Reaching Academic Goals | Steven Greene | Episode 89

We all want our children to be happy and academic success helps them reach their life goals. So, how can parents support their children in reaching academic goals? Education expert Steven Greene opens up to Mighty Parenting podcast host Sandy Fowler. They explore the reasons kids may struggle or are unmotivated. Steven shares ideas for teaching our kids strategies that support their academic goals along with their life goals.

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A Favorite Quote from the Show: 

Often the priorities of the parent are not aligned with the priorities of the child.

High Points of Reaching Academic Goals:

There are many impediments to our children reaching academic goals. Two common ones are lack of direction and not knowing how to achieve the goal. Our kids can struggle with getting a plan and using it on a daily basis to reach a goal.

Our children often don’t see the point in doing school work. Therefore, we need to create a connection for kids between now and the future (the near future).

Apathy occurs over time. If your child is apathetic, dig down to see what happened on their path to create it.

Often the priorities of the parent are not aligned with the priorities of the child.

Our children have a hard time understanding that the choices they make now affect their future.

We want to give our kids systems to reach their maximum potential.

Never compare your child to another kid. Telling them to be more like someone else will not help them and may harm your relationship.

Parents need to teach their children 3 things:

1. 1. How to manage their time both short and long term
   2. Ways to manage information
   3. How to create a daily plan to accomplish #1 and #2 in a reasonable time frame

At homework time our kids should:

1. 1. List tasks that need to be completed
   2. Estimate how long it will take to do each task
   3. Go to work

The parent’s role is to facilitate this process until a child can plan and begin homework on their own.

This helps our children create efficiencies and positive momentum over the week, the term, the years.

We are creating independent thinkers and independent adults.

When you improve the academic piece then the parent child relationship often improves.

Most students experience a busy season. This could be a time when they are in a play, are preparing for a competition, participating in a sport, etc. It is important to anticipate these times and encourage the student to prepare ahead of time. Each Friday they can look at the upcoming week. At the end of each month they can look at the upcoming month.

If a teen knows they will be busy it’s good to be proactive. Go to your teacher, explain what’s happening and ask if there is work you can get done early, a test or project you can prepare for ahead of time. 

Resources Mentioned in Show:

Maximum Education: The Ultimate Guide to Academic Success

 Our Guest – Steven Greene:

Steven Greene – The Success Doctor – is an author, educator, and founder of Make the Grade, a tutoring/education/training company. A lifelong educator, Dr. Greene holds teaching certification in comprehensive science and has taught math and science at the middle school, high school (public and independent) and university level.

Over the past 23 years, Steven has worked with over 11,000 students and their families. He has also worked with entrepreneurs where he helped them achieve personal success and assisted them in reaching their personal goals. 

Make The Grade provides individualized support for students and their families and specializes in all areas of math, science, and test preparation (SAT/ACT). His program also assists with the college admissions process, study skills, and time management.

In addition, Steven is the author of the book, Maximum Education: The Ultimate Guide to Reaching Your Academic Goals which was an Amazon #1 Best Seller.  The book addresses actions that all students can use to increase confidence, to improve grades and to achieve long term academic success.  

His personal interests include music (playing the guitar and piano and composing original music) as well as martial arts where he is earning a black belt in tae kwon do, cycling and cooking.

Dr. Greene continues to work with students full time, face to face, in his office, and all over the US and internationally using an online-based classroom. 

To learn more or connect with our guest visit makethegrade.net