To determine the best course of action to help a student lagging behind peers is to have open and honest discussions with all interested parties. The student, parents, educators, coaches and school counselors all need to chime in and give direction on how best to handle the individual situation. No two students have the exact same abilities, thus, making sure to gather input from multiple sources is crucial to helping the student get back on track. Teachers need to be questioned about subjects, tasks or duties which are difficult to the student. Coaches and school counselors need to give input and insight in to the social behavior of the student. Parents need to bring to the discussion issues or situations about the student's home life which may be impacting academic performance. Organizing a group meeting is the best method to begin the process of uncovering the root cause of the problem.
The student needs to become more proactive in understanding problem areas to better help others in determining the best resolution to the problem or concerns. A student journal is one way for the student to express feelings and thoughts on a regular basis. The student needs to write in the journal multiple times each day. Instruct the student to chronicle and record issues which have presented during the day and to also note tasks and situations which were positive. The journal should be routinely, at least once per week. reviewed by both parents and educators during a sit down meeting with the student.
For students lagging behind peers, primarily in the academic performance sense, the use of a tutor for problem areas is one way to help get the student back on the right path. The school and individual educators need to be involved in determining the right style of tutoring which should prove to be most beneficial to the student, based on the student's abilities and personality. Various avenues exist for tutoring assistance, through older students in the same school tutoring during school hours to outside private tutoring firms. The use of tutors can help the student bring grades and knowledge back up to levels similar to the students peers.
A student falling behind in school can benefit by using a mentoring program to bring the students desire, ability and knowledge back up to par. Finding a mentor can be accomplished by contacting friends, family members or even a local college or university. Though formal mentoring programs exist through community based initiatives for children in need, you can create your own mentoring program by enlisting the help and support of someone the student looks up to. A mentor can be used for routine or occasional meetings to provide encouragement and support to the student, thus giving the student someone else to talk to and solicit advice from.