Tips on Having your child succeed in School

Recognize your child's strengths and weaknesses

• Believe in yourself and in your abilities
• Take responsibility for your future
• Set short and long term goals
• Take challenging courses and earn good grades
• Be aware of the requirements for graduation
• Develop technology skills
• Get involved in your school
• Strive for perfect attendance
• Manage your time
• Get organized, so you have what you need when you need it
• Get to know your teachers, counselors and administrators
• Learn how to outline, take good notes and read a textbook
• Read! This is the best way to improve your word skills on standardized tests

Take notes even if your teachers don't require it.

Think you'll look silly if you're the only one taking notes? You won't look too cool if you don't pass high school. Try to pick out the main ideas, but don't write down everything your teacher says. One effective method is the Cornell Note Taking Method

 

 

Copy any formulas and examples your teacher writes down for the class. Make the important points stand out using colored hi-liters or by underlining. Ask your teacher what will be on the test if you're having trouble knowing what to write down.

Listen and ask questions.

 

Still afraid of looking stupid? Don't worry about it. If you've got a question about something, chances are your classmates do too.

 

 

Give your teacher your full attention and concentrate on what is being said. Relate the topic to what you already know and listen for main ideas. Make eye contact with your teacher and take notes.

 

 

 

Yeah, that's right. Study. Read, review and analyze class material so you know it. This takes time, effort and a quiet place. If you learn how to study now, you'll be way ahead before you even start college.

 

 

You may need to ask more than one person. Have a special area for studying where you won't be distracted.

 

 

Try not to cram. Have a regular study routine to make studying a habit.

 

Study with a friend or group and share information.

 

 

You can read whatever you want: Sports Illustrated, Jet, The New York Times, comic books, Harry Potter, your Cheerios box, online blogs or web articles...whatever! Reading increases your brainpower. Look up words you don't understand in the dictionary. Read assignment questions first to help you identify key points. Take breaks from reading to write down what you learn. Read outside of class to improve your reading skills. Read out loud with your friends, classmates or parents.

 

 

Writing is a way to express yourself: your ideas, opinions and knowledge. And you may do a lot of it in college and on the job. Write a little every day. Try keeping a daily journal to make a habit of writing. Read outside class to increase your vocabulary and understanding of grammar. Break up long writing sessions into shorter periods with regular breaks. Let your writing sit for a while and then come back to it. Read your writing out loud or have someone read it to you. Edit someone else's writing and let that person edit yours.

 

 

Even if you're struggling in math, stay with it. Knowing math gives you options. It opens doors to good jobs in computers, engineering and business. And it helps your mind get organized. Take math problems one step at a time. Do your math homework every day.

 

 

Ask for help and study with friends if you are having problems understanding a concept.

 

Or close to the front. Pretend you want to be there, like you do at a concert or movie. Don't be worried about looking like a geek. Imagine how geeky you'll look when you're 35, watching game shows for a living. The front row doesn't seem so bad now, does it?