For back-to-school season, we went straight to the sources for advice on making this your child’s best year yet: their teachers.
Ace the first day
“Having personal goals for a course makes a great first impression. The more people who know your goals, the more likely you are to reach them.” Brittany Beck, high school science teacher
“Students that come to school early and have their materials prepared get noticed.” JoJo Farrell, elementary school teacher
“Students who want to make a good impression should ask questions, demonstrate an eagerness to learn and be thoroughly prepared for class.” Justin Kiczek, high school English teacher
Prepping for tests
“The best way to get prepared is simply to read. Fourth- and fifth-grade students are typically assigned independent reading for 30 to 60 minutes per night. The students that do this pass with flying colors.” Farrell
“The best way for a student to prepare for tests is to be an active note-taker. … A student needs to listen intently to the classroom discussion. If certain words, ideas or names are repeated, this can be a good cue that the instructor values this information.” Kiczek
What makes a student stand out
“What set apart my favorite students was their intense curiosity. They stayed late asking questions. They read materials that were not assigned. They looked for connections between my class and other disciplines. Learning for them was not just about filling in bubbles on a test; I could sense the pleasure they got from encountering [new] ideas and emotions.” Kiczek
