consider talking to their school counselor about outside tutors or mentors that could help your teenager better understand their material and improve their grades.

One of the best types of academic support is an academic coach. Coaches are different than tutors because they provide more comprehensive support, helping students prioritize tasks and establish study habits that will help them stay on top of their work.

A coach can help your teen develop the system and the habits they need to become successful. The holistic approach of an academic coach is a great way to help your teen build a solid foundation to sustain their academic growth well into the future.

Let’s chat if this type of academic support sounds like a good fit for your teen. I’m an experienced academic coach that has helped hundreds of students achieve straight As and no missing assignments in less than 90 days without strict parental oversight and hours of after-school turning with my Self-motivated Academic system.

Your teen can put low grades in high school in their rearview mirror and become my next success story.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

teacher asking a question to the class

SIX METHODS TO DEVELOP ADVOCACY STRATEGIES For Students 

teaching advocacy strategies for students is essential

Self-advocacy is an essential skill. Unfortunately, many teens struggle to advocate for what they want/need and many teachers do not teach advocacy strategies for students.

During my years as an educator, I have seen many bright students struggle because they did not learn how to self-advocate. 

Instead of asking questions to clarify an assignment or ask for help, these students would stay silent. By the time a parent or teacher discovered that they were struggling with an assignment, it was often too late.

Over time, this created terrible habits, and I saw many students lose their confidence because they started to struggle academically. 

The good news is that you can teach self-advocacy to your teen and avoid this potential pitfall. I’ve outlined x strategies that you can implement to help your teen develop the ability to self-advocate. These strategies can help your teen build confidence and reach their academic potential. 

What Is Self-advocacy, and Why Are Self-advocacy Strategies for Students Important?

Before diving into the methods you can use to improve your child’s self-advocacy, I want to define the term and outline why it is an essential skill for students to learn.

Self-advocacy is the ability to speak up for oneself. In other words, it is the ability to communicate what you need to succeed.

Self-advocacy strategies for students are essential because they help teenagers stay confident in the classroom and reach their academic potential. A student knows their needs better than anyone else. Without self-advocacy, parents, teachers, and peers are left guessing.

When students know how to self-advocate, they are more likely to ask questions when they don’t understand something.

A student is also more likely to ask for help when needed. The ability to ask for help is crucial because it allows students to get the assistance they need to succeed. Additionally, self-advocacy gives students a voice.

It allows them to share their thoughts and ideas with their teachers and classmates. Students who feel they can contribute to the classroom discussion are more likely to engage with the material and it can improve their motivation.

Lastly, self-advocacy is crucial because it teaches students how to advocate for themselves outside the classroom. Self-advocacy is a skill that your child will use professionally and within their platonic and romantic relationships. The benefits of learning self-advocacy strategies extend far beyond the classroom.

Six Methods To Help Develop Advocacy Strategies For Students

Improving your child’s advocacy strategies won’t happen overnight. It is a difficult skill to teach. Creating an environment that encourages self-reflection, communication, and encouragement is the best way to instill self-advocacy. Creating the right environment is particularly important because students may not see good examples of self-advocacy in school.

questions are one of the most effective methods for teaching advocacy strategies for students

1. Teach Advocacy Strategies for Students Through Question Asking  

One of the best ways to help your child develop the ability to advocate is by asking them questions. Questions are a great way to prompt a child to reflect upon their experience and share what they need to succeed.

Some questions I would encourage you to ask your child include:

  • What do you need to be successful in this class?
  • Do you understand the expectations for this assignment?
  • What can I do to help you be successful?
  • What went well on this assignment?
  • What could you have improved?

The answer to questions like these has benefits for both you and your child. Asking these questions demonstrates an interest in your child’s educational experience and gives insight into how you can support them.

Additionally, answering the questions helps your child identify their needs and what would be helpful in various situations.

In addition to asking questions that prompt self-reflection, it is also valuable to ask your teen to elaborate on their answers. Encourage your child to give answers beyond “good” or “bad.”

The more a child can elaborate on their problems/challenges, the better they understand them. Elaborating on their perspective helps identify areas of need and potential solutions.

2. Develop Self Advocacy Strategies Through Validation 

Many students struggle to advocate for themselves because they do not trust their thoughts and opinions. As a result, even if they think they need help, students who lack self-confidence may not speak up because they don’t believe their ideas.

You can encourage your child to trust themselves by validating their perspective and opinion. Now I am not suggesting that you agree with everything that your child says but the support of (some) of their ideas will go a long way in helping them develop the ability to advocate for themselves.

Don’t immediately move to the solution when your child expresses frustration with a problem or shares that they are struggling with something. Instead, express understanding by saying something like:

  • I can understand why that frustrates you.
  • That is a big challenge. 
  • I am sorry that this is frustrating you. 

Validating your child’s feelings teaches them to trust their judgment and emotions. Trust in one’s self is an essential self in self-advocacy. 

empowerment is an excellent way to teach advocacy strategies for students

3. Empower Your Child to Advocate for Themselves

In addition to encouraging self-reflection, another vital aspect of teaching advocacy is encouraging critical thinking. One of the best ways to develop critical thinking skills is by encouraging your child to provide solutions to problems.

Asking your child to identify solutions is a great way to follow up on the questions you asked in the first method. Once your child has identified a challenge or an area of growth, you can ask them:

  • What do you think is the solution?
  • How are you going to overcome that challenge? 
  • What do you think the next step is?

Asking this type of question demonstrates to your child that they have the solutions to their challenges and that they are a source of knowledge that can be trusted.

I know it can be tempting to solve problems for your child as soon as they arise or tell them what they need to do to solve a problem. However, this does not teach critical thinking.

To effectively advocate, your child needs to understand what they need to solve the problem. Your child will only learn to do this through practice.

4. Give Positive Feedback To Encourage Self-advocacy Strategies

One of the best ways to encourage your child to advocate for themselves is by praising them when they exhibit the desired behavior. The simple act of saying “good job” or “you should be proud of yourself for asking for what you needed” will not only encourage your child to continue the behavior, but it will also help them develop a sense of pride in their ability to ask for what they need.

