HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT KEYS TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND A SOLID HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION SCHOOL COUNSELING AND PUPIL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS

GET ORGANIZED! ORGANIZE SUBJECTS INTO FOLDERS/BINDERS THAT ARE CLEARLY MARKED & LABELED ELIMINATE THE MESS! REMOVE UNNECESSARY CLUTTER AND OLD ASSIGNMENTS FROM YOUR NOTEBOOKS ON A REGULAR BASIS “FIND A SYSTEM THAT WORKS AND STICK TO IT!”

USE YOUR AGENDA! WRITE DOWN YOUR HOMEWORK AND ASSIGNMENTS AS SOON AS YOU GET THEM SET INTERMEDIATE GOALS OR “BENCHMARKS” FOR LONG- TERM ASSIGNMENTS & MARK THEM IN YOUR PLANNER CHECK YOUR PLANNER DAILY AND STAY ON TOP OF UPCOMING PROJECTS AND DUE DATES “NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE PLANNER!”

SET “SMART” GOALS FOR YOURSELF! SET GOALS THAT ARE SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ACTIONABLE, REALISTIC, AND TIME-SENSITIVE BREAK DOWN LARGER GOALS INTO SMALLER ONES AND SET REALISTIC TIMELINES FOR THEIR COMPLETION REALIZE YOUR GOALS BY WRITING THEM DOWN & PUTTING THEM IN A VISIBLE PLACE “DAILY REFLECTION ON YOUR GOALS BUILDS DETERMINATION, PASSION, & RESOLVE!”

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! ESTABLISH A REGULAR TIME & PLACE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK (WHERE YOU WON’T GET DISTRACTED) “CHIP AWAY” AT LONG-TERM ASSIGNMENTS OR MAJOR PROJECTS BY DOING A LITTLE BIT EACH NIGHT STUDY WITH CLASSMATES IF POSSIBLE; IF YOU CAN STAY FOCUSED, THIS WILL INCREASE RETENTION OF INFORMATION “WHAT YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU INSIDE OF IT!”

BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR EDUCATION CHECK POWERSCHOOL REGULARLY TO VIEW GRADES, MONITOR ASSIGNMENTS, AND CHECK YOUR ATTENDANCE COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO GET HELP, CLARIFY ASSIGNMENTS, AND BUILD CONNECTIONS COORDINATE MISSING WORK/ASSIGNMENTS WITH TEACHERS & SET DATES TO MAKE THEM UP

BE PROACTIVE! START WORK ON LONG-TERM PROJECTS OR ASSIGNMENTS IMMEDIATELY BY CHIPPING AWAY AT THEM; DON’T WAIT! ORGANIZATION IS KEY TO BECOMING PREPARED FOR UPCOMING DEADLINES SEEK OUT SUPPORTS YOU MAY NEED BEFOREHAND IF YOU KNOW YOU MIGHT STRUGGLE WITH A PROJECT OR PAPER “IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU PLAN TO FAIL!” “What can I do to prepare?”

BE A SELF-ADVOCATE! ASK THE TEACHER FOR HELP IF YOU’RE LOST OR CONFUSED; CHANCES ARE, YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE! TEACHERS CANNOT READ YOUR MIND IF YOU DON’T EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS MANY OPPORTUNITIES MAY EXIST FOR EXTRA CREDIT OR ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IF YOU ASK “ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!”

TIPS TO KEEP ON TRACK IN THE CLASSROOM SIT CLOSE TO THE TEACHER SO YOU CAN PAY ATTENTION (STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE YOU KNOW WILL DISTRACT YOU) KEEP YOURSELF ENGAGED IN THE LESSON BY ASKING QUESTIONS AND/OR TAKING NOTES TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE OR DON’T BRING IT TO CLASS! “AN HOUR OF ATTENTIVENESS IN CLASS IS WORTH THREE HOURS OF STUDYING AT HOME!”

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR SCHOOL! SCHOOL SUCCESS IS MORE THAN JUST GETTING GOOD GRADES JOIN CLUBS OR OTHER EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND FEEL A PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS “GAINING POSITIVE SUPPORT INCREASES YOUR RATE OF SUCCESS!”

KNOW WHERE TO TURN FOR HELP TEACHERS SCHOOL COUNSELORS SOCIAL WORKERS ADMINISTRATORS COACHES ADVISORS FRIENDS TEAMMATES ANY CARING ADULT OR STAFF MEMBER!

QUESTIONS?