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July 10, 2024 17 mins

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Is your teen breezing through English class with minimal effort and frequent complaints of boredom? Discover how to unlock their full potential as we explore the signs that your teen might not be sufficiently challenged in their English class. In this episode of "Challenge your Mind, Change the World," Francesca, a dedicated high school teacher and entrepreneur, offers practical strategies for parents to ensure their teens remain engaged and motivated in their studies. Learn how to identify subtle behavioral changes and understand the root causes of disengagement to create a more enriching educational experience for your teen.

Francesca also shares a compelling story about a student named Alex, whose academic journey transformed when he was provided with more challenging content. By recognizing and addressing these signs, parents can help their teens thrive academically. Don't forget to tune in for details about Francesca's upcoming free webinar, packed with even more valuable insights. Join us and take the first step towards fostering a more stimulating and fulfilling learning environment for your teen.

If you enjoyed today's episode, please take the time to rate our podcast. Your rating means the world to us and it allows us to continue to share and grow our message of support to other fabulous humans out there!

For more free resources, check out my guide to the 5 secret habits of teens who succeed. Jam packed with advice, tips and strategies. Yours free!


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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Challenge your Mind, change the
World your go-to source for tipsand strategies to help your
teen excel academically andbeyond.
I'm Francesca, your classichigh school teacher and
entrepreneur, and today I'mthrilled to talk about something
many parents are concernedabout making sure your teen is
being challenged in school,especially in English class.

(00:22):
It's one of the core subjectsat school, but not everybody
enjoys it, and this topic is soimportant because when students
are not adequately challenged,they can become disengaged and
bored, which negatively impactstheir overall learning and
growth.
So in today's episode, we'llexplore how you, as a fantastic
parent because you're listeningto this podcast can ensure your

(00:45):
teen is not only engaged butalso thriving in their English
studies.
I'll also be sharing detailsabout my upcoming free webinar
that you won't want to miss.
Let's start by discussing somecommon signs that your teen
might be uninterested orunchallenged in their English
class.
Uninterested or unchallenged intheir English class Because

(01:08):
these students can branch outinto two separate groups.
We can have the strugglingstudents that are just switching
off in English, and then we'vegot the students that are
actually really good at English,but they're not being
challenged enough, and sothey're flying under the radar.
You might notice that they putin minimal effort into their
assignments.
They frequently complain aboutbeing bored at home, or they
show a lack of enthusiasm forreading and writing tasks.

(01:30):
These could be some of thesigns, and they can be
indicators that they are notbeing sufficiently challenged.
I once had a student who seemedcompletely disengaged during
class discussions.
It turned out that the materialwas too easy for him and he
needed more advanced content tostay engaged.
So let's look at some of thesigns.
One of the first signs youmight notice at home is that

(01:54):
your team is putting minimaleffort into their assignments.
They might rush through theirhomework, producing low quality
work, just to get it done.
This can be a real red flagthat they're not feeling
challenged or interested in thematerial.
Another clear sign if your teenfrequently complains about
being bored in English class,then is they might say things
like this class is so easy or Idon't see the point in doing

(02:17):
this assignment.
What's it going to do for me inlife?
It's not going to help mycareer chances.
These complaints can indicatethat the coursework isn't
stimulating enough for them.
Pay attention to your teen'senthusiasm levels, or lack
thereof, for reading and writingtasks as well, if they've once
enjoyed reading books or writingstories, but now they seem

(02:39):
disinterested, and you're reallysad about that, because they
used to love reading.
It could be because they're notfinding the class content
engaging or challenging enough.
A significant indicator ofapathy is reluctance to
participate in class discussions.
If your teen is normally vocalor engaged but now avoids
contributing to conversations ordebates, it might be a sign

(03:01):
that they're not finding thematerial intellectually
stimulating.
Sometimes teens who are capableof high performance babes.
It might be a sign that they'renot finding the material
intellectually stimulating.
Sometimes teens who are capableof high performance
consistently produce mediocre orunderwhelming work and we think
as parents that maybe it'sbecause the coursework is too
hard for them.
But actually thisunderperformance can be a sign
that they're not being pushed totheir full potential.
Ironically enough, they mightnot see the value in putting

(03:24):
effort into work that doesn'tchallenge them.
Look for changes in behaviorthat might indicate
disengagement.
For example, a teen who used tobe diligent about their
homework might startprocrastinating or forgetting to
complete assignments.
They might also become moredistracted and less focused
during study time.
Let me share a story from myown experience so I can tell you

