DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TEENAGER IS LEARNING? (HIGH SCHOOL) Sitting at the edge of adulthood, your teenager may think that she knows everything about the world. As a parent you know how much she still needs to learn about life, though it may be harder to judge what your teenager needs to learn in the classroom. As a student, she is more independent now and can complete most assignments without your involvement. But you still need to monitor her education. College is just around the corner, and there are certain skills a teenager needs before she enters the real world. Luckily, there is guidance available. States have established standards that outline what students should be learning in various subject areas at each stage in their education. Standards provide a clear direction and a challenge to teachers, students and parents. To better understand how standards apply to your teenager, discuss the issue with her teachers. “Standards let us know what we as a community expect our children to know and be able to do,” says Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., vice president of education for Sylvan Learning Center. “Standards also let parents know what their children are going to be learning. They let students know what expectations the school, the teacher and their parents have of them.” Dr. Bavaria says it is important that parents review how standards will be assessed. “It is critical for parents to know what curriculum their children are going to be studying so that they can be as involved as possible in their child’s education. When parents know what is going to be taught, they can then play an important role in supporting their children and prepare for assessments.” As a starting point, consider the following questions to gauge what your child is learning at this point in her schooling. Is my child learning advanced mathematics? Regardless of whether or not your teenager is intrigued by math, a working knowledge is a central part of success on college entrance exams. Some standard concepts of value include probability, statistics, algebra and trigonometry. If reading that list brings back traumatizing memories of your own high school math classes, turn to your child’s teachers for assistance. They can provide you with a comprehensible guide to your teenager’s math curriculum. Is my child able to efficiently research topics? Learning to conceive and execute a research paper is a fundamental part of the high school experience. If your teenager appears to be wholly without direction when it comes to developing a topic and locating information sources, this could signal a problem. Students should be aware of what print and electronic sources exist, how to access them and how to integrate them into papers and projects. Although this skill is not inherent for most students, it is attainable through practice. Also, discuss with your teenager the concept of plagiarism and the importance of documenting all of her sources. “Learning research skills in high school will prepare students for research that they will do in college and in their own lives, such as buying a new car,” Dr. Bavaria says. “Knowing where to find information is the first step in learning.” Is my child capable of reading and comprehending a wide variety of texts? In high school and beyond, students are required to read and engage texts in which they may have little or no interest. Nevertheless, your teenager should feel confident in tackling anything that must be read and understood. Students need to pay special attention to literary devices such as irony and point-of-view when they are analyzing literature. Encourage your child to be proactive in discussions about anything she reads, be it fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc. And she should question what she reads; it is a vital step to becoming a critical thinker. Is my child gaining confidence making speeches and presentations? It is feared by many, but public speaking is a required skill for success in school and most careers. Your teenager may be apprehensive about the idea of getting up in front of the class, but she still should be prepared to meet the challenge. Students should know how to structure presentations to include relevant information and visual aids. Furthermore, students need to learn to tailor presentations in order to appeal to a specific audience. You may want to discuss with your child’s teachers what role presentations will play in the classroom, and then address any concerns your child might have about the process. By Heidi Neuzil