Positive feedback and praise is perhaps the most effective method for encouraging your child. So be sure to use it often!

Giving your child positive feedback when they advocate for themselves will empower them to continue doing so in the future. 

Conversely, it is essential to limit negative feedback. It can be tempting to tell your child what they could have done better after advocating for themselves, but this will only discourage them.

Studies have shown that praise and negative feedback should be given at a ratio of 5:1. Try to stick to this ratio as much as possible.

Practice makes perfect when teaching advocay strategies for students

5. Practice Advocacy Strategies With Your Child

If your child knows the support they need but struggles to ask for help from teachers and other adults, practicing is a great way to build confidence.

Role-playing can be a fun way to help your child build confidence and practice self-advocacy. Ask your child to explain a situation (i.e., asking a teacher for help). You take on the role of the teacher and provide a variety of responses. Role-playing will help your child anticipate different reactions and learn how to respond effectively.

Alternatively, your child can take on the role of the teacher, and you can play the student. This role reversal is a great way to teach your child how to ask for what they need. Plus, your child will likely have a fun time being in charge.

6. Work With an Academic Coach

Working with an academic coach is a great way to give your child a head start on learning self-advocacy.

An academic coach can help your child understand their learning style, set goals, and develop specific strategies tailored to their needs.

Additionally, academic coaches can provide support and guidance to parents. Working with an academic coach is especially useful for parents who want to be more involved in their child’s education but don’t know where to start.

Let’s chat if you’re interested in working with an academic coach. I have worked with hundreds of students and their families to help them reach their academic potential. Schedule your free 30-minute consultation.

Conclusion

Building advocacy skills in your child will help them stay confident and empowered in the classroom and beyond. The strategies outlined above are just a few of the many ways that you can help your child develop advocacy skills.

So get started today and watch your child blossom into a confident young adult!

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

brown wooden gavel on brown wooden table

Punishment For Bad Grades: An Alternative To This Mistake

Punishment for bad grades is not a good solution for promoting academic growth

I was an excellent student in high school. I was valedictorian of my graduating class. However, things quickly went off the rails when I got to college, and by the end of my first year, I had one of the five lowest GPAs. 

My parents were not pleased. Instead of being encouraging or understanding, they were upset. There wasn’t much love when we saw each other over Thanksgiving break. Instead, there was tension, frustration, and anger. 

My parents threatened to pull me out of school. 

My grades went up and down for a few semesters, and eventually, I pulled myself together. I was on the Dean’s list in my junior and senior years. 

When a teenager is struggling academically, many parents quickly consider punishment for bad grades. In my case, my parent’s punishment was the threat to pull me out of school if I did not improve my grades. 

Although my grades did improve in the long run, my parent’s punishment made my challenge more difficult. I was constantly stressed about leaving school and my friends. I was worried about living at home again and being around their anger and frustration. This stress made my grades worse in the short run. 

A punishment for bad grades did not motivate me to improve. 

My experience aligns with research data that points to punishment for bad grades as an ineffective intervention. In fact, it can even be counterproductive. 

Instead of punishment, I highly encourage you to look at alternatives if you want to motivate your teen. Studies have proven that a combination of negative and positive reinforcement is the most effective way of encouraging teenagers. 

I’ve created a step-by-step guide that you can use to implement negative and positive reinforcement to help your teenager meet their academic potential and improve their grades. This method can also improve the relationship you have with your teenager. 

This is a common question about punishment for bad grades in high school

Isn’t Negative Reinforcement the same as A Punishment for Bad Grades? 

Before I share my step-by-step process, it is essential to define punishment, negative reinforcement, and positive reinforcement. These three terms are often confused with one another. 

A punishment is enforcing a penalty or consequence on an individual because of their actions. A punishment can either be implementing a negative outcome or removing something desirable. 

Negative reinforcement removes something harmful or unpleasant as a reward for changing their behavior or accomplishing something. 

Positive reinforcement gives a reward or positive stimulus after achieving the desired behavior. 

Punishment and negative reinforcement are often used interchangeably, which is incorrect. A punishment requires an authority figure to impose something, while negative reinforcement involves something to be removed. 

The example I gave earlier with my parents was a punishment. The threatened discipline for bad grades was removal from university. An example of an alternative negative reinforcement could have been a requirement that I call my parents each week and tell them my study plans until I achieve a certain GPA. An example of positive reinforcement could be a new computer if I earned the desired GPA. 

Now that I’ve clarified the differences between punishment, negative reinforcement, and positive reinforcement, let’s jump into my step-by-step process of using positive and negative reinforcement to help improve your teenager’s grades.

1. Stop Bad Grades In High School By Having a Discussion With Your Teen

The first step in helping your teen improve their grades is having a conversation. Give your teen a heads up and let them know what you want to discuss during this conversation.

This conversation should be open and honest conversation. Although you may be frustrated, you must come in cool, calm, collected, and without assumptions.

This discussion aims to get you and your teen on the same page and to hear why they are struggling. Hearing your teen’s perspective is essential in getting them back on track.

With an open mind, I recommend you ask the following questions:

  • How do you feel like you are doing in school?
  • What is going well?
  • What is difficult? 
  • Do you have trouble focusing? 
  • How can I/we support you? 
  • What does success look like?
  • What kind of grades do you want to get?
  • Why do they want to be successful?

Some of their answers might not be what you want to hear, but let them speak and get their perspective.

After asking these questions, please share your perspective with your teen and tell them why you are concerned about their academic performance in a calm and collected manner. Focus on yourself, your feelings, and your concerns.

Wrap up this conversation with compassion and love, and most importantly, validate your teen’s perspective and struggles. The action steps will take place during the next step.

Making a plan is one of key steps in avoiding punishment for bad grades

2. Make a Plan To Empower Your Teen and Avoid Punishment for Bad Grades

It may be tempting to jump immediately from the discussion into making a plan. I recommend that you and your teen have a break of at least a day between these conversations.

The first conversation will likely be tense and draining. Getting some time and space from this conversation will help you approach step two with an open mind. Additionally, the time between these conversations will allow you and your teen to reflect.

