Oceanside, CA 1/20/2009 5:04:14 AM
Igniting Teen Motivation Requires the Right Skills
Academic summer programs like SuperCamp teach teens academic & life skills to bring joy into learning
Leading academic summer camp, SuperCamp, has noticed a growing trend for many teenagers: the joy of learning is being extinguished and replaced with frustration. School, and the learning associated with it, is becoming something that they are eager to put behind them.
No parent ever wants to think that their son or daughter is unable to excel in school. Though there can be a variety of factors, there is one crucial question that many parents overlook when contemplating their child’s dissatisfaction with school: have they been taught how to learn?
Lack of learning skills has nothing to do with academic ability. Just as it is difficult to play chess without a defined set of rules, a teenager will not know how to instinctively study without guidance. At academic summer programs such as SuperCamp, kids and teens are equipped with the learning and life skills necessary to succeed in school, and ultimately, in life.
Some teens, after repeated disappointment, develop self-defeating attitudes and a nonchalant outlook on academia. They convince themselves that school is just not important. Most parents would do anything to prevent this sort of apathy. Teenagers are endangering not just their academic futures with this attitude, but the potential direction of their lives.
Realistically, teachers are unable to cater to each individual student’s unique learning style. This complicates matters when considering that some students have a more auditory style of learning, while others may be more visual. Ultimately, it may be up to the student to find ways to transform the information they learn into a usable format.
So, is this why so many teenagers feel disconnected from their schoolwork? Yes! If a student is unable to relate to or see merit in the subject matter, the topic instantly becomes boring to them. Teenagers need to find ways to reconnect the content to their own lives. Once they can make the connection for themselves, comprehension will follow!
Most importantly, school should not be viewed as a forced institution or simply a bullet point on a long list of mandatory responsibilities; it should be presented as a gateway to the rest of their lives, an opportunity to broaden their horizons and actualize their personal goals and dreams.
A great way to do this is to provide them with a place where learning and teen life skills are intermingled with activities they enjoy. Academic summer camps are growing ever more popular for teenagers and children of all ages. They help develop necessary traits for academic and personal success like confidence, self-esteem, and motivation in a comfortable social setting.
Academic summer programs like SuperCamp focus on a broad range of life skills designed to prime them for a rigorous future of accomplishment, things like communication skills, leadership skills, building positive relationships, conflict resolution, creative thinking, setting goals, and problem solving.
When a teenager takes ownership for their own learning processes, the results can be astonishing. Learning, memorizing, studying, and testing all just become part of their goal of self-betterment. With that attitude, they can do anything they set their minds to.
More information on the teen life skills and learning skills offered at SuperCamp and the many specialized academic summer programs available visit SuperCamp.com or call 800-285-3276 today.
