Growth Mindset
The most important part of succeeding in school is your mindset. Mindset is the way you think your basic qualities (intelligence, talents, personality). There are two mindsets--Growth & Fixed.
A growth mindset is the one you want to develop in yourself. People with a growth mindset believe their qualities (personality traits, talents, intelligence, etc.) as things that can be developed through consistent hard work. They believe that great accomplishments only happen with years of practice and learning. Failure a part of learning and should not be feared because it is not permament. It does not mean you are dumb or not talented because YOU can change and improve.
A fixed mindset is the opposite of a growth mindset. A fixed mindset believes that abilities, talents, intelligence, personality traits, etc. cannot change. You are the way you are and there is no chaning or improving. Failure is scary because it is final and shows that for whatever reason it wasn't enough.
The goal is to have a growth mindset. Unfortunately, most of us have been conditioned to have a fixed minset. We are scared of failure and feel like we are "bad at math" or "not good at sports" or "can't draw" and there is nothing we can do about it. The good news is that there are things we can do to change our mindset from fixed to growth.
First do the QUESTIONNAIRE to find out which mindset you have and then read how to can work on having more of a growth mindset here.
How to Succeed in School (tips, guidelines, and self-assessments)
There are lots of factors that lead to success or failure in school. This page and its resources are meant to help you develop habits that will hopefully stay with you throughout your entire school career (now, high school, and college). Some of the tips and guidelines will be easy to implement, others will not be so easy. One of the most important things about succeeding in school is exploring and finding out what study & learning methods and skills work for YOU.
Learning Style
Just as it implies, your learning style helps you know how you learn. There are three main types of learning styles. When you figure out how you learn you can individualize your studying so that you remember more easily the information you study. The learning styles are
Click on a learning style to learn more about it.
There are several learning style tests that you can take to learn which style is yours. Take the following test to learn your style and then read some of the suggested study tips. Jot down a few of the ideas that sound like they will work for you.
Participating in Class
Participating in class is essential in every class, especially a foreign language. Click on the title to get some ideas on how to prepare before class and then participate in class to improve your learning experience.
How Parents Can Help
Teenagers often need help to develop good habits that will help them succeed in life. Here are some things that you can do as parents to help your students succeed in school.
There are lots of ways that you as parents can help, but here are some of the big ones:
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Help your student learn to review/study every day
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Studying a little bit everyday helps students prepare better for tests
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Teach your student to use their time efficiently
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If they get stuck on a problem or part of their homework teach them to leave it and then come back when they have cleared their mind
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Trail and Error
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Help your student find the ways that he/she learns best
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Prioritze & Organize
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Teach your student to prioritize their homework assignments; start with what's most important and urgent
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Teach your student to keep their stuff organized so that they are ready for class and so that they have everything they need when they need it
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How to Impress Your Teachers
Do you wonder constantly how to get on your teachers' good side? While teachers generally love their job and have a strong desire to help students learn and succeed in school, it is always helpful when students take a some responsibility for their learning and do their best to make the class the best possible! Click on the title to get a list of things you can do to impress any teacher.