Like the previous step, identify a time and place for this conversation. This step will not be productive if it is a surprise.

During this second conversation, the objective is to develop a game plan for success with your teen. Working together, you and your teen should identify the following:

  • What are your teen’s goals? They should be measurable (i.e., study for one hour each day, study without distractions, avoid missing assignments)
  • What are your teen’s struggles in school? What is preventing them from reaching their goals? (be specific – i.e., note-taking, study skills, organization, etc.)
  • What steps need to be taken to overcome these struggles/challenges?
  • What is your teen’s routine going to be? What behaviors do they need to be successful? (i.e., when are they going to study, when are they going to wake up, how are they going to organize their materials from school)

When answering these questions, let your teen lead the conversation. 

Let them speak early and often, and keep your input to a minimum. It is essential that your teen feels like they are in control and are leading the charge to improve their grades.

3. Establish Consequences and Rewards and Avoid Punishments

Now that you and your teen have created a game plan, the next step is to identify the negative and positive reinforcements that will help motivate your teenager.

Just like the previous three steps, it is vital that your teenager feel like they have some ownership and control over this situation. Immediately following the conversation in step three, you and your teen need to answer the following questions:

  • What are the consequences if the agreed-upon behaviors are not completed?
  • What are the rewards for reaching their goals?
  • What are your conditions as a parent?

Let your teen lead this conversation. The more input they have, the more likely they will buy in and reach their objectives. However, that doesn’t mean that you should have zero input.

You can choose to reject your teen’s desired consequence(s). However, I recommend adding or amending it rather than altogether abandoning it. The same goes for the reward selected by your child.

When selecting consequences, it is essential to remember to avoid punishment. As I outlined earlier, punishment is not an effective motivator.

Instead, use negative reinforcement. Some examples of negative reinforcement are requiring your teen to show you their agenda every day after school until their grades reach a certain level or staying home on Friday nights as long as they have missing assignments.

Additionally, I highly recommend that the consequences be based on a measure of effort rather than the outcome. Your teen should be rewarded (or face the consequences) for working on their homework daily for an hour rather than achieving a certain GPA. I’ll discuss this in-depth in a later step.

Once your teen has achieved the required level, you should remove or adjust the negative reinforcement.

scheduling meetings is an important part of avoiding bad grades in high school

4. Schedule Weekly Check-ins To Maintain Growth and Avoid Falling Into the Punishment Trap

The hard work begins when you and your teen have created a game plan and established consequences and rewards.

It will be up to you to establish and maintain this consistency. Building a habit takes at least three weeks, so be prepared to follow through on these weekly check-ins for at least a month.

Many teens struggle to reach their academic potential because of a lack of consistency. Your teen will likely need support as they strive to establish the routines and behaviors that will empower them.

You will have to model this behavior for your teen to learn consistency. I recommend establishing a regular schedule to check in with your teen. During this weekly check-in, you and your teen should discuss the following:

  • What went well during the past week?
  • What could be improved moving forward?
  • Review the goals established during your planning meeting and present rewards/consequences.
  • Give feedback – if your teen is open to it.

When evaluating your teen’s behavior, you must focus on their actions rather than their words. Many teens are experts at telling adults what they want to hear. Concentrating on your teen’s words rather than their actions can lead to bad habits and allow your teen to avoid the consequences of their actions.

If your teen fails to meet the expectations laid out during your earlier conversations, it is essential to follow through with the agreed-upon consequences. When communicating the consequences, it is necessary to frame them in relation to what they agreed to earlier.

It is vital to avoid anger and raised voices as much as possible. These actions will only serve to harm your teen’s motivation.

5. Praising Effort Over Outcome Will Help Your Teen Overcome Bad Grades 

I mentioned earlier the importance of establishing rewards and consequences based on measures of effort rather than a specific outcome. Focusing on effort over income is a subtle change that many parents miss and one of the biggest problems with a punishment for bad grades.

Although the desired outcome (i.e., no missing assignments, a high GPA, getting into college) is easier to see, it is also harder to control. Your teen might change their behavior, work hard, and turn in all their assignments, but still not get the desired GPA.

Did your teen fail? I certainly don’t think so.

Over time, putting in effort and learning the necessary habits will lead to a positive outcome, but that might not happen overnight. By praising effort over the outcome, you can help your teen continue to work towards their goals, even if they don’t see immediate results.

Here are a couple of additional reminders that can help you provide positive encouragement for your teen:

  • Aim for a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative praise.
  • Focus on the behavior, not the person.
  • Remember where your teen started from and praise the progress they have made.

6. Model The Desired Behavior and Offer Support Instead of A punishment for Bad Grades

As I mentioned earlier in the article, just because you give your teen more independence does not mean you are walking away from the issue entirely. The support that you give your teen will be essential in helping them achieve their academic potential.

However, you may need to take on a less active role than you might have done in the past. Like with many of the steps on this list, I encourage you to start by asking questions. You can ask them:

  • What do you need to be successful?
  • What do you think you need help with?
  • How can I help you?
  • What support do you need from me?

Regardless of their answer or how much you think you can help them, respect their response and give them space. The more empowered your teen feels, the more motivated they will be.

Additionally, it is essential to respect your teen’s boundaries. If they do not want your help or advice, do not force it upon them. 

Giving your teen the space to find their path is essential. You will also be surprised how much their attitudes change as they experience this independence.

The final step to avoiding punishment for bad grades is modeling the desired behavior. Teenagers often struggle with meeting the expectations around them because the adults they see are polished final products. Your teen does not see all the mistakes you made when you were younger or the obstacle you had to overcome.

To help your teen get a more realistic picture, model the behavior you want them to embody and speak honestly about your growth and improvement with them.

For example, if you want your teen to work at the dining table, bring your work and work there. Instead of only talking about positive things at dinner, share something you have been struggling with or a mistake you made.

By modeling the behavior you want your teenager to embrace, you are providing a model for them to follow and normalizing the behavior.

academic coaching can help your teen avoid punishment for bad grades

7. Get the Right Support To Avoid Bad Grades in High School

You have made it to the seventh and final step. As you can see, the process of helping your teen reach their academic potential is a challenging one. It requires patience, thoughtfulness, commitment, and hard work from you and your teen.

