Improve Your Grade in Middle School

Middle school is a fun time for young teens. You meet new people, make new friends, gain more independence, and have more options when it comes to choosing what classes to take, and what extracurricular activities to be involved in. Along with this, many teenagers notice their grades dropping significantly in middle school. Classes get harder, and it's tougher to keep up. Follow this guide to improve your grades before the next report card and keep your GPA up.

Steps

  1. Get a notebook. Start by dividing one sheet of paper into three columns. Label one 'Reason', another 'What?', and the last one, "Improvement". Seeing what is distracting you will help you improve your grades in any subject whether it is hard or easy.
  2. Figure out why you have low grades. Are you doing your homework? Are you spending time studying for tests? Do you pay attention in class? Do you put school before social events and sports? Sit down and write down all the reasons why you think your grades have dropped underneath the 'Reason' column. Number them from the biggest problem to the smallest problem. Always work on the hardest problem first, then eliminate the smaller ones.
  3. Why are those reasons happening? For example, instead of "I don't do my homework" you could write, "I don't have a quiet place to do my homework, because my siblings are too loud". Or next to "I don't pay attention in class." you might write, "I have a hard time paying attention because I don't get enough sleep." Write that in the 'Why?' column.
  4. How can I improve? If the reason column said "I don't do my homework", and the Why? column said "I don't have enough time because I play too many sports", in the Improvement column, you might write "I will drop one sport and set aside an hour every evening for studying and homework".
  5. What should I improve on? Pick one item from the 'Reason' column to improve on. This part varies for every person. Start with the biggest problem and work your way down. If your biggest problem is that you can't pay attention in class, and your improvement is getting more sleep, then start doing that.
  6. Once you are positive you have improved, cross that off and move down the list. You'll be amazed how fast you can check everything off and how fast your grades will begin improving.
  7. Stay devoted to getting better grades. Don't be a slacker! Try whatever techniques work for you. Some people may write down that they will study 20 minutes every day for three days before a test. It's up to you to figure out how to study! Many people like flashcards, others like games, and others prefer just to read the material. Try a little of each and give yourself a mini-quiz after to see how well you remembered the material. Whichever works the best you should use everyday.
  8. Keep in mind that middle school is a lot of responsibility, so is improving your grades. This guide doesn't tell you exactly what to do to improve your grades. You need to be a judge of that yourself. You may just need to study harder or you may need to approach a teacher and ask for after-school help. Be responsible and don't expect everything to just happen overnight.
  9. After a few weeks, you should notice an improvement in your grades if you were responsible and made an effort. Don't stop being a good student now! Keep up your habits.
    • Sure, sacrificing a shopping trip or an hour on Facebook may seem horrible now, but, once you get your report card, it will be worth it.
      • Remember to reward yourself after completing a task so you feel more confident and you have something to push yourself when trying to get to your goal.
  10. Know the biggest message: Every student is different! Studying with friends isn't always the best idea because every student learns things a different way. Find out which ways help you learn better, and use it.
  11. If you don't want people to know that you are studying so you don't get seen as a know-it-all or a geek, but still don't want your grades to drop, do your studying in your room when you know you won't be distracted by your friends or anyone else.

Tips

  • Asking for extra credit doesn't hurt either. If your grade is down way low and you need a quick boost, see if the teacher can give you any extra credit assignment.
  • Have your own study area where you can study without being distracted. This study area should also boost your motivation to so decorate it with things that will help you stay organized and not things that will distract you.
  • Try to always work on the assignment some the first day you get it as it will reduce the odds you end up completing it at the last minute. Try to take advantage of school tutorials or times you can have more one on one attention with the teacher.
  • If the problem lies beyond something you can control, such as a learning disability or problems at home, seek help from a teacher or parent.
  • Practice makes a man perfect. Do your homework every night no matter what! If you don't have homework, review what you learned for at least 10 minutes. If you are struggling in a class and the teacher doesn't give homework often, consider asking for some worksheets or questions from the book once in a while to review. Sure, other kids will think you are crazy, but if it helps, it doesn't matter.
  • Talk to your parents and see how they can help. Ask them for little things, like keeping the TV off for an hour while you study and do homework, or keeping you on task by checking once in a while to make sure you aren't texting. Parents have gone through school and they can surely help.
  • Seek a teacher's advice as well! Teachers have taught hundreds of students, and know many different approaches to learning! See if they can meet with you after school to help you figure out the best way for you to learn. Teachers are always happy to help students.
  • Go in for extra help, make sure you take good notes, sit in the front, if the teacher counts homework do it every night, and get help from parents/guardien.
  • Do any extra credit given to you.
  • Don't be embarrassed to ask a question. You can always get hints or even a answer!
  • Set little goals to succeed on the big ones.

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