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Surefire Ways to Get Better Grades in School!

Here are some tips that are certain to help you or your student at home:
  1. Stay organized.  Believe it or not, a big reason why students drop a letter grade or bring home poor scores is simply because they forget to complete assignments, forget about announced quizzes and tests, or worse yet, complete assignments and forget to turn them in.  Use a daily planner to keep track of assignments and upcoming tests, and before going to bed at night, review the planner for each class to be sure you’re ready for the next day.
  2. Take good notes.  There are several benefits to taking good notes in class.  First of all, taking notes helps you pay attention in class, rather than dozing or allowing your mind to drift.  Second, good notes are incredibly valuable when preparing for exams, because they should summarize the key lessons and make your studying more efficient.
  3. Find a quiet place to study.  Many kids study in loud areas, including in front of the TV.  Those distractions make it incredibly hard to focus, which results in lower retention of the course materials and an inefficient use of time.
  4. Get the low-hanging fruit.  Turning in assignments on time?  Doing easy extra credit assignments?  Double-checking a test before turning it in?  Sounds simple, right?  Many students do worse in school simply because they fail to take advantage of these easy opportunities.  Be sure you don’t miss the easy ways to boost up your grades.
  5. Foster a relationship with your teachers.  Nobody wants to be the kid who gives his teacher an apple every day.  On the other hand, it is easy to show an interest in your classes and display respect for your teachers.  Show up to class on time.  Be attentive during class.  Take an active role as a class contributor.  Ask for help after class if you don’t understand a concept.  Not only will these techniques help you learn better, but they will also help put you in a more positive light with your teachers, which might help at grading time.
  6. Remember the turtle, not the hare.  In school, slow and steady wins the race.  When nearing big exams, it is much better to study a moderate amount each day, rather than cramming everything at the end.  You’ll retain a lot more, and for a longer time.  And you probably won’t be so tired on the day of the big test.
  7. If you must cram, then cram well.  If you did leave things until the last minute, don’t panic.  Figure out how much time you have remaining, and plan how to spend that time wisely on the topics where you’ll most likely be tested.  Make up mnemonics (i.e., memory aides — remember “My Very Educated Mother…” for the planets?) for things needing memorization.  And avoid cramming the next time around!
  8. Treat your body well.  Just like an athlete preparing for a big game, your body needs to be in good shape to perform well academically.  Getting plenty of sleep and exercise will give you the energy to concentrate in class, focus on your studies, and ultimately rock on your quizzes and tests.
  9. Be confident.  You’ve worked hard and prepared well.  You are ready.  Remind yourself of that before entering the exam room.
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