High school can be a major challenge, the student must juggle multiple classes and in some cases sports, music, and other extracurricular activities.
When students add in all the challenges of growing up, dealing with peer pressure, and managing relationships, academics can easily get set aside. However, getting good grades is an important factor in later success. Students who get good grades are acquiring knowledge and they are also learning skills of discipline that will be applicable in a variety of settings.
For some students, school comes “easy” but others have to work hard in order to make the grade. Still, even gifted students should be aware of their habits so that they do not take their ability for granted. Life will not always be this easy.
Here are a few thoughts on how students can improve their grades in high school.
Take notes
If students want to maximize their grades and their learning, they will take notes. It may not be socially acceptable in some settings to actually take notes in class, but sometimes people have to throw off social pressures and simply do what is required.
Note-taking is about summarizing what is being presented so that it can be retained later.
When a student gets home from school, they should read through their notes and make sure that they understand what they wrote so that the material is reinforced.
Ask questions
Students have been in this situation countless times.
The teacher finishes presenting and asks the class if there are any questions. Some groups of students obviously have questions, but they don’t want to appear to be the only person who doesn’t understand. This causes them to keep their hands down, and the moment passes.
If people want to make good grades, they will ask questions. It doesn’t matter if they are the only one. If a student doesn’t get it, they need to raise their hand so that they can figure it out. If they wait until a testing situation, it may be too late
Avoid distraction
When students do their homework, they should create an environment that is free from distraction.
Many times students will want to turn on some music or the television so that there is some “background noise.” Or, students will do homework while talking on the phone or surfing the Internet. The problem with this strategy is that the human brain has trouble multi-tasking in this sort of environment.
If a student has something else going on, they will take longer to do their work, they will retain less, and they will make more mistakes. It may be painful to work in silence, but a student should get used to quiet concentration.
Homework first
Finally, improving grades may be dependent on the timing of schoolwork.
When students get home, they may be tempted to “relax” for a time before they get to their work. Unfortunately, relaxation time can stretch until after dinner or after spending some time with friends.
Suddenly it is late at night, and the student has not started writing that paper or studying for a test. This is not an effective way to get good grades.
If students want to improve, they will start their homework early before fatigue sets in.
Getting good grades may be inconvenient at times, but if people are serious about improving scholastically, they will be determined and make appropriate changes to their entire lifestyle.