Your teen’s growth will have its ups and downs and can be stressful. Supporting your teen, modeling the desired behavior, and enforcing consequences can strain the parent-child relationship. Therefore, I highly recommend you seek the proper support for yourself and your teen during this journey.

I highly recommend hiring an academic coach to help you and your teen during this process. 

An academic coach can serve as a bridge between you and your teen. A coach will provide accountability and support for your teen while keeping you in the loop.

Additionally, teens seeking independence often respond well to adults who are not their parents. An academic coach offers a fresh start for your teen, one that does not carry all the previous experience of a parent or teacher.

Finally, an academic coach can help teach your teen the foundational academic skills like note-taking, organization, and writing they need to succeed in the classroom.

Let’s chat if you think your teen would benefit from an academic coach. I am an experienced academic coach and have helped hundreds of teens reach their academic potential.

You Can Avoid Punishment For Bad Grades and Empower Your Teen

If you implement these seven steps, your teen will be well on their way to achieving their academic potential. While implementing these seven steps, I want to remind you to be patient and positive.

Your teen’s journey will be filled with trials and tribulations. Still, as long as they continue to work consistently and provide a positive environment to make mistakes and learn from them, they will improve and reach their potential.

Schedule a free consultation if you would like to discuss how you can best implement these seven steps. I can give you feedback on how to engage your teen best and help you identify the correct type of support for your family.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

woman in red t shirt looking at her laptop

Smart Kid Bad Grades: 8 Solutions

smart kid bad grades

Smart kid bad grades. No parent wants to hear this label used to describe their child.  

You know what your child can achieve, yet they keep coming up short.

You may be frustrated that while you are worried about college admissions, scholarships, and financial independence, your child is more interested in video games, talking with friends, and having fun. 

You may not realize that your child is likely more frustrated than you are with their poor academic performance and that your encouragement, although well-intentioned, is hindering your child from reaching their academic potential and straining your relationship. 

The constant reminders, micromanagement, and arguments disincentivize your teen from working hard academically and make those visions of scholarships and university acceptance less likely.

Thankfully, it is not too late to get your kid back on track, and the good news is that it will be less stressful and require less work and oversight from you. 

I’m going to share some secrets you can use to motivate your child and make their bad grades a thing of the past. 

Smart Kid Bad Grades – Why Does This Happen?

There are many reasons for bad grades. The situations I’ve described below typically impact intelligent kids. 

Smart Kids Feel the Pressure of Effortless Perfection 

Teenagers are under a lot of pressure to succeed. They see it in the media, their peers, and their parents. Everywhere they look, they see the polished exteriors that people have learned to present to the world. 

What they do not see are the trials and tribulations, the mistakes, and the long hours of hard work that it takes to be successful. 

Your teen may have a skewed perception of what it takes to be successful. They may not understand that it takes mistakes to become successful. 

The desire to perfect and become successful without making mistakes can be paralyzing and may stop your kid from working hard and trying to reach their potential. 

Even worse, it may lead to stress and anxiety, negatively impacting their mental health. 

You can help your child overcome the pressure of effortless perfection by being open and vulnerable with them. Talk with them openly and honestly about a bad day or a problem you are struggling with at work. 

the internet can distract your student and make them a smart kid bad grades

Distractions Are One of the Reasons for Bad Grades 

It is hard to stay focused. Everywhere you look, there are distractions.

Are you checking messages on your phone? Watch out for Instagram and all the photos posted by your friends, family, your favorite sports team, and your favorite actress. 

Are you writing a paper on your laptop? Stay focused despite the millions of games that are at your fingertips.

We have never had access to so much right at our fingertips in the history of man. You likely grew up without technology in your hands and learned how to moderate your use of these distractions. 

Young adults have had phones in their hands from the beginning. The allure of instant gratification can be overwhelming, often derailing even the most gifted students.

To help your child overcome these ever-present distractions, help them create a study space that is free of distractions. Allow them to make the study space a welcoming environment they feel comfortable. 

Lack of Interest is Also A Reason for Bad Grades

What do you do for work? 

If you took advantage of the academic opportunities you want your child to take advantage of, you probably got into a good university, studied a topic you are passionate about, and are now working in that field. 

It is easy to go to work every day when you are passionate and interested in your work. 

Imagine how much more difficult going to work would be if you had no interest in it. 

That may be your child’s daily experience when they go to school.

Children are expected to learn topics in school that they may have little to no interest in. They may not even see the relevance of what they are learning. 

A lack of interest in education is one of the most complicated challenges to overcome because you do not influence the curriculum taught in school. You can encourage them to focus on what they do find interesting. You can also validate their feelings. 

If your child expressed a lack of interest, acknowledge and validate those feelings before reminding them that it is their responsibility to stay engaged and focused. Sometimes this acknowledgment is all a child needs to regain focus.  

Smart Kids are Stretched Too Thin 

There is a lot of pressure for teens to be involved in every extra-curricular activity possible. Oh, and they should have a part-time job in addition to completing chores at home. And how could I forget that they must also get their homework done? 

Many teens are overwhelmed by the number of commitments they have throughout their day. Add in the fact that they are still learning time management, and you have a recipe for disaster. 

Instead of learning to manage their busy schedules, it can be much more appealing to escape reality by playing video games, watching movies, or simply ignoring their assignments or responsibilities. 

Ask your child if they are overwhelmed by the number of responsibilities they have. If they are overwhelmed, let them prioritize what activities they will continue participating in. 

a lack of skills can lead to smart kid bad grades

Poor Academic Fundamentals Negatively Impact Grades 

Work hard, study for the test, and take good notes. These are all common expectations for teenagers in school. 

Unfortunately, many teens do not learn these academic fundamentals. Schools expect them to know these skills but spend little time teaching them. 

As your child gets older and the workload becomes increasingly complex, they may fall behind simply because they don’t have the tools to engage with the content. 

