HOW TO BE A STRONGER STUDENT

Some students perform better in class not because they are "smarter" or more knowledgeable, but because they have mastered some skills and behaviors that assist them in being more effective. Listed below are some of these concrete behaviors that help make Bs into As and turn frustration into satisfaction.

What do strong students do differently from average or weak students? Strong Students:

Do not leave assignments until the last minute; They plan out how they will complete homework and break large projects into smaller, easier to accomplish units.

Seek assistance when they are having difficulty.  They go to the WERCS or other resource areas frequently in search of clarification and feedback. When needed, they ask questions in class and make appointments with the teacher.

Go beyond the basic requirements of the assignment. They do not just "get the job done." Strong students will make an assignment their own by going into more depth and/or taking the assignment to a higher or more complex level.

Apply lessons learned in one class to other classes and areas outside of school. For example, students may use their writing skills in many classes outside of English and even in areas such as Youth Groups or jobs.

Read for pleasure on their own - books, magazines, newspapers, journals, etc.

Minimize missing class and when they do miss, seek out the teacher to make up missed work promptly.

Take notes consistently and with later purposes (i.e. tests, papers, projects) in mind.

Participate actively and appropriately in classroom discussions and activities.

Volunteer to deliver speeches or presentations, or performances first.

Are involved in several activities outside of the classroom; sports, clubs, etc.

Read with different strategies for different purposes. Using various techniques (i.e. annotation, outlining, quote collecting) depending on the nature of the book read (i.e. text book, novel, play, article, etc.) and the reason for reading it (pleasure, research, study, etc.).

Do not merely parrot back information from classroom discussion or texts. They are not content with the easy, pat, or quick answers and strive for more original and complex solutions and analysis.

Read handouts, instructions, and other material thoroughly and then follow the directions.

Turn in work on time and stay up to date with reading schedules and long term projects.

Do not make excuses for problems, failures, or mistakes. They take full responsibility for their work.

Review notes, materials and texts in-between tests and anticipate possible tests and quizzes in advance.

React constructively to setbacks, errors and very difficult or frustrating tasks with a variety of techniques such as taking a break, breaking large tasks into smaller units, seeking assistance and clarification, and refocusing the problem.

Make even "boring" subject matter interesting by personalizing or connecting it to other areas.

Are more concerned with skills and content in a class than with the grade earned. 

Look back at old work as a means of improving future assignments. They look carefully at teacher comments on papers and projects.

Use an assignment notebook to organize homework and activities.

Plan ahead for troublesome "crunch" times such as play rehearsals or major games before they arrive.