Academic Resources for My Child

Question:  Besides a tutor, what other academic resources are available for my child. 

I get it. Hiring a tutor can be costly and you may not always get the results you wish. Well, at the risk of undermining myself, I thought that I would talk about other resources that are available to help your child achieve academic success besides a tutor.  Here are just a few examples of academic resources you could use:

In this digital world, my first example is an old fashioned one. I would encourage your child to form or join a study group.  Study groups have their pros and cons, but a good study group can help your child both socially and academically.  A study group allows your child to ask questions and to learn from each other. 

I’m going to stick with the old-fashioned approaches for a bit longer.  My next example is to have you (or your child) look into an after school program.  Many schools and community centers offer after school programs that can provide academic support and enrichment opportunities, such as homework help, tutoring, and academic clubs.

In addition to after school programs, an academic coach or mentor might be a resource worth exploring.  Some schools or learning centers offer free or low cost one-on-one academic coaching that can help with developing study skills, time management strategies, and many other tools for academic success. 

If you are still looking for free or low cost academic resources, your public library may be the perfect answer.  Public libraries offer many resources that can help your child succeed academically, such as books, educational DVDs, and free access to online databases.

I say, when in doubt go to the source, your child’s teacher.  Speaking with your child’s teacher can provide valuable insights into your child’s academic progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, allowing you to work together with teachers to support your child’s success.

Ok, ok.  I can’t fight it any longer, let’s talk about the digital resources that are available for your child’s academic development. Honestly, there are too many to list, but here are a few to get you started down the path to success. Take a look some of the educational apps that are available. Since children are always on their phone anyway, why not meet them where they live? There are a variety of educational apps available that can help your child improve their academic skills, such as Duolingo for language learning or Quizlet for studying just to name a few. 

At long last, we have landed on the Internet.  Just like the educational apps that are available, the Internet has countless websites to help your child achieve academic success.  Some of the more popular online resources that offer educational content are Kahn Academy, Coursera, and edX.  

I hope these suggestions help your child down the path to academic success!  If not, you can always hire a tutor, like me!;)