Thankfully, poor academic fundamentals can be easily corrected. Working with a study coach is a great way to improve your teen’s academic fundamentals and give them the tools they need to succeed in a rigorous classroom. 

8 Solutions for Smart Kid Bad Grades 

These solutions are a great place to start if you are ready to help your child get back on track. 

Ask questions to help avoid smart kid bad grades

1. Ask your Smart Kid Questions 

One of the most effective ways to motivate your child and motivate them is to ask them questions. You might be thinking, but I already ask my teen questions, and they do not respond well. 

It is not about what you say. It is about how you say it. 

Teens know when their parents are fishing for a specific answer. They can also tell when a question is a segue into a lecture. 

Your child wants to be heard and have their perspectives validated. You can accomplish this by asking them open-ended questions with no agenda other than curiosity. 

Some questions you might ask are:

  • What did you do well today at school?
  • What are you proud of accomplishing in the last month? 
  • What is your most challenging class, and why is it hard? 

When your child responds, it might be tempting to give them advice immediately. Instead, listen and validate any feelings or emotions they might have expressed. 

If you have some advice you want to share, ask them if they are open to it. Ask them, “Would you like some advice?” 

Allow your child to give their consent to hear your advice. If the answer is “no,” walk away without tension or negative emotions. 

Asking your children questions can empower them and give them the agency they desire while improving your relationship with them and their academics.

2. Give your child more Ownership over their Grades 

As I’ve mentioned throughout this article, teenagers seek increased freedom and independence. It may seem counterintuitive, but their academic performance may improve if you give them more ownership and autonomy.

Slacking off in school and getting poor grades may be their way of controlling their environment. The more you restrict and control them, the more they will find a way to gain control in other ways. 

So let them be independent. Ask them what they think the expectations should be. Ask them what they think they need to do to succeed in school. Then walk away and let them do it on their own. 

You want your teen to be a motivated and hardworking adult, so start treating them like adults. 

3. Be Authentic and Vulnerable 

You have worked hard your entire life to be the person you are today. It took hard work, mistakes, and overcoming obstacles to become successful. Your teen sees this polished product but cannot see all the mistakes you made along the way. 

Instead of learning the value of making mistakes and learning from them, your teen may feel the pressure to be perfect. 

You can remedy this by being open and honest about your challenges and struggles. Tell them about the mistakes you make and the struggles you face at work or in your career. 

Sharing the challenges you face normalizes making mistakes and demonstrates that it is okay for them to make mistakes. Changing your teen’s attitude towards mistakes can decrease their stress at school, empower them to work harder, and help them feel comfortable making mistakes and learning from them. 

positivity can help avoid smart kid bad grades

4. Give Your Kid Positive Reinforcement 

Positive reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools to motivate your child and help them improve their grades. Far too often, we focus on the negative and what is wrong. This focus teaches your child what not to do but does not teach them what they should do. 

Several studies show that the ratio of positive praise to negative praise should be 5:1. Not only do many children not recessive this much praise, but parents often overestimate the amount of recognition they give and underestimate the frequency of their criticism. 

By giving more praise and positive reinforcement, your child will know what behavior they should continue to practice. Additionally, they will be more receptive to your negative reinforcement or feedback. 

5. Praise the Effort, Not the Outcome, to Improve Grades 

If you apply one piece of advice from this article, it should be this one. You can empower your child to live up to their potential by focusing on the journey, not the destination. 

It can be easy to focus on the desired outcome: good grades, getting into a good university, scholarships, etc. However, those outcomes are hard to control. That lack of control creates stress and anxiety and can cause children to check out thoroughly. 

Instead of focusing on the outcome, think about what behaviors will likely lead to the desired result. These behaviors might include:

  • Working hard 
  • Studying 
  • Staying focused 
  • Turning in assignments on time 
  • Asking questions in class 
  • Seeking out a mentor 

If your child practices all of those behaviors, the desired outcome becomes more likely. Your child also has control over whether they do those behaviors or not. 

Giving your child praise for the effort rather than the outcome will empower them and help them feel they have more control over their environment. It will also make achieving their potential a more manageable task. Getting straight As might seem overwhelming if you currently have Bs and Cs, but working hard for one hour per day is far more manageable and attainable from their perspective. 

6. Work with a Coach 

Bill Gates said, “Everyone needs a coach…We all need people who give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”

If your child is not receptive to your suggestions and their lack of performance creates tension in your household, then an outside perspective might be exactly what you need. 

An academic coach can give your child the support they need as they strive towards their educational goals while providing structure and accountability. It is a win-win. Your child improves their grades, and their relationship with you improves. 

I’ve worked with hundreds of students to help them find intrinsic motivation and reach their academic goals. 

Let’s talk if you think this is the right kind of support for your child. I’m passionate about my work, and I would love to help your teen undergo a positive transformation. 

You can also find teachers, family friends, and teachers to coach your child. What matters is that your child finds the right mentor for them. 

set goals with your teen to end smart kid bad grades

7. Set Reasonable Goals with your Kid

I get it. As a parent, you must keep your eyes on the bigger picture. You are concerned about your child’s options for university, scholarships, and a job. Unfortunately, your teen might not care about these bigger-picture goals and might feel overwhelmed by them. 

To make success more accessible to your child, set intermediate goals. Avoid discussing college, scholarships, and a career, and focus on working hard this semester. 

These goals should propel your child toward the larger one, but they are more relevant and accessible to them. 

Additionally, ask your child what their goals are first. Empower them to select their own goals before giving your perspective. 

8. Set up a Reward System 

Your child is not likely to be motivated by getting good grades. Let’s be honest. How inspired for work would you be if you didn’t get paid? 

I am not encouraging a “pay for grades” system but finding a reward that motivates your child can be an easy way to motivate them to take their schoolwork more seriously. 

A reward system is a more formal version of positive reinforcement. The rewards should be directly tied to the goals that you have created with your child. The expectations and requirements for earning the rewards should be clear and understood by you and your child. 

Let your child choose their reward. The reward is not suitable if your child doesn’t want it. 

