Dear Dish-It Discusses School-Related Problems

School isn’t easy for everyone, and while some of you have already returned to school, many of you are dreading September. School can present all kinds of problems that challenge your ability to concentrate, excel or fit in. Being forced to see the same people day in and day out can present issues, especially if you find that you don’t get along with some of them.

We take these school-related stresses seriously and today on Dear Dish-It’s “Let’s Talk About It Tuesday”, we will be answering school associated questions from kids and teens. Everyone suffers from different problems and they are all important. Try not to minimize someone’s issues, if it’s bothering them then it is worthy of helping. School itself presents all kinds of problems, but when added to the layer of social dynamic at school, we run into even greater problems. You need to be feeling okay in order to concentrate and when we face problems it makes it difficult to do this. 

Let’s Take a Look at This Week’s Questions:

Question by secret

I find it very hard to speak with people which is causing a lot of problems in school in particular. some times the teacher asks a question (which I know the answer to) and she says whom every answers is correct gets bonus marks. but I never answer any question because I'm veryyy shy. Or when she asks questions in turns and it's my turn I shiver from shyness and my voice crakes.

Insight/advice:

I'm sorry you have to go through this it must be very challenging. It’s okay to be shy, but you have to work on coming out of your shell. You need to face your fears. Being shy is something you can grow out of, and the more comfortable you feel, the more likely you are to speak up. The next time the teacher calls upon you, answer the question. Take it one step at a times and try to build your confidence. Challenge yourself to do things that you don’t want to like speaking up in class or asking a classmate to borrow something. You will start to get over your fear the moment you start practicing using your voice. You might come to learn that you really like it and that other people respond positively to it. Try to be confident in who you are, don’t be afraid of rejection and let people know what you think. Work on this slowly over time, search for the courage within, it is there, it just might take some time to find it.

Question by ponyhorse138

Just not say very bad words.

Insight/advice:

This is something you will have to be mindful of. Be mindful of your speech. Be careful of what you say and who you say it to. Don’t hang around people who influence you to use bad words and don’t subject yourself to bad words. If you do use a bad word by accident, apologize. There is no need to express yourself with profanity. It is not polite and it gets you in the mode of having a bad habit. Once you are swearing at school, it is bound to come out and home, and I doubt your parents would want to hear this. Practice makes perfect, so work on your communication and be mindful when you speak so you can stop yourself from using bad words before you do.Words are important and we should always pick them carefully.

Question by missy friend

Dear Dish-It, how to focus in class?

Insight/advice:

This is a great question and really depends on what kind of person you are. I know a guy who had trouble paying attention in class so he took notes throughout the whole class. He wrote down everything. Everything valuable the teacher said, he wrote down. Teachers often test you on the material that they teach you, so these notes were very useful for his exams. The student performed very well, why? Because he was paying attention. Being mindful in class is also great, getting yourself to refocus on being in class and trying to listen to what the teacher is saying. Participation is also a great way to stay alive, listen to what is being spoken about and take a stance on it. Raise your hand, make a comment or ask a question. Trying to listen and retain information are the two most important things so do what you need to in order to achieve this. This might require sitting somewhere else, away from your friends or the girls/guys you pass notes with. Put yourself into an area where you can focus more. Try to put your education before socializing. Yes, It’s hard to retain everything, but it’s great to retain something so find a way that helps you retain key points. I guarantee nothing will beat the well-accomplished feeling of doing well in school. 

Question by feeling alone

Dear-Dish-It, during the school year everyone wants a break. but I haven't been off for even a week and I want to go back. I miss my friends and my teachers and all I have been doing is going to stores and staying home for hours on end. I didn't think that it could get worse but I was wrong. I was forced to do laundry that wasn't even mine! I just feel alone and upset. I just want things to go back to the way they were!

Insight/advice:

That’s really great that you love school so much and that it makes you happy. You sound frustrated and bored, and tired of summer. Sadly, I don’t make the rules, and can't determine when you go back to school, but I do know that time flies by, and as summer is nearly over, we can see how things are constantly changing--you will be back in class in no time. Hang in there, make play dates, find fun things to do with your free time. You might think it's the worst now, but once you get busy again you might miss having the liberty to do what you like. Suggest some things you’d like to explore over the summer to your parents. Ask them if you can partake in some things that excite you. Try to make the most of it, and you’ll be back in school before you know it. Meanwhile, soak up the free time and make good use of it. Use your imagination and find creative ways to occupy yourself. 

Question by nananana

Hi Dear Dish-It, I need advice in school like my dad is depending on my grade in Math and English I’m afraid I will do bad. Because I didn't do good in those subject...

Insight/advice:

It must be really hard facing that kind of pressure from your father. Have you tried talking to your dad and letting him know that you need help in those subjects? Honesty is key here. Let him know what you think you can achieve or potentially look into getting a tutor to help boost your mark. Tell your dad your education is important to you and that you want to perform, but find these classes tend to be challenging. Talking to him will be so much better than living in fear and agony. 

Afterthoughts

There are so many elements of school, it’s hard for there not to be problems. While we learned that some people can’t get enough of school, other people suffer challenges. It can be hard when you're shy, or when people are putting you down. It’s not good for anyone to make school a bad place to be for other students. Really trying to think about people’s feelings. Think about community and welcome people in. Be inclusive, not exclusive 

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and if your parents are giving you pressure that you can’t handle then you need to talk to them about it. A school is a place to achieve, but it is also a place to feel safe and comfortable. It is also a place to have fun at.

Fitting in is hard for some people because they are different or shy. Not everyone is comfortable taking a leadership role and people are different so you have to learn how to treat people individually. Regardless, you should always treat people the way that you would like to be treated. 

On a separate housekeeping front, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about female hygiene issues and periods. Please re-read our Do’s and Don’ts listed below as that is subject matter Dear-Dish-It will not be able to address. You need to see your doctor for educated advice.

Interested in getting in touch with Dear Dish-It? Simply email deardish@kidzworld.com with your concern, and we will address you on “Let’s Talk about it Tuesday” if your question is suitable for our topic of conversation. Regardless, keep your eyes peeled as Dear Dish-It it is covering a lot of issues, and you never know when your question or topic of concern will be featured in an article. Please let us know if you would like your handle to be listed as anonymous and list your age in your question if you would like as that can impact advice. To learn the Do's and Don'ts of Dear Dish-It and to find out what kind of questions are appropriate, check out this article!

Have Your Say

Do you like school? What do you think is the hardest part about school?