First Quarter Nearing the End- Time to Think Ahead

- Private group -
Wed, 10/16/2019 - 3:30pm

Now that first quarter is underway for middle and high school students, it is time for parents and students to sit down and have “the talk” about how school is going so far. Together, they can discover what is going well for the student, as well as what could be improved.

Besides looking at grades, which may be indicators of stronger or weaker areas, parents should keep in mind what goes into a “grade”. Teachers often have different categories worth different percentages that combine to make a number, which translates into grades. Often teachers have categories that include homework, in-class work, participation, quizzes, tests, essays, and more. Usually tests and essays count a great deal more than the day to day homework assignments. What this means for parents is that besides looking at the overall grade, they can be thinking about how their student is doing in these different categories. If a parent (or the student) thinks his or her student isn’t doing as well as he or she should be, looking at where the problem lies (which categories the student is lower in) is a great start toward fixing it. How the student feels about the class and what he or she is learning is important, too. If a student is not confident in the class, the work involved, or the content of the class, this could also impact the overall grade the student receives.  

Now is a good time for parents and students to connect with teachers and/or guidance counselors to discuss any areas of concern. With three more quarters to go, this is the time to try and help the students look at what they are doing well and ways they can improve.  

Parents should keep in mind that teachers are often available, and willing, to help their students outside of the classroom. Contact with the teachers is very important because even though teachers have a student in class, sometimes they may not be aware of any issues a student may be having. Besides working with the teacher, there are tutors and tutoring agencies, like The Study Hall, who are there to help students succeed.  

Hopefully “the talk” that will be happening over these next few weeks will all be good ones, but if there are parents and students out there who would like to improve, take the time now to make a change. If any parents or students would like help with this area and would like to look into tutoring as an option to help students with their grades, please feel free to call The Study Hall at one of our three office locations: Scarborough, Rockport, or Augusta. We have dedicated and highly qualified tutors who would like to make a difference in your child’s educational experience.