(03:44):
what I mean.
I once had a student named Alexand I'm changing the name for
privacy reasons who seemedcompletely disengaged during
class discussions.
He rarely participated andoften seemed bored.
But after speaking with him Idiscovered that the material we
were covering was too easy forhim.
Alex was capable of much moreadvanced work and he needed more

(04:06):
challenging content to stayengaged.
Once I started providing himwith the more complex
assignments and opportunitiesfor deeper analysis, his
attitude completely changed.
He became more involved inclass discussions and his
overall performance improveddramatically.
This experience reinforced theimportance of ensuring that

(04:27):
students are adequatelychallenged.
My dear parents, recognisingthese signs is the first step in
addressing the issue.
Once you're aware that yourteam might not be sufficiently
challenged, you can take stepsto help them stay engaged and
motivated in their English class.
This leads us to our nextsegment, where we'll discuss why

(04:47):
being challenged academicallyis so crucial for your teen's
development.
Let's delve into why it's socrucial for teens to be
challenged academically.
When students faceappropriately challenging
material, it does more than justkeep them busy.
It actually stimulates theirminds, it enhances their
critical thinking skills and itbuilds their confidence.

(05:07):
I'll explain more what I mean.
I'll break down these benefitsfor you.
When the material ischallenging.
It captures students' interestsand keeps them engaged.
This is crucial because anengaged student is more likely
to participate actively in class.
Complete their assignments withenthusiasm isn't that wonderful
, that's like the golden wordfor teaching and retain the

(05:29):
information that they learn.
Challenging tasks push studentsto think more deeply and more
creatively.
They must apply their knowledge, analyze different aspects of a
problem and come up withinnovative solutions, and this
type of cognitive engagement isreally essential for
intellectual growth anddevelopment, no matter what
career field they want toprogress into after they leave

(05:51):
school.
In English class, challengingmaterial often requires students
to analyze texts critically andsynthesize information from
various sources right, and thishelps them develop the ability
to assess arguments, identifyunderlying themes and draw
connections between differentideas.
Once again, these are broaderskill sets, cognitive skill sets

(06:13):
that they can apply to othercareers and other walks of life
once they leave school.
These foundational thinkingskills that we teach in English
class aren't just relevant toreading a book and writing an
essay about a book or watching afilm.
It's actually teaching studentsto be able to make really good
decisions later in life.

(06:33):
Challenging assignments oftenpresent complex problems that
students must solve, whetherit's interpreting a difficult
poem or constructing awell-reasoned argument In an
essay.
These tasks develop theirproblem-solving skills and teach
them to approach issuesmethodically, and I think that,
once again, another great lifeskill being methodical, working

(06:55):
through a problem in a logical,calm, level-headed way and
reaching the outcome byfollowing a process.
When students overcomechallenging tasks, they
experience a sense ofachievement.
I mean that's great.
This boosts their confidenceand their abilities and
encourages them to take on moredifficult tasks in the future.
They learn that they arecapable of handling complex and

(07:18):
demanding work.
Facing academic challengeshelps students to develop
resilience.
For example, they learn thatfailure is a part of the
learning process and thatpersistence leads to success.
We can't wrap our children incotton wool until they're
grown-ups, so resilience is areally important skill that they
need to develop.
This resilience is crucial notonly in academics, but also in

(07:42):
life, as it prepares them tohandle setbacks and perseverance
in the face of difficulties.
Challenging English assignments,such as essay writing and
research papers, help studentsrefine their writing skills as
well.
They learn to articulate theirthoughts clearly, which is
essential for effectivecommunication in any field.
Human beings are such a socialset.

(08:03):
We need to have those abilitiesto communicate in very clear
and transparent ways with eachother.
And you know writing andexpression that we teach in
English are two of the mostclear ways that we can teach
communication in a societalsense.
Engaging with challengingmaterial often involves class
discussions and debates.

(08:24):
These activities developstudents' speaking and listening
skills, which are so important,teaching them to express their
ideas confidently and considerdifferent perspectives as
confidently and considerdifferent perspectives.
The ability to have a growthmindset, to always learn
something new from somebody elsethat's sitting across the table
from you, and to be able totalk and discuss ideas back and

(08:47):
forth in a civilised way is alsosuch an important life skill.
And if your child is thinkingabout college when they leave
school, well, college coursesare typically more demanding
than high school classes.
Right, by being challenged inhigh school, students develop
the skills and the work habitsthey need to succeed in higher
education.
They learn how to manage theirtime, handle complex assignments

(09:08):
and engage in independentlearning.
So it's all well and good.
Teenagers saying, well, I don'thave to work hard until I get
to college.
Well, actually, by working hardand being challenged at high
school, it prepares them betterto succeed in college the skills
that we develop throughchallenging academic work in
English class.