If you implement a system like this, the measurement and enforcement must be consistent. Your child must meet all the agreed-upon requirements to eat the reward. Getting a reward without meeting expectations sends the wrong message. 

negative reinforcement can make smart kid bad grades worse

What about Negative Reinforcement for Bad Grades?

After reading all these positive reinforcement solutions, you might wonder about punishments for bad grades. 

I think it’s a bad idea. Negative reinforcement can be one of the reasons for bad grades. 

You want your child to embrace certain behaviors, and punishments teach them what to avoid. I believe that this is counterproductive to the end goal of meeting their academic potential.  

Furthermore, many teens have a reason why they are struggling. Punishment does not solve their challenge if your child struggles with anxiety or lacks motivation. It will likely push them further down that hole.  

The Next Step to Avoid Smart Kid Bad Grades

Your child’s journey to achieving good grades and reaching their academic potential won’t happen overnight. It will require patience, hard work, kindness, and empathy.

If you replace arguing, micromanaging, and nagging with the tips in this article, you will be on the right path. Over time, your child will learn the behaviors and find the intrinsic motivation they need to succeed in school and life. 

Don’t hesitate to work with a coach if you think you and your child would benefit from some additional coach. 

I’ve created a program to help students turn their grades around in one quarter. Let’s talk if you think your child would benefit from this program. 

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

back view photo of standing woman with her hands raised

Get High Grades with these 6 Tips 

Get high grades with these six tips

If you struggle to get high grades in school, you have probably received some “advice” from parents, teachers, and maybe even friends.

“Work harder!”

“Don’t be lazy.”

“Just pay attention in class.”

“Spend more time studying!”

These “solutions” are frustrating because it makes getting high grades seem “easy.” If only that were the case.

I understand your frustrations, and I know that getting better grades in high school is not as easy as many people make it out to be. 

I’ve created a list of six tips that will help you get back on track and empower you to learn how to get better grades in high school. 

Learning How to Get High Grades 

Getting high grades will not happen overnight. It will require commitment and hard work. It may seem frustrating at first, but I promise that you can achieve the results you are looking for with consistent action.

Improving your grades may also require you to try some new things and learn new skills. I promise that if you approach these tips with an open mind, you can achieve your goals. 

Instead of focusing on tips like working harder or staying organized, I take a different approach to improving grades. Instead of focusing on what to do, I focus on the why. I believe that knowing your “why” will help you sustain your hard work and will be more effective in getting the results that you want.

Identifying what motivates you and setting goals are more effective than trying to work harder.

It is time to work smarter, not harder.

If you would like some more specific advice about how to get high grades, check out my article on strategies that can help you get straight As.

Improve your Grades with These Tips

These tips are listed in order of importance. Don’t try to implement them all of them at once, start with number 1 and work your way down the list. 

Why do you want to get high grades?

1. Know Why you Want to get High Marks

Getting good grades is a challenge in the best of situations. I have seen many students struggle to do their schoolwork because they don’t know why they are putting in the effort. Their parents, teachers, and peers tell them “Get good grades” without any sort of justification. 

Before learning how to get high grades, I recommend that you answer the question: “why am I doing this?”

You might want to stay eligible to play sports or get into a specific college. Or maybe you want your parents to leave you alone so you can spend more time with your friends. Your answer should be a reflection of your true feelings, not the “right” answer.

Your “why” is the secret to staying motivated. Putting effort into schoolwork is difficult. When you don’t feel motivated, you can fall back on your “why” to motivate you to get the assignment done.

2. Set goals for yourself 

I get it, your goal is to get better grades. However, it is also a big one and hard to measure. I recommend setting smaller goals and more measurable goals that will help you progress towards your larger one. 

For example, set a goal of working on homework for one hour per day, turning in all of your missing assignments, or asking a question in class.

All of these goals are measurable and will help you progress towards your goal of better grades.

Setting smaller goals will also make the task of improving academically feel overwhelming. Plus, you will also feel good when you achieve them so it’s a win-win.

Give yourself a reward when you get high grades?

3. What is your reward going to be When You get High Grades? 

Everyone likes a prize. Unfortunately, many students are not given rewards for working hard in school. A job rewards you with money for working hard, but school just gives you grades. The last time I checked, you can’t buy anything or turn your grades in for a reward.  

Establishing a reward system for yourself is a great way to sustain your efforts to improve your grades.

After you set a goal, think about what the reward is going to be. For something small like completing a homework assignment, the reward might be a 30-minute break. If you reach a bigger goal like getting an A on a test, a good reward might be getting food at your favorite restaurant, seeing a movie, or hanging out with friends. 

When you give yourself the reward, remind yourself why you earned it. This will build a positive connection between your hard work at school and the outcome. Connecting achievement with rewards is a great way to train your brain to work hard. 

4. What are your current strengths?

Give yourself some credit! Your grades might not be what you want them to be, but that doesn’t mean that you are doing everything wrong.

Take some time to think about your strengths as a student. 

Thinking about your strengths will help you have some positive thoughts and vibes around working on your academics. Plus, thinking about your strengths can help you build your confidence.

As you work to improve as a student, keep putting effort into your areas of strength. These areas can help you improve your grades and cannot be ignored. 

You must grow to get high grades.

5. What Areas do you need to grow to Get High Marks? 

On the flip side, it is also important to think about your areas of growth. Improving your academic weaknesses is one of the most important steps on your journey to getting good grades.

It may be difficult or uncomfortable to think about your weaknesses. If you are struggling with this tip, talk with a trusted teacher, adult, or peer. Sometimes a second perspective is exactly what you need.

After you have come up some areas of growth, pick two or three that you want to improve. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself.

Next, brainstorm how you can improve those weaknesses.

For example, if you struggle to pay attention in class, a solution might be to sit at the front of the class. Or, if you have a hard time remembering your homework, commit to writing down your assignments in your agenda.

Focus on implementing these changes and regularly check in with your progress. It may be helpful to let trusted adults and your teachers know how you are trying to improve. They can help support you.

Finding solutions to your areas of growth is essential for improving your grades. 

6. Ask for help

Improving your grades is a challenging task that is made all the more difficult by doing it alone.

