Todays Curriculum for Middle School and High School children can often be more than some kids can handle. The is surely true for some of our children who have had emotional trauma and have a hard time processing information.

With the classroom being much larger and the work load being a little heavier than usual, a child can get behind quickly.

When adopting an older child, these things must be taken into consideration, especially if the child is entering into school in the middle of a semester. Most schools offer student and substitute teachers as tutors at very little cost to children who need them. Sometimes this expense is covered by an agency if the child is in Foster Care.

I have found that it helps to try a student tutor. It gives the child someone age related who is going through the same basic things, who can provide both friendship and comfort as well as educational tutoring to the child.

Some areas have mentors who do this also with a child, depending on family income and the need for outside help in helping the child adjust to their new surroundings.

Some schools allow after-school tutors to use a room in the school where several students may meet for help in one subject or another.

It is far easier to use the tutors before a child gets to far behind then waiting and having the child feel overwhelmed and confronted in grade failure as a result which makes tutors and summer school a hardship for the child. I highly prefer using summer vacation for bonding and getting to know one another as family, rather than a child being made to attend summer school, if it is at all possible to prevent it.

Learning well depends on the type of environment to which the child adapts to best. Some children respond better if they are at school with a tutor. Other children take comfort in being at home and seem to relax and learn better with an in-home tutor.

Success depends upon the willingness of the child and the relationship built with the tutor. Once again trust and encouragement are needed and can only be built by time and consideration on both parts.

Even though we all want our kids to succeed in life and in personal education, some children will not be able to be honor roll students. So make sure you let them know you appreciate whatever their personal best may be. And always support them in their effort to do better.

Just as parenting is a life lesson, so is school education. Education is the first step in learning for life.