For instance, if your essay assignment requires you to write in 12-point Times New Roman font, don’t use 13-point Helvetica. If you need to ask your teacher to clarify some directions, visit them during their office hours or wait until after class ends.
Avoid talking to your teachers like you would to your friends. Don’t use slang or colloquial terms, like “yo, wad up dawg?”
If you’re constantly late (or worse, don’t show up to class at all), your teachers will be quite disappointed.
While there are legitimate uses for laptops (such as taking notes), don’t use your laptop or phone during class to chat with friends or browse social media. If your friends are a distraction, move your seat to sit away from them. If the class has assigned seating, ask your teacher if you can move.
Sometimes homework takes longer than you first suspect it will. Do your homework as early as possible to ensure you have enough time to complete it. Don’t make up excuses if you forget to do your homework. Be responsible and tell the truth. You might still get a 0 on the assignment, but your teacher will appreciate your honesty.
You can also provide constructive feedback regarding ways in which your teacher could improve.
Use books, podcasts, videos, or articles to learn more about a given topic. Look for additional sources online and in your local library. You could also ask your teacher directly for additional materials. For instance, you might ask your teacher for other books on a topic you enjoyed.
For instance, if you read that a particular national crisis was solved by the passage of a new tax, you could ask your teacher who developed the tax, or how long it was in effect.
Don’t be afraid to get an answer wrong; your teacher will appreciate your effort just the same.
Joining class discussions counts towards class participation and may help boost your overall grade.
Try to participate at least once during each class or each discussion. Be courteous of other students, however, and give others a chance to talk as well. If your class is large or if your teacher does not invite questions or comments, you might not be able to participate at all on some days.
Encourage your friends to help out, too.
If you can’t think of how to improve your school, ask your classmates for their thoughts. One example might be providing greater access for disabled students.
It will be hard to share these experiences with math and science teachers whose classes don’t require much writing, but they could provide useful material for classes like English, speech, sociology, and history.
After establishing the goals and methods of the program, enlist help from other students who want to act as mentors. Promote the program online and using fliers posted around your school to attract younger students who might be interested. Mentorship programs are very flexible. It’s your program, develop it in a way that will both serve your school and impress your teachers.
To increase participation, ask your teachers if they’ll offer extra credit to students who donate canned goods.
In most cases, you’ll have to develop a campaign, drum up support from your peers, and then face off against rivals to win an election. Leadership positions in school clubs might be less competitive. Talk to the current leadership of clubs you’re interested in for details about how you can contribute.