If you are serious about improving your grades, ask someone you trust to help you.  

You might be surprised how much your teachers are willing to do to help you on your journey to better grades and academic success. As a former teacher, whenever a student showed some initiative, I would bend over backwards to help them.

In addition to help you in class, teachers, adults, and peers can give you helpful insights on your strengths and weaknesses as well as give you encouragement when things get tough.

Don’t make your journey harder by trying to do it alone.

You can Learn How to Get Better Grades in High School

I want to congratulate you on making an effort to improve your grades. This is a challenging task, and I am glad you are seeking out guidance and assistance on your journey. 

If you find these tips helpful but struggle to boost your grades, let’s talk. I am an academic coach that has helped hundreds of students improve their grades and increase their confidence in the classroom. I can help make your academic goals a reality.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students’ academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

Educational Coaching: A Solution for Teens and Parents

teen who needs educational coaching
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

“Everyone needs a coach. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast, or a bridge player. We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”

– Bill Gates

In his viral 2013 Ted Talk, Bill Gates speaks to the necessity of coaching. Since his Ted Talk, coaching has become an effective way for people to learn new skills and grow. 

But what about educational coaching? It is an area where many teens and their families struggle, and traditional forms of educational support fails to meet the needs of many families.

Many students struggle academically or underperform because they lack the necessary skills or motivation to succeed in the classroom.

Circumstances like these can put a lot of strain on the teen and their family. 

If this sounds like your family, an educational coach might be the type of support your family needs. Please keep reading to find out how an educational coach differs from other traditional types of academic support and how a coach can help both teens and their parents find success.

educational coaching at work

What is Educational Coaching?

Academic coaching is a collaborative relationship between a coach and student (and the student’s family) where the coach provides support, accountability, and expertise to help the client reach their academic goals.

Unlike tutoring, educational coaching does not focus on content-specific answers, but instead, emphasizes empowering students with the skills they need to learn on their own.

Educational coaches work with their clients to develop long-term academic strategies and provide support in executing those strategies.

They also work with their clients to develop study, time management, and organizational skills. 

Parent collaboration is also an important part of working with an educational coach. A coach will work with parents to develop academic plans and support their child’s educational coach. You can think of an educational coach as an academic life coach that meets the holistic needs of your teen to help them accel in school.

The benefits of educational coaching

How Does Educational Coaching Help Teens?

An educational coach can help your teen in many ways. Educational coaches focus on improving intrinsic motivation and drive so teens can sustain their academic success. 

Additionally, educational coaches work with teens to develop fundamental academic skills and effective study and testing strategies, which can help improve teens’ self-confidence and create a sense of empowerment.

Your educational coach will also work with your teen to develop a plan to address your unique academic challenges. This plan may include identifying your learning style, developing personalized study strategies, and setting behavior-based goals for each semester.

A coach can also work with your teen to develop a system to manage their academics. Developing a study system and schedule are some of the most important aspects of working with an educational coach. Your teen will work with the coach to create a system that facilitates organization and efficient studying.

Your educational coach will support your teen every step of the way as they implement the plan. They will provide encouragement and accountability to help you stay on track. They will also be available to answer any questions or concerns you have along the way.

educational coaching helps parents

What are the Benefits of Academic Life Coaching for Parents? 

Let’s face it, parenting a teenager is challenging. They are at a stage developmentally where they want to exhibit confidence and independence and, as a result, don’t want to listen to their parents. Unfortunately, they also tend to lack the necessary skills and experience to be as independent as they desire. 

An educational coach can help parents by providing support, expertise, and accountability.

Additionally, a coach can allow parents to take a step back while still providing their teen with structure and guidance. 

A coach can help parents stay connected and informed about their teen’s academic performance without conflict. Furthermore, a coach can act as an advocate for the parents and encourage the teenager to accomplish and complete specific tasks.

Overall, by acting as a mentor and intermediary, a coach can reduce the stress levels within a family by providing accountability and facilitating communication between teens and their parents while allowing the parents to take a step back and the teen to assert their independence.

Would Your Family Benefit From Working With an Educational Coach?

If you think your family would benefit from working with an educational coach, let’s talk. I am a former classroom teacher and educational coach that has helped hundreds of students get on track and reach their academic potential. I offer complimentary discovery calls to help you determine your teen’s next steps and identify the support they need to succeed.

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students’ academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here

graduate with papers and laptop excited about getting job

How To Get Straight A’s: Eight Strategies to Make It Look Easy

We all know that student, it seems like school is effortless for them. The type of student that knows how to get straight A’s …

They turn in all their assignments

Know the answers to all the teacher’s questions

Finish the test early

And get the highest grade in the class

It may seem impossible to be like that, but here’s the secret – they are not any different than any other student in the class. Straight A students use a simple set of strategies that sets them up for success. Unfortunately, these strategies are not taught in school. The good news is that you can implement these strategies and learn how to get straight A’s. 

I know these strategies because I was a straight A student in high school – I was actually my school’s valedictorian. I know just how important using these strategies is because, in my infinite wisdom, I stopped using them my first two years in college and was at the bottom of my class. I literally went from first to worst.

During my junior and senior years, I got back to what made me successful in high school and was on the Dean’s list (3.75 GPA or higher). This experience made me intimately aware of the impact that these strategies can have on your academic performance.  

I’m sharing these guidelines so you can apply them to your own studies and learn how to get straight A’s. 

How to Get Straight A’s: 8 Strategies 

The purpose of these strategies is to work smarter, not harder. School is not everything. You should have free time to enjoy hobbies, spend time with friends, or relax. These strategies will teach you how to get straight A’s without dedicating all of your time to schoolwork. 

Get Straight A's by eating a healthy breakfast
A good breakfast will give you energy for the school day.

1. Straight a’s Start With Your Stomach

Health is something that is frequently overlooked when it comes to good grades. If you are like me, it is next to impossible to focus on what the teacher is saying if your stomach is growling. One of the most important tips for surviving high school is eating right and getting enough sleep.

Eating a healthy breakfast will energize you for the school day and help you make the most out of your class time.

