Tips for Students And Parents
Tips for Students: Eight Simple Ways to Get Good Grades
• Believe in Yourself In order for you to succeed in school, you have to
believe in yourself and your abilities, and your ability to succeed.
• Be Organized You will have what you need, when you need it. You should: use
your planner to record assignments; use a three-ring notebook for class notes; have phone
numbers for classmates; keep your backpack clean; get organized before you go to bed.
• Manage Your Time Well You will have the time to do the things you have to
do, but still have time for the things you want to do. Your should: use class time to
start on homework, ask questions or get help; create your own study plan based on your
schedule; prepare for things that could interrupt or ruin your plan and figure out how to
eliminate or avoid it.
• Be Successful in the Classroom You should; learn how to adapt to different
teachers; be in school, on time, everyday; be prepared for class; sit in front of the
class if possible; be aware of your body language and nonverbal behavior; always do your
homework; participate in class; seek help when you need it; treat others with courtesy and
respect; involve your parents.
• Take Good Notes Tests usually cover material presented and discussed in
class; therefore, have good notes from which to study. You should: 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 notes from someone if you are
absent.
• Know How to Read a Textbook If you know how to read a textbook, you will
comprehend and remember what you read. You should: quickly scan the material you're going
to read; focus on the question(s) you're trying to answer as you read the material; Go
back and review the reading by scanning the material one more time.
• Study Smart you should: find a good place to study that is comfortable and
quiet; don't put it off, just get started; organize your time - make a plan, prioritize,
break it into smaller parts, work on the memorization first, allow more time than you'll
need, take breaks; use tricks to memorize - flashcards, write it down, rhymes, acronyms.
• Get Help When You Need It. When you have a problem, do something about it.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit".
Aristotle
Success in High School: Tips for Parents
Students need their parent to be interested and involved in their academic progress. Your
high school student must, however, also be responsible for his/her own grades, attendance,
and behavior.
• Be Interested Make certain that you child knows that his/her
academic progress is important to you. Attend all open houses, parent conferences, and
special events in which you child is involved. Know when each grading period ends and make
sure you see all progress reports (every student at Dulaney receives an interim report in
October, December, February/March, and May) and report cards as soon as they come out. Do
not assume that someone will call you if there's a problem. Your child knows when
he/she is not performing well. If you do not see a progress report or report card twice
each marking period, call us immediately.
• Discuss classes and set goals Sit down with your son or daughter at the
beginning of each grading period and help him/her set realistic academic goals for that
term. Your child will better understand what your academic expectations are, and having
goals will give him/her something to work for. Throughout the term, recognize effort and
improvement. Acknowledge each academic success, even if it's only a good grade on a quiz
or homework assignment. Once realistic goals are set, make sure your child sticks to them.
Consider rewards and consequences for performance.
• Offer to help Offer to help when your assistance is needed, but don't give
more help than is wanted. Keep in mind that it is your child's responsibility to be
organized, to complete homework and projects, and to prepare for tests. It is also your
child's responsibility to seek help from a teacher or counselor when he/she needs academic
help. Teachers will meet with students before or after school. It's natural for students
to sometimes struggle with new ideas and concepts. They must learn to accept
responsibility for solving their own problems. It is sometimes a painful experience, but
the lesson is usually long-lasting.
• Listen Talk to your child about what's happening in school and be a good
listener.
• Encourage Involvement Students who are involved in school-related activities
enjoy school more, and they generally have greater academic success. Encourage your child
to be involved in one or more activities at school. This helps them organize their time
efficiently making them a better student.
• Monitor activities and jobs Make sure that your child is not spending too
much time watching TV, playing computer games, "surfing the net," or talking on
the phone. Also, make sure that he/she is not working too may hours or working too late at
a job.
• Work with the school Know that teachers, counselors, and administrators are
here to help your child get the best education possible. A health problem, a death in the
family, or a divorce can affect your child's attitude and/or performance in school. If
such a circumstance should arise, call us immediately to tell us what's going on. If you
have a question or concern that relates to a specific teacher or class, call the teacher.
For other questions and concerns, call your child's counselor
(410.887.7635).
Cautions
• There's a fine line between showing interest in your child's grades and nagging
them about their grades. If a child feels nagged, he/she may tune you out.
• Establish expectations that are realistic. If your child can't meet them, he/she
may decide not to even try.
• If you allow your child to miss school unless he/she is really ill, you have sent a
message that school isn't important.
• If you criticize a teacher in front of your child, your child will only lose
respect for that teacher.
• Express your concerns directly to the teacher and seek to find a common resolution.
