High School Tips

 

1. Remain Calm and Flexible!

2. Pay attention to what your student is saying and what he/she is doing.

3. Read emails from the school and register for Remind in order to receive the latest updates from the Counseling Office.

4. Keep your email address up-to-date.

5. Counselors are here for students! They may stop by to see their counselors before school, after school, and during lunch.

6. Utilize Parent Portal, the NEISD webpage, and the Reagan Counseling Webpage.

7. Communicate with your student’s teachers regarding tutoring hours, concerns, grades, syllabus, etc.

8. Ask School Staff for clarification of information. If you have questions or concerns regarding a specific class, email the teacher directly.

9. Be On Time to Every Class, Every Day! Tardies can turn into absences. Absences can prevent exam exemptions. Too many absences will result in not earning credit for courses.

10. Help your student set up a routine before they join a club or organization. Students tend to retain the most information from the first hour of studying.

11. Limit and monitor social media and texting access.

12. Help your student set weekly/monthly goal(s). Write them on a visible calendar (on the refrigerator, etc.), and revisit progress of the goal(s) regularly.

1. Make a “To Do” List Every Day. Put things that are most important at the top and do them first. If it’s easier, use a planner to track all of your tasks. And don’t forget to reward yourself for your accomplishments.

2. Use Spare Minutes Wisely. For example, get some reading done on the bus ride home from school or during extra time at lunch.

3. It’s Okay to Say “No.” If your boss asks you to work on a Thursday night and you have a final exam the next morning, realize that it’s okay to say no. Keep your short and long term priorities in mind.

4. Find the Right Time. You’ll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work. For example, if your brain handles math better in the afternoon, don’t wait to do in until late at night.

5. Review Your Notes Every Day. You’ll reinforce what you’ve learned, so you need less time to study. You’ll also be ready if your teacher calls on you or gives a pop quiz.

6. Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Running on empty makes the day seem longer and your tasks seem more difficult.

7. Communicate Your Schedule to Others. If phone calls are proving to be a distraction, tell your friends that you take social calls from 7-8 PM. It may sound silly, but it helps.

8. Become a Taskmaster. Figure out how much free time you have each week. Give yourself a time budget and plan your activities accordingly.

9. Don’t Waste Time Agonizing. Have you ever wasted an entire evening by worrying about something that you’re supposed to be doing? Was it worth it? Instead of agonizing and procrastinating, just do it.

10. Keep Things in Perspective. Setting goals that are unrealistic sets you up for failure. While it’s good to set high goals for yourself, be sure not to overdo it. Set goals that are difficult yet reachable. Personalize your habits so they suit you. If you set priorities that fit your lifestyle, you’ll have a better chance of achieving your goals.

1. Use different memory devices when necessary to help you recall facts (acronyms, rhymes, mnemonic devices, etc.).

2. Take good notes.

3. Become involved during class by asking questions, answer questions, or contributing to discussions – you will retain more.

4. If studying with a group, try the following:

     – ask each other questions

     – review class material

     – compare notes

     – “teach” each other a great way to remember something.

5. If studying alone, try the following:

     – make flashcards to quiz yourself

     – use spare minutes in your day to review material (waiting in line or on someone else, extra time at lunch, etc.)

     – speak out loud instead of just reading

     – you will retain up to 50% more by saying something out loud rather than just reading silently

     – draw a picture or act out a concept to remember

6. Spread out your studying over time – do not cram the night before.

7. When completing your homework, try the following:

     – relax for 30-45 minutes

     – set up a “homework time” with your parents and make sure you do your homework at that same time every day

     – find a good study area that is away from the TV and gives you plenty of light

     – give yourself 15-20 minutes breaks to walk around or eat a healthy snack

     – you can learn more by keeping your brain alert

     – begin with the most difficult questions/tasks first when you are more alert

     – ask for help from a relative or friend if you don’t understand

     – but do not expect that person to do the work for you or give you the answers

     – take your time and double check your work to check for accuracy and completion

     – make sure to turn in your homework

     – even if it isn’t complete, partial credit is better than no credit.

1. Develop a routine and stick with it.

2. Use a binder with dividers (arranged in the order of your classes) to organize your work and notes.

3. When you return from being absent, check with your teachers to get the work you missed. YOU are responsible for getting YOUR make-up work.

4. Keep your things together and in order.

5. Keep a homework folder – one side for completed work and the other side for unfinished work.

6. Use your time wisely. If you have a free moment, use it to get organized, complete work, or study.

7. Prioritize your time. Make a “to do” list and complete the most important things first.

8. Organize study materials in a way that is most helpful to you.

9. Take notes on important things that could appear on a test or quiz. Learn to use abbreviations that make sense to you to help speed up the note-taking process – do not write everything down word for word.

10. Write down all of your assignments for each class in the same place each time.