Alex's Strategies to be Successful

Here are some strategies that might help you be successful in high school. They probably won't all work for you; what's important is that you find some strategies and develop some habits that DO work for you.

  • Reflect on your own: what is getting in the way of your success? Could you be making more of an effort? Are you trying hard but still not getting it? Think about this from your perspective - what can you be doing differently?
  • Check infinite campus. What are your current grades?
  • Talk to your teacher! We're here to help and hopefully you feel that we're approachable. We're on your team and we want you to be successful. Here is a prompt that might work when you talk to your teacher: "what advice do you have for me about how I can be more successful in class?"
  • Do your homework. Nightly homework in math class counts for just a small part of your grade, but it more importantly prepares you for the exam.
  • Use a planner. Are you keeping track of due dates and deadlines? Most students I know have a calendar or planner (usually on their phone); but very few actually USE it. So use it! A paper planner, phone calendar, or reminder app all work.
  • Fill out a progress report sheet. Take it to your teachers - I have some of my students do this every Friday so they know what to work on over the weekend. Parents: consider consequences over the weekend if your student doesn't have it completed on Friday afternoon.
  • Attend lunch support. Tuesdays 12:10-1:00. Room 202. Drop in for as much or as little as you like. Sometimes this is mandatory.
  • Retake or revise incomplete or partially proficient work - ask your teacher about what the priorities should be here that would most improve your grade.
  • Create a study group - find some other students that want to meet outside of school and study. Go to a coffee shop, park, friend's house, library on a regular basis. Make it fun and social, but get some work done, too.
  • Explain your homework or notes to a parent, uncle, sibling, chiropractor, advisor, cousin, boss, aunt, friend, barista, neighbor, running partner, grandparent. Often math gets a lot easier when we have someone to talk to about it.
  • Develop a growth mindset. This will change your approach to doing difficult things.
  • Look at some non-traditional resources. These might help inspire you about the mathematics that you're studying.
  • Access some traditional resources. Sometimes we just need to hear someone else explain the topic in a slightly different way and it all makes sense.
  • Sign up for summer school or credit recovery to catch up or maybe get ahead in credits.