Before graduation, help your teen set achievable goals.
High school is a significant period of life, rich with new experiences, unexpected challenges and plenty of opportunities for academic growth and self-discovery. Whether a brand new freshman or a senior with graduation looming, encourage your teen to use her time in high school wisely. By achieving goals while in high school, your teen will have a more successful and focused life after graduation.
Social
Social skills learned in high school can continue to adult life.
High school offers an opportunity to learn important social skills, both professionally and personally. High schools students should learn foster respectful, effective communication with their teachers and other authority figures, which is a helpful skill to take into college and the job market. High school is a place to work on successful communication skills with peers. Knowing approach a potential friend, deal with bullying or navigate a conflict with maturity are achievable goals for high schoolers.
Academic
Academic success if of utmost importance in high school. This means mastering the skills that lead to earning strong grades. Taking effective notes during class requires quickly identifying the most important information and writing it in an organized, readable fashion. Some high schoolers need to rewrite and reorganize notes after class. Another goal is learning concentrate and focus during class and studying time, which will benefit teens as they transition to undergraduate school.
Life Skills
Organization, both physical and mental, is a key high school goal.
High school helps teens during the transition to independent adult life. Learning strong time management skills is a goal that offers lifelong benefits. This means figuring out how many productive hours are available in a day, week or month and dividing up duties and responsibilities in a realistic way, without procrastinating. Motivation is an important goal. High school isn't always enjoyable, and teens should learn focus on long-term payoff instead of immediate gratification. Mastering organizational skills is another goal that will enhance post-high school life.
Extracurricular
In addition to improving college applications and resumes, extracurricular activities expose high schoolers to broader life experiences. Encourage your teen to join a club that matches his specific interests, which offers leadership opportunities, or to become involved in a charitable event, such as volunteering. If possible, traveling abroad lets teens experience a new cultural and gain new perspectives on the world. Making a goal to join an athletic team or becoming involved in theater helps teens learn teamwork skills, boost self-confidence, improve physical fitness and overcome fears of public speaking.
