Be One of the Best Students in Your School
Ever wanted to show everyone that you're not a dunce, and that you're a kid who won't let anyone put you down? How about, if you are a good student without trying, you want to be the best student ever known? If you follow this guide from the beginning of the year, then you'll get respect, a good reputation, and excellent grades.
Contents
Steps
Improving Your Classwork
- Be prepared on the first day of school. Most kids aren't. You want to show the teachers that you plan ahead, are prepared, and on task. If you don't understand something when your teachers are explaining, do not hesitate to ask, they like seeing that you're both interested in the subject, and want to learn.
- Do your homework. It can be in between classes, home, library, just do it! If you get stuck don't be afraid to ask for help.
- Keep up with the work. Don't slack off during the week and then cram before the test. Not only does this not work, it makes you tired and therefore less able to concentrate on the test. It is much better to study a little bit every day than cram and stress yourself out before an exam/quiz/test. If you can discipline yourself into studying half an hour a day it will help you more than you can imagine.
- Set up good studying habits now. When you get to college it will be double or even triple the workload of high school and you won't be able to keep up at all.
- Keep your classwork organized. Sort it by date, in a notebook, or folder! Some teachers check classwork.
- Study every night. Even if there's no test the next day. You never know about pop quizzes. If your teacher teaches according to a textbook, in chronological order of the chapters, start reading ahead. This helps you to understand what you will be learning, and how what you are learning now will help you in the near future. Never let an extra credit opportunity pass you by--you probably won't get a 100% on every assignment, and the extra credit will help you raise your grade after that B.
- Catch up on missed classwork. If you are absent in a class, be sure to get the notes from a trustworthy friend, study the lesson, and ask your teacher for any class work you may have missed. This shows that you care for your grades.
- Try to never forget your homework, worksheets, slips, or anything that your teacher expects turned in at home the day it's due. Get some post-it notes and put a reminder on your door, so that you will not forget. If possible, try handing your assignment in before it is due. Don't rush through your classwork; instead, take your time and answer every prompt to the best of your ability. Being an excellent student doesn't just mean getting all A's--it means doing your work the best you possibly can, in an appropriate amount of time, for all your assignments and extra credit opportunities.
- Be a perfectionist. If you want to be one of the best students in your school, you have to make sure that your assignments are as perfect as possible. Make sure that all your assignments are answered in full with accurate information. While a few points missed here or there will not matter too much, consistently missed points can lower your overall grade point average.
- Make friends with your teachers. Your teachers will be more likely to help you if they know that you are a hard worker, and will respect you more if they know that you pay attention and respect them in, and out, of class.
- Be well-rounded. In addition to working towards good grades, get involved in an extracurricular activity, such as sports, music, art, or debate. Participate in class discussions and respectful debates with other students. Good grades don't mean everything on a scholarship or college entrance application; your extracurricular participation, grade point average, volunteer record, and absences will all be taken into consideration.
Doing Extracurricular Activities
- Sign up for clubs and organizations. Being a good student goes beyond simply getting high grades. If you get involved in a club or volunteer organization run by other students and staff, you'll have the opportunity to become successful and more popular after school hours. See if there is a club fair coming up, or check in with your registrar to hear about organizations you can join. If you can't find one that interests you, consider starting a new one on your own.
- Try joining clubs that benefit your community. You may be able to use the hours for community service credit later.
- Encourage your friends to join clubs too.
- Look at the creative classes you might take. Most students are given the opportunity to take extracurricular classes that are outside the normal curriculum. For example, art, foreign language, music, drama, and shop classes are taught at most schools. Take as many of these extracurricular classes as you can, even if it means going over your regular number of class hours. Your teachers will be quite impressed, and you'll make lots of new friends with people you might not normally encounter.
- Try taking classes in things you're not very good at. If you're not an artist, taking a painting class might give you a boost of confidence.
- Play on a sports team (or a few). Sports are a healthy and entertaining way to spend more time at school while growing a positive reputation. Playing on your school sports teams will put you in the center of attention, and give you the opportunity to grow your skills. Normally there are three seasons, each with a different sport you can play (football in the fall, basketball in the winter, soccer in the spring). That means you have the opportunity to play on three separate sports teams in one school year.
- Aren't a fan of playing sports? You should still show for games to cheer on your classmates.
Tips
- Wear something comfortable while you study so you can study longer without fidgeting or getting distracted.
- Use studying strategies like acronyms and little sayings to help you memorize things quickly.
- Study your lessons ahead of time. Look for unfamiliar words because there is a possibility that your teacher will ask the class if somebody knows what is the meaning of that strange word. Then if you do research on that the day before that lesson, you can answer your teacher's question rapidly, making you look that you know a lot. Impress your teachers!
- Don't force yourself to cram while reading. Just make sure you understand what it's talking about.
- Keep the place you study in the way you like and keep your folders and school things organized. If mess distracts you, then keep your desk clean. Play your favorite music softly in the background.
- Impress your teachers and the whole class. To impress teachers, be punctual and regularly complete your homework. To impress your friends, you could help them in every manner you can; for example: sharing your notebooks, pens, pencils and even your lunch.
- Don't be afraid to go to tutorials. A ten minutes of undivided attention from your teacher will help you very much and is worth showing up early to school or staying late.
- Avoid pulling all-nighters. Study well and study early so that you are always well rested and ready for the next day.
- Study hard and be an honest, true, and helping person. You just need a little bit of hard work and concentration and that will get you to your desired result.
- The best way to get good grades is to like the subject you are studying. Try to find something interesting about the subject, and you'll find it easier to learn.
- Asking questions make your teacher happy but don't just do it for attention because it's pointless.
- Be nice to people, work hard, stay concentrated, do not talk when you are studying in class or outside so you can get it done, participate in as much clubs, sports and organizations (make sure you enjoy it) and most importantly, read.
- Have a passion for your subjects. Whatever that means; you need to decipher that.
- While studying,use a technique that works for you. Once you have found one that you are comfortable with, all that is left is not to stress. The best you can do is try your best.
- Be kind to teachers and friends and hold doors open for people as much as possible.
Warnings
- Be humble. Do not brag.
- Do not stress yourself out.
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