Five Questions That Can Improve a Student’s GPA

One morning during passing period before my third period German class, a student asked me if it was possible to keep taking German if he was sent to Continuation School. I was surprised since that’s where they send students who are behavior problems or who have terrible grades. I told him I didn’t think so, but also asked him why he wanted to know. He explained he was doing terribly in his other classes, mostly D’s and F’s.

I asked why he was having problems. He said he didn’t know, maybe he was just dumb. I knew this couldn’t be true, since he was doing very well in my class. So I asked him what he was doing right in German that was resulting in his having a B+. He didn’t know. Then I asked him five questions:

1.   Do you come to class every day, unless you’re sick?

2.   Do you pay attention in class?

3.   Do you ask questions if you're confused or don’t understand something?

4.   Do you complete all class and homework assignments?

5.   Do you study for the quizzes and tests?

He answered yes to all of them. I asked him to think about his first period class. Did he do all five of these things there too? His answer was no. We went through all of his class periods; he answered no to several questions for each class in which his grade was terrible. I asked him if he had control over these five actions. Could he do each of them, if he wanted to? He thought a minute and said yes.

I told him this was great news. He had control over his grades. It wasn’t a matter of being smart. It was what he was doing, or not doing that resulted in his good and bad grades. I suggested he do each of the five behaviors in every class starting that day, to see what happened. He agreed.

About three weeks later he came to me with his short term results. All of his other teachers had complimented him on the turnaround in his grade in that class. He was no longer failing any class, and the D’s were turning into C’s. His counselor was no longer considering sending him to Continuation School.

The end of the school year is the perfect time to reflect upon a student’s GPA. Why is it as high or low as it is? Which classes have the lowest grades? Is the student doing all five of the positive behaviors listed above in those classes? The answer is probably no. The good news is that improving grades and a student’s GPA is almost entirely in the hands of the student. 

Most often it isn’t what a child is doing, but what he or she is failing to do which results in a low grade. Rarely is it the difficulty level of the subject. When that happens, finding a tutor is the answer. Otherwise, just follow through focusing on the five questions on this list, and watch grades and GPA improve.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

What Happens When You're Too Stubborn to Fail

One of my favorite quotes is from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. He said, “Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.”

When I was teaching German, I used foreign travel to encourage students to stay with the program long enough gain acceptance to college and earn scholarships. I didn’t teach in a wealthy area. Most families didn’t have the money for the three week trips, but we sold thousands of candy bars and washed hundreds of cars. This helped, but families still needed to pay some of the costs.

Andrea signed up to go. Other students reminded her that her family didn’t have the money to pay. Her response was classic. “I don’t know how I’m going; I just know that I am.” She continued to attend all the meetings, helped sell chocolate and washed cars. She inspired other students with her grit and positive attitude.

One afternoon, the trip kids came to see to me. They had come without Andrea. “Our families have enough money to pay for us; can we use the last fundraiser to help Andrea instead of all of us?” How could I say no? After the last fundraiser, we were still short. I sent a note to each of her teachers, past and present, asking for help. She was an angel, and they all chipped in, hoping she could go.

While teaching class, one of our school counselors entered my classroom and walked up close to speak to me in private. “How much do you need to cover the rest of Andrea’s trip?” I whispered $150. Then he turned and left my room. A few minutes later, he returned, handed me an envelope and left the room without a word. The envelope contained a personal check for the full amount. He wasn’t even her counselor.

As the day to leave approached, I overheard a student ask Andrea how she was going to pay for her meals while abroad. She told him the trip included two meals a day. “I may be hungry, but I won’t starve.” When she arrived in Austria, the staff at the University of Salzburg where students were studying realized she had no spending money, and gave her a scholarship to cover meals and a few souvenirs. She was committed, and providence moved. Learn from Andrea; apply for enough college scholarships that providence will help you too.

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Sleep Routines Create Better Grades, Here's How to Make It Happen

There’s a simple trick to making sure your teenager gets enough sleep to do well in school. Set a designated bedtime. The practice should have been started when your child was much younger. So if you never established a set bedtime for your child, you’re going to have a hard time doing so now. But no one said parenting was easy.

You know what time your child’s school requires him/her to be on campus each morning. You are also aware of how long it takes to get to school, by bus, by car, by bike or walking. The next important period of time is how long it takes your child to get ready for school and eat a nutritious breakfast. Do the math until you know what time your child needs to get up in the morning.

