Working as a treatment team alongside parents and students

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The definition of success should not be outcome-driven or based on comparisons to other families or children, according to Ranstad. Instead, it should be based on effort and capability. Once a child begins to take strides, however small, parents must celebrate those successes.

“At New Leaf, we’ve seen that when you honor effort rather than focusing on the end result, the students reach a level of skill development that no one, including the child, thought possible,” says Ranstad.

At the same time, Ranstad warns, parents should be careful not to unduly inflate their child’s ego. “Having a child think she’s great at something when it isn’t true, and later fail in that area, does the child a disservice in the long run. In order to succeed in school and in life, she needs a realistic understanding of her skills and talents. She needs hope, not lies.”

Know When to Get Help

Depending on the extent of the child’s learning challenges email data the ability of the child’s school to offer special assistance and intervention, it may be necessary to seek outside help in order to best serve a discouraged learner. Private boarding schools like New Leaf Academy of Oregon, which offers a unique combination of intensive academic support and a broader emphasis on emotional growth, specialize in rebuilding discouraged learners’ confidence and ability to learn.

Because the New Leaf therapeutic boarding school works exclusively with middle school-aged girls, the school is able to intervene and successfully resolve issues before they become entrenched. , the teachers and counselors help change old patterns and develop new ones that will contribute to a positive high school experience.

Once a student shows a growing degree of confidence and risk-taking, the staff is there to present endless opportunities for even greater success. Students are encouraged to show off what they know and what their abilities are, which helps their teachers understand their unique learning style.

Raising a child requires a team effort between parents, teachers, counselors, and the child. By partnering with your children and their educators, and offering acceptance, hope, and celebration of small successes, you can begin to break the cycle of discouragement.