In addition to eating well and getting good sleep, exercise is an important foundation to straight A’s. Regular exercise will help you sleep better and give you more energy throughout the day. Taking care of your body will help you bring your A-game to the classroom. 

2. Get Straight A’s by Showing up to Every Class

This may go without saying, but in order to get Straight As, you have to show up to every class. Skipping class is a sure-fire way to put yourself behind and make learning more difficult.  Additionally, you need to participate and be an active member of the class. 

For this reason. straight A students are active listeners. While the teacher is presenting, they are thinking about what the teacher is saying and asking themselves questions like “Do I understand this topic?” or “How does this connect to what we learned yesterday?”. 

The best students learn how to get straight A’s by asking questions. Question asking is one of the most important strategies students can use to improve their grades. Asking questions minimizes the amount of time straight A students are confused. This allows them to stay on top of the content and keep learning. 

Some people recommend you sit in the front of the class and be a teacher’s pet. I don’t think that is necessary at all. Sit where you want, but make sure you stay engaged. Of the strategies on this list, this is probably the most important.  

How to Get Straight A's: Take Good Notes
Good notes make for good grades

3. Straight A Students take Good Notes

In addition to showing up to every class and participating, it is important to take good notes. There are a variety of note-taking systems and the best one depends on your personal preference. 

Taking notes helps straight A students stay engaged in class. Notes are also a resource that they use to help them complete homework and study for tests. Plus, you would be surprised by the amount of information that the teacher said in class that shows up directly on the test. Taking good notes is an easy way to boost your grades and make your studying more efficient. 

Finally, straight A students will review their notes at least twice a week in order to keep the content they are learning in class fresh in their minds. 

How to get Straight A's? Get organized
Get straight A’s by getting organized

4. Want to get Straight A’s? get Organized

Good notes are useless if you can’t find them! Straight A students have an organization strategy that they use to write down assignments, tests and due dates. Additionally, they have a way to file all of their notes, worksheets, reading assignments, etc. in an easy-to-find manner. 

Furthermore, any papers handed to you in class should be organized in a file folder or binder dedicated to that class. If your teacher shares documents with you via Google docs, your G-Drive should be organized by class. 

A good organizational system is one of the biggest ways that Straight-A students separate themselves from average students. 

5. Stay On Top of Current Assignments – No Missing Work

Straight A students don’t have missing assignments. There is no shortcut around this. Missing assignments are one of the easiest ways to tank your grades. Not only do missing assignments bring your grade down but you are missing out on an opportunity to practice what you are learning in class. 

Specifically, this additional practice gives you an opportunity to test what you know and reinforce the knowledge. This will make studying for the unit test easier because you have been practicing the whole time. 

Finally, homework takes the same amount of time if you complete it on the due date or last minute before the quarter ends. Turning in assignments last minute may improve your grades, but it has not helped you learn the material and so it doesn’t positively impact your grade the way it could. 

6. Prepare for tests to get Straight A’s

One of the final pieces of the Straight A student puzzle is test prep. For most classes, test scores make up the majority of your final grade. Doing well on tests is a must for straight-A students. 

However, many students think test prep is just about studying right before the test. Straight A students know that test prep begins the moment they walk into the classroom.

Therefore, being an active listener in class, taking good notes, and completing the homework are all a part of test preparation. By using all of the earlier strategies, Straight A students start preparing themselves for the test weeks before the test date is even announced. 

As the test approaches, Straight A students also know how to study smarter, not harder. They start studying at least a week before the test and break up their studying into manageable time blocks.

Straight A students also ask teachers what is going to be on the test. This might happen at the end of class or before/after school, but you would be amazed at what a teacher will give away when asked this question. Trust me, I was a former classroom teacher. Asking this question gives straight A students a huge advantage when it comes to preparing for and taking the test. 

7. Straight A Students Have a good study area 

Finally, straight A students have a good study area. A good study area allows a student to study effectively and efficiently. This area should be free of distractions, well lit, and quiet. 

8. Ask for Help To Get The As

Getting straight A’s is no easy task. Even if you follow all of these tips, there may be moments where you don’t know what to do or need additional support.

Ask for help!

You can ask a teacher, your parents, an educational coach, or another trusted adult. You might be surprised by what a big difference asking for help can make.

Be Patient With Yourself

All these strategies may seem overwhelming, and I encourage you to be patient with yourself. It takes three weeks to build a habit so implementing these strategies won’t happen overnight. I recommend starting with taking care of your body and working your way down the list. 

Implement one strategy at a time to prevent yourself from getting overwhelmed. 

If you want assistance building straight A student habits, let’s talk. I have worked with hundreds of students and helped them improve their grades by building good habits and working smarter, not harder. 

Every student has their own specific needs and challenges, let’s make a plan so you can make straight A’s a reality – book your free discovery call here

About the Author: John Hyde

I am an educational coach specializing in teaching students’ academic fundamentals and a growth mindset. 

After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I taught at a public middle school from 2016 to 2019. Although I loved working with students in the classroom, the public education system was not teaching students the skills essential to academic success. 

I left the classroom in 2019 to start Academic Empowerment Academy. Since then, my coaching program has helped hundreds of students realize their academic potential by assisting them in building confidence and empowering them with the skills and mindset to meet their goals in school and life. 

If you’d like to discuss how I can help your teen be more motivated, foster good habits, and improve academic organization/performance, Book a Complimentary Discovery Call Here.


Secret School Tips For Parents 
As parents, you want your children to excel in school and achieve …
Online Success Coach: Unlocking Your Teen’s Potential
As a parent, you want your teen to succeed academically and in …
School Is Setting Your Child Up For Failure
Schools don't care about students and are setting your child up for …
10 Bad Study Habits You Need to Break Immediately
In my experience as a classroom teacher and an academic coach, one …

Author Spotlight

Hi I’m John, author of this blog, academic coach, and founder of AE Academy.

I help teens reach their academic potential by empowering them with academic fundamentals, a growth mindset, and critical thinking. 

If your teen is struggling to reach their academic potential, or isn’t learning the skills they need to succeed in school, we should connect.

It’s on me – Book Your Free Call Here