Then look at the chart below. It shows how much sleep the average child requires by age. It’s a range, and your child may be at one end or the other. Don’t let them fool you. They need this sleep to function properly, no matter what they say. Students who go to school sleep deprived are drowsy in class, cannot focus, and don't end up doing as well as they could.

1-2 years = 11-14 hours

3-5 years = 10-13 hours

6-13 years = 9-11 hours

14-17 years = 8-10 hours

Now count backwards from wake up time. That’s bedtime. Not just on school days, however. All studies show the body (and the brain, of course) is healthiest and works best if there’s a set sleep routine which does not vary on weekends or holidays. Besides the health benefits, it’s important to recognize the brain moves information from short term memory to long term memory during sleep. If a child does not receive the necessary amount of sleep, the day’s learning will go into the trash bin and be lost.

But your counting isn’t over. Your teen will protest and say he/she isn’t sleepy. That is, unless you set the stage for sleep. Count back one hour from bedtime. At my house, we called this quiet time. No electronics, (that includes phones), no loud music and no exciting activities were allowed during quiet time. Mostly, we read. Turn off some lights in the house, create twilight inside. This will signal the brain to prepare for sleep.

If your child rebels at your attempt to be a responsible parent, remember you control the money. Many of the activities teenagers enjoy cost money. If your children understand you are just requiring them to do what is going to help them be healthier, do better in school and receive more scholarship money for college, maybe they’ll cooperate without complaint. Good luck with that. It’s far easier to start this when children are in diapers by establishing a bedtime routine in your house. 

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE. It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Simple Steps to Earn an A

Several years ago I decided to leave the country on business. After making this decision, I told my students I wanted to go out with a bang. I wanted them all to earn an A, and told them how to do so. That June, one class had 80% A’s, 15% B’s and 5% C’s. There were no D’s or F’s. Why did this happen in one class and not in the others? These students believed me and did as I suggested. The others didn’t.

Here is what I told them:

1.   Come to class every day well rested and fed.

-If there’s a field trip in another class, and you know you’ll be absent, ask for the work in advance. Do it before you go on the trip. If you had trouble with the work, after you get home from the field trip, call a friend from class and ask for help.

-Figure out what time you need to get up in the morning in order to arrive at school on time. Count back nine hours and go to bed at that time each night.

-Have a healthy breakfast each morning and a nutritious lunch at school, (bring your own food or buy something at school).

-If you’re sick, stay home and get well.

2.   Do every assignment.

-Write down every homework assignment. They’re usually on the board in front of the class. If your homework or class assignments are on the class website, bookmark it on your computer.

-Pay attention and complete every class and homework assignment.

-They don’t have to be perfect, but they need to be complete.

3.   If you’re confused or don’t understand something, ask a question.

-Smart people get ahead by asking questions when they don’t understand something. Raise your hand if there’s something you don’t get.

-Make sure you have the phone number of three students in each class.

-At least one of them should be better than you are in the subject.

-Call one of them if you missed class or need help on an assignment. (People are usually happy to help.)

Students who believed me did these things. Those who did them well received an A. Those who didn’t do them as well received a B, and those who messed up from time to time, but otherwise stuck to the plan, received a C. Everyone knew too much to get a D or F. Try this. What have you got to lose?

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

Photo Credit: Google Images

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

How Things Get Done

How to Get a Teenager to Go to Bed

There’s a simple trick to making sure your teenager gets enough sleep to do well in school. Set a designated bedtime. That time should have been created when your child was much younger. So if you never established a set bedtime for your child, you’re going to have a hard time doing so now. But no one said parenting was easy.

You know what time your child’s school requires him/her to be on campus each morning. You are also aware of how long it takes to get to school, by bus, by car, by bike or walking. The next important period of time is how long it takes your child to get ready for school and have a nutritious breakfast. Count backwards until you know what time your child needs to get up in the morning.

Then look at the chart below. It shows how much sleep the average child requires by age. It’s a range, and your child may be at one end or the other. Don’t let them fool you. They need this much to function properly, no matter what they say. Students who go to school sleep deprived are drowsy in class, cannot focus, and don't end up doing as well as they could.

1-2 years = 11-14 hours

3-5 years = 10-13 hours

6-13 years = 9-11 hours

14-17 years = 8-10 hours

Now count backwards from wake up time. That’s bedtime. Not just on school days, however. All studies show the body (and the brain, of course) is healthiest and works best if there is a set sleep routine which does not vary (like on weekends). Besides the health benefits, it’s important to recognize the brain moves information from short term memory to long term memory during sleep. If a child does not receive the necessary amount of sleep, the day’s learning will go into the trash bin and be lost.

