We are now in the fourth quarter of the school year; the summer is in sight and the remainder of the school year is going to fly by quickly. The state standardized testing is over which relieves a lot of pressure off the teachers and gives them the flexibility to teach what they want. For some reason the fourth quarter seems to be easier for the students; possibly because the teachers are more relaxed. On the other hand, the fourth quarter is not the last quarter for parents. We don't get a summer vacation and a new group of kids next year. What happens to our kids this year affects our life next year. Therefore, the fourth quarter is very important. More than any other, it is our final chance to make the school year count. If a kid can show improvement in the fourth quarter he or she will go into summer vacation with a feeling of accomplishment.
As a parent, coach and trainer the fourth quarter is the perfect time to pile on the pressure for improvement. I mean tighten up all the rules and cut down on the play time. Let the kids know that you mean business and you want to see results. The harder you can get them to work these final weeks the better they will feel when school is out. We want our kids to go into summer vacation with confidence. That confidence will carry over to the next school year. The more confidence they have at the start of the next school year the more we can expect from them academically next year.
This is a win, win situation for us parents. If your child shows improvement it is wonderful, If not, you can make a good case for extra reading during the summer.