(09:29):
The critical thinking, theproblem solving, the effective
communication, the resilienceare highly valued in the
professional world.
And take it from me I have beenan employer for 10 years.
I have been an entrepreneur for10 years.
I have run various businesses,and employers look for
individuals who can thinkcritically, communicate
effectively and adapt to newchallenges.

(09:51):
That was the number one thingthat I was looking for when I
was interviewing candidates fordifferent positions over the
years is not so much how much oftheir CV relates to the job
description, but thosetransferable skills that they
could bring, the idea that theycould communicate effectively
and fit in with the other teammembers.
They can adapt to newchallenges because work can be

(10:12):
stressful and they can thinkcritically.
They can use their initiativeto problem solve.
They are so important.
They are such important skillsto have.
So challenging your teenacademically is not just about
keeping them busy.
It's about stimulating theirminds, enhancing their critical
thinking skills and buildingtheir confidence.
It prepares them for therigours of college and the

(10:33):
professional world and it helpsthem develop strong
communication skills, which areessential for success in all
areas of life.
Next, I'll introduce you to myupcoming free webinar Beyond
Boredom, ensuring your teen isactually being challenged in
English class, where I'll shareeven more strategies to keep
your teen engaged and thrivingin their studies.

(10:55):
But first let's discuss how youcan effectively communicate
with teachers to ensure yourteen is getting the challenge
they need.
One of the key strategies we'lltouch on in the webinar is
effective communication withteachers.
As a parent, it's vital to haveopen lines of communication
with your teen's educators.
You can start by askingquestions like what additional

(11:18):
challenges or enrichmentactivities can my child engage
in, or how can we support mychild's learning at home?
These conversations can ensurethat your teen receives the
appropriate level of challengeand support in their English
class, and I'm going to revealto you a whole lot of other
questions.
That is not commonly discussedamongst parents and educators,

(11:39):
but they're really key togetting right to the heart of
what your child is achieving inclass, how you can support them
at home, and if they're beingchallenged or yes or no.
Another important aspect iscreating a stimulating home
environment that complementswhat your teen is learning in
school.
Encourage advanced reading byproviding a variety of

(11:59):
challenging books, set upcreative writing projects that
spark their imagination andengage in discussion-based
activities that promote criticalthinking.
These at-home enrichmentactivities can keep your teen
motivated and excited aboutlearning.
Keep your teen motivated andexcited about learning.
It's that constant, regularrepetition of critical thinking

(12:31):
skills that we can expose ourteenagers to, on very gentle low
, several key areas such asfostering critical thinking
skills and recognising earlysigns of academic struggle, so
important.
We'll also explore practicaltechniques for ensuring your
team is being challenged andsupported in their educational
journey.
Trust me, you won't want tomiss this.
So how can you join thisvaluable session?

(12:53):
It's simple To register for theBeyond Bordering webinar
happening on July 17th and 18thjust click the link in the show
notes.
Spots are limited and I am onlydoing this for two days, so
make sure to sign up as soon aspossible to secure your place in
one of the webinars.
To wrap up today's episode, Iwant to emphasize the importance
of ensuring your teen is beingchallenged in school,

(13:16):
particularly in English class.
As an English teacher myself,english is my total passion and
I can't understand why anybodywould not enjoy English class,
but I do get it.
I have worked with teens for somany years, especially boys'
education, so I think that if wecan gently nurture and foster a
love for critical thinking andproblem solving at home and we

(13:41):
can begin to look for some ofthose early signs that maybe our
teenagers are falling throughthe cracks in class or they're
flying under the radar.
They're just cruising at themoment they're not being
challenged or they're notreaching their full potential,
then this upcoming webinar onJuly 17th and 18th is going to
be perfect for you.

(14:02):
You are going to come away withso many strategies and so many
questions that you can ask yourteenager's teacher just to make
sure that they're on track andthey aren't flying under the
radar.
I've also got a free workbookand you get access to the
private Parents' Lounge when youregister for the Beyond Boredom
webinar and in the Parents'Lounge it's a really nice place

(14:23):
to come and chill.
I've got some music over therethat you can put the playlist on
.
Pour yourself a drink, have aread of some of the articles,
some of the resources and someof the extra free content that
I've got loaded up on there.
You will love it.
So by taking proactive stepsand utilizing the strategies we
discussed in this podcast, youcan help your team stay engaged

(14:43):
and excel academically.
Thank you for tuning ineverybody and don't forget to
register for the webinar.
The link is in the show notes.
It's an opportunity you won'twant to miss.
I can't wait to see you there.
Have an amazing week everybody.
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