But your counting isn’t over. Your teen will protest and say he/she isn’t sleepy. That is, unless you set the stage for sleep. Count back one hour from bedtime. At my house, we called this quiet time. No electronics, (that includes phones), no loud music and no exciting activities were allowed during quiet time. Mostly, we read. Turn off some lights in the house, create twilight inside. This will signal the brain to prepare for sleep.

If your child rebels at your attempt to be a responsible parent, remember you control the money. Many of the activities teenagers enjoy cost money. If your children understand you are just requiring them to do what is going to help them be healthier, do better in school and receive more scholarship money for college, maybe they’ll cooperate without complaint. Good luck with that. It’s far easier to start when they are in diapers by establishing a bedtime routine in your house. 


For more information, you'll want my new book, Free College Awareness, coming soon from Griffin Publishing and Watering Seeds. How to avoid needing college loans; available soon to families of Pre-K through High School students.

You are reading from the blog: http://www.roadtofreecollege.com

Photo Credit: Pixabay

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The Key to Happiness

Age Brings Wisdom through Perspective

Self Control for Success

Attitudes Project Expectations

Improve Your Grades by Adding Low-Tech Aids

I love my smartphone, tablet and laptop, but they’re not always appropriate to use. Sometimes I’m someplace that frowns upon the blue glow. I’m sure that happens to students all the time. But that doesn’t mean I’m stuck. Neither are you.

One day when passing back exams and making comments to students as I did, I complimented a girl on making only two errors on a four page German exam. The boy next to her said, “Sure. She’s smart. Of course she got an ‘A’.” Ah, a teaching moment. Love those. I said, “Okay, let’s see how smart she is.”

I asked her how she prepared for the test. She told us she studied with flashcards. “So you made them last night, and studied for a while, right?”  “No, I make flashcards for each new vocabulary word or verb when they're introduced, but also anything else you put on the board. I start studying them that night. I study a little each night until the day of the test.”

I turned to the boy and said, “I guess you’re right. She is smart.” From that day on, I had all my students make flashcards on 3 x 5 cards cut in half. These work, CLICK HERE (ad). They kept them in a small Ziploc bag and carried them just about everywhere. They reviewed the cards whenever they had a free moment.

You know there are times you’ve finished your work in a class and you’re not allowed to pull out your phone or tablet. But you can certainly take out a bag of flashcards to study. When you’re in a doctor’s office or at home watching TV, or even waiting for a bus, you can study a little. It can’t hurt, and it certainly will help improve your grades which just might help you win more free cash for college. Learn more tips on how to earn more scholarships, CLICK HERE. 

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Image Credit: Pixabay

3 Steps to Earn an A

Several years ago I decided to leave the country on business. After making this decision, I told my students that I wanted to go out with a bang. I wanted them all to earn an A, and told them how to achieve it. That June, one class had 80% A’s, 15% B’s and 5% C’s. There were no D’s or F’s. Why did this happen in one class and not the others? These students believed me, and did as I suggested. The others didn’t.

Here is what I told them:

1.   Come to class every day well rested and fed.

-If there’s a field trip in another class, and you know you’ll be absent, ask for the work in advance. Do it before you go on the trip. If you had trouble with the work, after you get home from the field trip, call a friend from class and ask for help.

-Figure out what time you need to get up in the morning in order to arrive at school on time. Count back nine hours and go to bed at that time each night.

-Have a healthy breakfast each morning and a nutritious lunch at school, (bring your own food or buy something at school).

-If you’re sick, stay home and get well.

2.   Do every assignment.

-Write down every homework assignment. They’re usually on the board in front of the class. If your homework or class assignments are on the class website, bookmark it on your computer.

-Pay attention and complete every class and homework assignment.

-They do not have to be done perfectly, but they need to be complete.

3.   If you are confused or don’t understand, ask a question.

-Smart people get this way by asking questions when they don’t understand something. Raise your hand if there’s something you don’t get.

-Make sure you have the phone number of three students in each class.

-Make sure at least one of them is a better student than you are.

-Call one of them if you missed class or need help on an assignment. (People are usually happy to help.)

Students who believed me did these things. Those who did them well received an A. Those who didn’t do them as well received a B, and those who messed up from time to time, but otherwise stuck to the plan, received a C. Everyone knew too much to get a D or F. Try this. What have you got to lose?

You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.

 

For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.

 

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.

Image Credit: Morguefile