Why Your Child Might Be Working Hard but Still Finding Schoolwork Tough
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By Zayna Dar, Founder, Shuhari Tuition
As a parent, it can feel confusing and even worrying when your child is putting in a lot of effort but still seems to struggle with schoolwork. You might wonder why their dedication doesn’t seem to pay off.
The reality is that effort and understanding don’t always increase proportionally, and the reasons your child finds certain topics challenging can be multifaceted. Understanding that learning is a process and observing what’s happening behind the scenes can help you support them in ways that encourage growth and maintain their confidence.
The role of cognitive skills
Sometimes the challenge isn’t how hard your child is working but how the work is asking them to think. Lessons often require children to reason through new ideas, make connections between concepts, and apply knowledge in ways that feel unfamiliar. Even motivated and hardworking students can feel frustrated when their cognitive skills are still developing.
Learning at this level is more than just memorising facts. It asks the brain to stretch itself in ways that feel challenging, and progress can be slow. It’s important to remember that this is a natural part of building deeper understanding. Encouraging your child to reflect on their thinking (check out our blog on metacognition!) and explain their reasoning can strengthen these skills over time and help them feel more in control of their learning.
The importance of mental energy and focus
Even children who are diligent and committed to learning need mental energy to process complex tasks. Concentrating for long periods during lessons or switching between multiple subjects throughout the school day can be tiring. Fatigue and distraction can make work feel harder, and children may struggle to perform at their best even though they’re putting in effort.
The brain needs time to rest and recover, and recognising when your child is mentally drained can make a big difference in how effectively they learn. Making time for short breaks and physical activity in between study sessions can improve focus and help consolidate learning.
Understanding confidence and self-belief
Confidence affects how children approach schoolwork as much as knowledge does. Making mistakes can sometimes shake their belief in their own ability, which can make the next task they have to complete even more daunting. When children feel encouraged and supported, they’re more likely to approach difficult work with persistence and a natural curiosity.
The reassurance from an educator or parent that their effort has been noticed and that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process helps them try again without fear, which creates a healthier attitude towards learning. Celebrating achievements along the way reinforces the idea that growth comes from consistent effort, and noticing progress can help children develop a positive mindset towards challenges that once felt intimidating.
The influence of previous knowledge
Learning builds on what has come before, and gaps in your child’s knowledge can make lessons feel much harder, especially as the work increases in difficulty as they progress through the year. Concepts that appear simple to one child can be confusing to another if the foundations aren’t fully secure. For example, column addition and subtraction rely on a secure understanding of place value. When a child is unsure of what value each digit represents, the steps may feel confusing and the method can be difficult to follow, especially when it comes to regrouping and exchanging.
Revisiting earlier topics and connecting them to new topics makes learning more accessible and linking different parts of the curriculum actually helps students understand why methods work rather than just getting them to memorise steps. Connecting past and current learning helps new concepts feel more familiar, making it easier for children to engage with the work and understand how their learning fits together.
How support can make a difference
Children benefit from support that helps them recognise their own progress, even when it’s slow or the wins are small. When ideas are explained in a way that matches how they think and reassurance is offered when work feels difficult, learning becomes more manageable and less overwhelming.
Over time, this kind of support helps children feel more confident in their ability to engage with new challenges and persevere even when the work feels demanding. Being patient and supporting children as they work through problems helps them build confidence in their abilities and slowly take more ownership of their learning.
Shaping a positive attitude to learning
Working hard doesn’t always mean that schoolwork will feel easy or straightforward. Challenges are a natural part of learning, and effort can take time to translate into measurable results. With consistent support and encouragement, children can begin to see their hard work pay off, which boosts their confidence and helps them see learning in a more positive light.
