Can Academic Enrichment Programs Improve Your Teen’s Performance in School?

Academic enrichment for teens

While a regular schools’ classroom offers a wealth of knowledge for students, your teen may need additional academic help. Academic enrichment programs are meant to provide advanced knowledge and conceptual understanding in a particular subject and help students gain critical thinking skills. 

Enrichment classes are designed to pay more focused attention to individual students in order to help them gain academic success. This individual attention helps to build a strong foundation for students to not only excel in school but also to improve their chances of admission to a top-rated college.  

Let’s delve into some top benefits of enrolling your teen in enrichment classes.

1. Improve Academic Performance

Enrichment programs enable students focus more on core subjects like math, science, and language. Reinforcing these subjects results in faster learning even across other subjects. Students also learn smarter ways to approach their homework and in-class assignments smartly. When all other variables are equal, students attending enrichment programs perform better than their peers as they get the benefits of individualized attention and extra support.

2. Improve Study and Social Skills

Not only do enrichment programs result in academic benefits, they also provide social and personal benefits. They help students to develop the study skills and time management skills they will need to succeed in the future. They teach students how to pursue self-directed learning and how to prepare properly for quizzes and tests. As your teen develops core study skills, he or she will also have a good platform for college when the coursework becomes more complex. 

3. Get Exposure to Potential Career Paths

Enrichment programs allow students to explore advanced topics even if they aren’t part of their regular coursework. This allows them to gain additional knowledge in their favorite subjects. For instance, If your kid is good at math, he can cover advanced topics in enrichment programs that he would not learn in his current school. Moreover, in-depth learning allows students to figure out the majors they want to study at college, thereby helping them to prepare for a career they are really interested in. 

4. Build Confidence

It’s natural to be uncertain when trying something new and the same applies to students who are building the foundations for their upcoming academic career. Enrichment classes are designed to help students gain a clear understanding of the new concepts they will encounter in school. This helps to build their confidence and self-assurance so that they do not feel overwhelmed during their exams. Practice worksheets are designed to help them master a concept before moving to a new one. 

5. Develop and Discover Personal Qualities

Enrichment programs not only enable students to take advantage of additional learning for academic strength but also help them develop and discover personal qualities that can be useful for his future career. These qualities may include creativity, friendliness, responsibility, ambition, reliability, self-confidence, self-discipline, perseverance, thoughtfulness, helpfulness, leadership qualities, etc.  

6. Increase Motivation

If your teen is disengaged from studies due to the negligence of a school teacher, his passion and interest in learning may decrease. He may become anxious about attending school and may be tempted to skip classes. Enrichment programs work to re-engage students to spark their interest in learning and teach them how to stay motivated. If your teen wants to pursue a career in psychology, for example, you can sign him up for psychology summer school.  

Of course, some students may have learning issues that interfere with their ability to excel academically. However, resources are in place to help these students to grow as well. For example, parents and teachers can connect with licensed mental health counselors at BetterHelp. Qualified therapists often help guardians and educators to find the best strategies for assisting the students in their care.

Share