Struggles are part of life. Social backgrounds, upbringing environments, and developmental flexibility or challenges can further increase students’ struggles. Whatever the case, the results are most visible during the academic journey.

Yet, some thrive regardless of the circumstances, while others face several challenges. Thus schools and teachers should think of suitable methods to minimize struggles for students. 

As such, fine-tuning the curriculum, changing teaching methods, and modifying the institute environment can be helpful. Similarly, academic institutes should also broaden their scope and coordinate with relevant stakeholders regarding student facilitation.

If the journey for students is made more accessible and more manageable, they will produce better academic results and grow in their respective fields. Conventional teaching methods won’t impact a student’s life until it resonates with their mentality and ability to grasp. 

The following sections discuss ways to guide students and minimize their academic struggles.

1. Provide them counseling opportunities

Generally, struggles in studies and academic life aren’t new for students. Struggles are inherent to one’s learning endeavor, and one would fail in life without them teaching valuable lessons.

However, several students expect that their efforts should result in perfect outcomes. Otherwise, they go through self-remorse and lack of confidence. Societal and peer pressure further complicates their academic struggles.

Thus institutions, teachers, and parents should counsel students about the learning process itself. They should also release students from an imaginary and societal burden.  In such cases, seeking the assistance of a professional counselor is crucial because not everyone can assist students. Only qualified counselors can see through students’ struggles and guide them

properly. Otherwise, mere verbal efforts will have no impact on making students’ life less miserable.

Programs like masters in counseling online prepare aspiring counselors to acquire capabilities for understanding students’ situations through behavioral and psychological perspectives, and not just academic performance and struggles.

Based on thorough analysis and discussion sessions with struggling students, they can suggest suitable solutions and coping mechanisms.

2. Identify their interests and facilitate them accordingly

Undeniably, academic tenure is a tactical period in students’ lives. Even if it is a specific part, it decides the entire course of their lives. It pushes them to ponder, choose, abandon, and accept several times. Since the academic journey runs according to a set framework, students also encounter a clash based on preferences.

A framework that refuses to understand a student’s interest and allows flexibility is a significant reason students struggle in subjects that do not match their preferences. For instance, some students cannot comprehend statistical concepts but can understand wordiness and storytelling.

As a result, some students are into subjects like history and geographical affairs, while others like science and mathematics. The mismatch leads to a lack of interest and eventually creates challenges in academic activities by affecting performance outcomes. 

Even if some fundamental subjects are mandatory, institutes can assist students with optional ones. If they choose and study preferred optional subjects, they can adjust with remaining without losing interest.

In the end, passion keeps students motivated in their studies. Thus parents, academia, and teachers should allow them the flexibility to choose. 

3. Expose them to critical thinking scenarios

Encouraging students with brainstorming activities before answering them is one of the impactful approaches. It means critical thinking and analysis are essential to refine their understanding. If students do not invoke their creativity, they cannot think through their problems.

It is because teachers cannot accompany students wherever they go. There will be situations when students have to resolve issues independently.

At times like that, their prior training will help them succeed. Thus teachers should think of various ways to engage them in critical thinking practices. They should put students through self-exploratory learning.

Students can untangle their problems and explore solutions through critical thinking exercises. Teachers should focus on developing their capabilities as independent learners rather than merely helping them get answers.

It is an excellent idea to expose students to challenging tasks or engage them in group discussions to train their minds. The exercise can develop students’ understanding regarding how to approach issues. It will also enable students to identify several potential causes of a problem. 

4. Familiarize them with digital platforms

Nowadays, the digital world offers several platforms to assist students in their academic struggles. There would hardly be anything that does not have information on the web. For sure, it is an effective alternative to physical learning. A variety of platforms offer paid services, while others allow free assistance. 

Regardless, students can improve their understanding via documented or interactive lectures from world-class faculty on dedicated forums or online group sessions. Thus, whenever students find something troubling, they can post their queries via comments and get answers instantly without visiting the university. On the other hand, access to a breadth of resources also presents some challenges. One of the most prevalent issues is when students waste time seeking assistance from several sources at a time, so teachers should assist them in how to utilize such a vast pool of information efficiently.

5. Focus on hands-on practices

Making mistakes and struggling through challenges is not too bad until it aids students’ learning. Even if they make mistakes, encourage them to complete the process. Until they overcome their fear, they cannot succeed in overcoming struggles. 

In that capacity, hands-on practice activities can improve students’ understanding of a subject or problem. Teachers should navigate students how to resolve complications right away via experiments. They should focus on the process of getting through a problem while supervising hands-on activities. As such, if students struggle with writing, conduct class-based writing practices. While doing so, think of innovative ways to

make such activities engaging and encouraging, without criticizing them.

After clear guidelines, assist them to perform activities independently. Once they go through the practice, appreciate them with positive feedback. Eventually, the exercise will also help them resolve challenges even outside the classroom. 

6. Develop effective strategies to assist students

Upgrades in curriculum and real-life changes also invalidate previous approaches to studies and teaching. As a result, students encounter situations and challenges that are different from previous generations.

For some, struggles emerge due to confusion about a particular academic path. They also find challenges to fit in or identify the relevancy of their study. As a result, students cannot get through a challenge because they don’t know what lies ahead. Their ambiguity can increase their apprehension and complicate a problem even more.

Thus teachers and institutes should also modify their conduct, keeping in view emerging struggles. Their outlook and techniques to perceive and resolve problems should also change. They should explore plenty of virtual and digital resources to attain proficiency in teaching and assisting.

It could be as simple as walking students through what awaits ahead of the academic struggle. If students can see the prospects of succeeding, their efforts will motivate them. In addition, teachers should provide tips regarding avoiding distractions and maintaining focus.

Conclusion

No doubt, struggles are usual in students’ academic journeys. Thus relevant authorities, including teachers and parents, should pay attention to students’ journey. They should inquire about their issues and give constructive feedback on their performance because sometimes, struggles are not primarily related to classrooms. Thus looking for factors outside the academic boundaries is equally crucial.