Academic Support
tips + suggestions + tools for academic success
TOP 10 TIPS TO GET BETTER GRADES
1. Believe in Yourself: To succeed, we must first believe that we can! It all begins with mindset.
2. Be Organized: If you're organized, you have what you need when you need it.
Agenda Book: Your agenda book should be with you in every class to record every assignment, upcoming tests/quiz, important information, etc. Your agenda book allowed you to stay on top of homework, prepared for tests/quizzes, and provides a visual road-map of what your academic week will look like.
Break down assignments: Large assignments are much easier to do if you break them down into smaller parts. (For example, if you have an English paper that is due at the end of the week, you could give yourself these four assignments: Monday - do research, Tuesday - do outline, Wednesday - Write first draft, Thursday - Finish Paper.) After you break a large assignment down, write the smaller assignments in your planner. This will help make sure that you do your big assignments over a period of time, not at the last minute.
Use folders for schoolwork: Have a different colored pocket folder for each class. In these folders, keep your current assignments, along with returned assignments and tests. When a folder starts to get full, take the returned papers out and put them in a safe place at home.
Have phone numbers for classmates: Make sure that you have a phone number for at least one person in each class. If you're absent or have a question about an assignment, you will then have someone to call.
Keep your locker and backpack neat: Never stick loose or folded papers inside books, your backpack, or your locker. Always put them in the correct folder or notebook. Keeping your locker and backpack neat, clean, and organized makes it much easier to locate materials.
Get organized before you go to bed: Each night, put completed homework in the right folders and get everything organized for the next day. If there is something you need to remember to do in the morning, leave yourself a note (or phone alarm/reminder) so that you don't forget it!
3. Manage Your Time Well: With good time management, you have time for the things you need to do, and you still have time for the things you want to do!
Use your weekly planner to map out all school work and responsibilities, school events, and personal/home responsibilities/events
Create your own study plan: Some students study best at night, others study better earlier in the day. While it is best to have a regular time to study every day, many students have sports, activities, or other responsibilities they have to work around. At the end of each school day, look at how much homework you have, consider the time you have available, and develop a study plan.
4. Be Successful in Class
Be in school every day, on time!
Learn how to adapt to different teachers. Part of your education is to learn how to adapt to different sets of rules, personalities, and teaching styles.
Be prepared for each class. Have everything you need with you when you go to class (books, paper, pencils). Also, have all of your homework done.
Sit in front of the class, if possible.
Always do your homework.
Be a good group member!
Participate in class.
Treat others with respect.
Involve your parents.
Take responsibility for your grades.
5. Take Good Notes
Be an active listener
Take notes to help you pay attention
Recognize important information
Take notes that are easy to read
Go over your notes as soon as possible
Get copies of notes and handouts, if you're absent
6. Know How to Read a Textbook:
Scan the assignement to get an overview
Read with a purpose
Review to check your understanding
7. Study Smart
Find a good place to study
Get started
Know your learning style
Organize your study time
Know howto study for tests
Know how to memorize and remember information
Use tricks when making a presentation or speech
Know how to write a paper
8. Be a Good Test Taker: To do well on any test, you must study hard and be prepared. You can further improve your test performance by using these tips:
Get off to a good start: Have everything you need for the test with you when you go to class. If you have a couple of minutes before the test starts, try to relax.
Develop a plan: Before you begin answering questions, quickly look over the entire test and develop a plan. For example, if a one-hour test has 25 multiple choice questions and 2 essay questions, you could plan to spend 10 minutes on the multiple choice questions, 20 minutes on each essay question, and 10 minutes to check your answers.
Mark the questions you want to return to.
Look for key words in questions.
Check your answers.
Go over all returned tests.
9. Reduce Test Anxiety: A little anxiety before a test improves your concentration and alterness. Too much worry, or test anxiety, can lower your test score.
10. Get Help When You Need It: When you have a problem do something to resolve it! Most questions can be answered and most problems resolved, just by talking to the right person (secretary, principal, teacher, counselor).
MAKE A COMMITMENT TO REACH YOU GOALS:
introducing "THE LEARNING CONTRACT"
Create your own Learning Contract by setting goals and developing the steps needed to achieve those goals! Please feel free to print it out and complete it on your own and/or with your parents, teacher, or guidance counselor!
LEARNING CONTRACT.pdfEXTRA HELP schedule
Students are recommended to attend extra help for any subject in which they need additional support. It is important to get into the routine of attending extra help on a regular basis, and not just before major exams! TIP: What to ask when you go to extra help? When you are doing your homework, and/or preparing for a test/quiz, highlight everything you are having difficulty understanding - maybe it's one particular part of a math problem or a certain science reference - HIGHLIGHT, and bring it with you to extra help and that will be your talking point!