Q&A for How to Get Good Grades

Classical music is, of course, the accepted music for academics. There are even studies that have concluded that listening to Mozart improves performance. That being said, it is entirely about your personal preference. If you feel more relaxed and focused listening to classic rock or hip-hop, listen to that! Just remember that songs with familiar lyrics and/or catchy rhythms/beats can often prove distracting, even if they relax you.

Remind yourself of your ultimate goal, which is achieving good grades. Remember what matters most to you, and keep in mind the future you are preparing for.

Think of how not doing your homework will affect your grades, how it could make everything harder on in life. Change the voices too––instead of having them telling you to not do it, change them to telling you that you can do it, will do and that the sooner it's done, the sooner you're free to do something else.

You shouldn't care so much about what your friends think. If your friends have a problem with you interacting and participating in class, then they are not very good friends. They should encourage you to do the best you can. Let them know that you care more about your education than their opinions about your classroom behavior, and maybe consider finding some friends who support your academic endeavors.

Read the question slowly and be sure that you understand it. If you aren't sure of the answer to a question and you want to skip it and go to the next question, mark it with a symbol or notation, reminding you to return to it. Leave time at the end of the exam, and go back to the unanswered parts or anything you weren't sure about and deal with those calmly and efficiently. Finally, don't rush, that is how many mistakes happen.

Aim for small goals, instead of focusing on that A or 100%. If you're struggling in a subject, be proud of any improvement, even a C if you usually fail the tests. Ask for extra credit projects to bring your class grade up.

You can think if you want a good grade or a bad grade. Studying one month before the test is very beneficial. Studying before is very helpful to people. You can always make reading the book and studying fun. You can put your snacks onto every paragraph or so. You not only learn stuff, get a delicious snack in, but also finish the paragraphs faster!

A teacher who says that isn't modeling good teaching. This is an inappropriate answer to give to a student and if others laugh, ignore them. If people tease you, ask them if they have ever asked a question like that -- most of the time, the answer is yes. Stay back after the class and ask the teacher why they said that, explaining that you have been raised to believe that there is no such thing as a stupid question when learning. If you're really upset about it, you may wish to raise this with your parents or the teacher's superior. Most teachers won't say this about a question asked by a student.

If it's your friends that are distracting you, try not to sit around them in class. You can talk to them outside of class. If you're just distracted by everything, maybe you should talk to your teacher and see what they suggest and think is the best thing to do.

Take away all the distractions from wherever you are, or if you can't do so, then move to a different place. If you still can't seem to focus, do a short task before the harder ones. Be sure to take a quick break every half an hour or so. Then come back and you will be refreshed, or at least hopefully you won't be stressing about something else. Get plenty of sleep every night too.

Try to ignore them until they stop talking to you. If they won't stop, you might have to change seats, at least for tests or other important activities. (Even if you have assigned seats, you can ask your teacher to move you.)

It's a good reason to strive harder and to learn from your friends. They clearly know what to do, so ask them for advice and perhaps consider studying with them, to learn from their great habits. Think yourself lucky for having friends who are knowledgeable, interesting and able to help you.

Ask your teacher after class and he or she will tell you how you're doing. Also consider using a small notebook to write down your grades for future reference.

Try learning memory techniques, such as writing acronyms to help you memorize information.

Set aside time for each test, and stay focused on one at a time. Start studying as far in advance as you can. Study with a friend, and don't forget to get a good night's sleep before each test.

When you wake up after a good night's sleep, go in front of the mirror and encourage yourself.

Talk to your teacher about the bullying, then to the principal or school counselor if your teacher doesn't do enough. One of these adults should move you to a new seat, and discipline the bullies.

Many schools offer tutors; check with your school's office to see if they can set you up with a tutor. You can also ask an older sibling, classmate, or parent to help you as well. Lastly, you can always ask your teacher for help. Many teachers have office hours outside of school.

If you are experiencing a lot of stress, go to a local spa and treat yourself. Try learning about time management. Before going to bed, take a hot bath to loosen up. While trying to sleep, take deep breaths and perhaps put some calming lavender oil on your pillow. Another good thing to do is download white noise on an free app and play it to help calm you.

Reread the material a few days later to keep it fresh in your head. Even better, take notes a second time; writing it down can help reinforce your memory.

Be courteous to your teacher and ask for extra credit assignments. Do your best work on all your quizzes, on your tests, even your homework. This way you can raise your F to at least a C if you really do try your hardest.

There are some apps and computer programs that promote themselves as learning aids but you need to do individual research into each one, it is impossible to come up with a one-size-fits-all answer to this. Moreover, be sure to use an electronic device as a learning aid, using it as your tool, not your distraction.

Give your phone to your parents and don't take it back until you're finished with work.

For some people, listening to music can help them focus and study better. For others, music can be a distraction. If you'd like to listen to music while you study, start off by listening to songs without words, like classical or instrumentals. They'll help you block out background noises and focus on your work.

Using your computer for studying or homework can be tough, since fun websites are only a click away. If you have trouble staying focused, try downloading a website blocker like FocusBooster or BlockSite to stop you from going on certain websites. When you're done studying, simply turn the website blocker off to use your computer like normal.

Think about the big picture. Why do you want to get good grades? What will happen if you don't do your work in a timely manner? If you can focus on your future and what your grades will help you accomplish, you may feel more motivated to get started.

Try meeting with them one-on-one after school to talk about your work or your grades. Your teacher will probably be more friendly and open to a conversation when they don't feel rushed in front of a class. You can ask to set up a meeting or email them ahead of time to let them know you're coming by.