You spend a lot of time in school, so you may as well get the most out of all that time. There are ways you can help yourself do better in school. You can’t choose your teachers or your classmates, but you have total control over yourself.

HEADS UP! HANDS UP!
GOOD SCHOOL BEHAVIOR
ISN’T JUST ABOUT BEING GOOD

If you can, sit near the front of the classroom. If your teacher assigns seats, you might even want to ask for a seat near the front. (Of course, you might want to do this in private so that you won’t be teased about it.) Sitting up front usually helps you to hear and see better, and it’s easier to stay tuned in to what’s going on. Also, your teacher will easily see you and how interested you are.

If you are bored sometimes, maybe because you alread6y know the work, spend the time reviewing your notes from before. At least you’you'll be doing something that is helpful and good for you.

Copy down everything on the board. A single word may be a clue to a test item or be useful to you later.

Speak up! Raise your hand! Get involved. Teachers love to see you showing what you know. Think about it: If you know an answer but you are too quiet, how will the teacher know how smart you are?

Listen Up!

The most important thing you can do in school is to listen. You might think that listening is easy and that you don’t really have to try hard to do it well. But listening is better if you are active and work at it. Listening doesn't mean just hearing what is said, but also hearing, understanding and using the information. How can you be a better listener? Listening starts before you even get to school.

Listening begins at home when you do homework and think about what might be talked about in school the next day. This helps you get ready to listen in school. If you’ve done the homework, you’re more interested in hearing the class talk about it when you are in school. If you’ve read the book, you’ll be more likely to understand what everyone is talking about and you’ll really listen. While others are talking in school, just listen to them. Don’t try to write down everything that’s being said – just the important things.

Show Up!

Of course, if you’re not there, you can’t possibly do any of the right things at school. Showing up every day, unless you are truly sick, is the best way to make the most of yourself at school.

Help Yourself At Home

• Set up a schedule. It’s best to do homework and study at the same time each day.
• Find a good study spot. You need a place where you are comfortable but not so comfy that you fall asleep! Sitting at a desk or table is probably better than sitting on the bed. Your spot should be quiet so that you can concentrate. If you must study with music on, try playing classical music. It helps some people think!
• Focus on one thing at a time. Clean up the other books and projects around you so that you can’t even see them when you are working on something else.
• Do your hardest work first while you mind is sharpest.