Grades Grow Tutors

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how to make learning a more enjoyable and successful experience, and it led me to ask one of my former teachers for her advice on the subject. The teacher I spoke to is my high school English teacher (we’ll call her Mrs. E), and she has taught virtually every type of student over the last twenty years. Thus, she’s an expert on different learning styles and strategies, and she’s the perfect person to give advice to the rest of us who are either teachers, tutors, or students. Here are some of the tips she had to offer.

Keep an Open Mind
One of the often-overlooked factors that determine success in school is the student’s own mindset. If you’ve ever sat in a classroom yourself, chances are you’ve heard a student say something along the lines of, “this is so pointless” or, “this is so stupid, why do we have to do this?” It’s no surprise that these same students often find themselves struggling with their work pretty shortly thereafter.
Your attitude will directly affect your grades! If you go into something thinking, “hey, I can learn this!”…you probably are right. However, if you have a negative outlook before the class even begins, you are likely to struggle before long. If you are open-minded as a student, you may find that you enjoy classes and subjects that you never would have expected!

Ask for Help!
One of the biggest pet peeves Mrs. E (and many other teachers) has is when students who are having trouble refuse to ask for help. After all, how can a teacher help a student who won’t admit they need it? It’s not always easy admitting that you could use a little help from someone, but believe me, it makes a world of difference! Students who spend extra time with the teacher (or better yet, utilize a tutor or tutoring service) perform much better than those who “go it alone” and stubbornly refuse to seek assistance. In the end, your grades will justify the extra effort that you and the person or persons helping you have put in! Also, consider tutoring other students. Teaching others what you’ve learned will only reinforce your knowledge…and you’re helping someone else while you do so!

Mrs. E is not alone in her feelings. I’ve yet to meet a teacher who would turn away a student who really wanted to improve their work, but needed extra help to do so. Believe it or not, teachers and tutors want to see you succeed! I know, it’s crazy…but it’s true! Teachers don’t like handing out an F any more than students like receiving one.

Whatever You’re Doing, Have Fun!
This goes along with the first piece of advice. Again, if you’re enjoying yourself and have a positive outlook, you’ll perform better! Mrs. E gave plenty of ways to make even the most mundane of subjects fun to study.

For instance, if you’re studying in a group, turn the study session into a game show! Remembering formulas is a lot more exciting when you make a Jeopardy-style game out of it. This way, you’re getting homework help and having a good time. Even if you’re studying alone, reward yourself for your effort with occasional “study breaks”, or search for ways to make the subject one that is more interesting for you. Word problems can help humanize math formulas and procedures, and subjects like history can be more than just memorization, if you learn some of the stories and events that give history a personality of its own! There’s simply no reason that you can’t have fun while you’re doing work, and when you do so, you’re likely to see your grades skyrocket.

I think that teachers like Mrs. E have a lot to share with us about education and how to make more out of ourselves. Whether you’re an English teacher, a grade school student, a math tutor, or just a lifelong learner, remember that it’s up to you to achieve your full potential!