Were the results worse—far worse—than your teen had hoped for and expected? The good news is there’s still lots of time to get to the root of the problem and turn things around for the year.

Some things to do:

1. Talk with your teen about the drop in grades. Ask him what he thinks went wrong and how he can fix it.

2. Together with your teen, have the same talk with his teacher. Ask for, and follow, the teacher’s suggestions.

3. Look for patterns. For example, does your teen always struggle when a class includes lots of multiple-choice tests? If so, make practice tests at home so your teen can become more familiar and comfortable with the format.

4. Start the new quarter off with a plan. Have your teen mark exam and assignment dates on your calendar and help him make a schedule to prepare a little bit each day. A good mark on the first test will boost his confidence and motivate him to continue to work hard.

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