trouble with school .

linger<3 · Fashionista Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Posts: 29 Smiles: 0 77

i was looking on here, and everyone seems to be really smart. I know I'm smart and I know I can do well in school, I just don't have the patience to actually sit down and do the work. I have a really heavy semster as much as homework goes, but I just don' t do it. I have goals in life and frankly they're set quite high.

I want to get into university and I want to do well. I have to take french, no questions asked, and to put it in the nicest way possible, I hate it. my average is a 64% in the class. My math is in the fifties somewhere. My civics class I actually enjoyed and i passed with a 91(it's a half credit course) and in english which I also enjoy I have around a 79%. no matter what I do, I just can't push myself to do well in math and french, I don't get the point and relevance of most things we do in math, and it doesn't help that I don't understand the teacher at all(it's her first year).

Does anyone know any ways I could straighten myself up. I'm in grade 10 so I know I have the ability to do it in time before I have to send my marks for grade 12 in, I just want to start with good study habits.

thanks in advance,

mike · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:58 pm Post subject:

With math, you just have to sit there and study and don't question it. I'm in grade 12 and I still don't see the point of a lot of the things I'm learning, but I've given up on caring. It's a pre-req course that is mandatory to apply for university and that's enough reasoning for me. I'm not doing too well (low 70s) but my overall average is good (85%) so I don't really care too much about it.
I know for a fact that in the career I want to work in (well I work in it now, but in a different capacity) that the math is very basic, but I don't have a choice, so I just do it. Sciences and languages never interested me, but I put in the effort to get a good mark and then I never took those courses again.
Since you're in grade ten, at this point if you're taking French just as a high school diploma requirement and you aren't planning on continuing it, then a passing grade will be fine.. unis only care about grade 12 marks (and in some cases 11) so whatever happens in grade 10 won't really impact you with those kinds of courses.. but for math it is imperative that you understand the course because each year builds on what you learned in the previous year, so if you are having problems with your teacher, I suggest you go for extra help or possibly get a tutor.

DON'T give up whether or not you like what you're studying.. and force yourself to try, because you will look back and take pride that you did all that you could, instead of saying to yourself: "I should have done this, i should have done that." Everything takes hard work!
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boarderlinefrenzy · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject:

I live in the states where grades have to be top notch because your compitition's are, so an "A" is really important to me.

Anyway, set up a goal and reward system. For every "good grade" you get on a test or quiz, reward yourself.

Ask questions when you don't understand something. Ask the teacher when is the best time to meet him or her, before or after school. It can either just to check up on anything, talk about your strengths and weaknesses, or get help tutoring if needed (like in math or a science).

DON"T GIVE UP!!!

Preview the chapter the night before your class starts a new chapter. Look over it so you have a basic picture of relavence in your mind.

Notetaking for lecture classes:
in your notebook, fold your sheet in half (not at the marigin, sense you want to use both the front and back, exactly in half). The outline of bullet notes should go on the right side and questions should go on the left. If your teacher is one of those who just keeps on talking and doesn't stop, write the questions in study hall or soon after class when the information is still fresh. This will reinforce what you were just taught and you can use the question/answer format to study for tests.

tip: everytime a teacher repeats something, put a star by it.

Before each test to study, create your own "test" of questions you think your teacher will ask, don't put easy ones, put one's that you honestly think would make up the test. (you can even pull questions from your notes)

When you get a test or quiz or exam back, review it and look over the one's you got wrong. Note the "type" of questions you are getting wrong. For example: "I seem to be really missing cause and effect questions" or "dates of things really give me trouble"

It may sound really hard and like a lot of effort and you may be thinking, "Well, she just has good work ethic." Not true. I have ADD, an auditory processing disorder, and a written word precessing disorder, it is not easy. If I can do it, you can do it. Trust me.

The reason why I put so much effort into my school work is because I want to develope the habits while I'm in high school and maybe have only one or two classes that are really hard so I have them while I'm in college.

Good Luck!

hope I helped![/i]
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electricpearls · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:45 pm Post subject:

It is all about time management. Try setting up a specific time for homework. Take frequent breaks.

Studies have actually shown that interrupting homework to IM or talk on the phone or whatever actually take you out of focus brain-wise for up to half an hour after doing so. So it's better to just sit, take away all distractions and take a few breaks to eat or something.

It may be annoying at first but eventually studying will be a habit. It takes about 30 days or so to form a habit, so it'll get some getting used to.

Trust me, I used to and still occasionally procrastinate majorly. I read a book called the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

It shows to put the important things first and to increase productivity and time management. I really recommend it... it helped me tons. I seriously still hate all my courses this semester, but I've developed a studying habit so it's helped alot (well maybe not in Bio, but still).

Good luck!
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boarderlinefrenzy · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:58 am Post subject:

^yes, and to add to that, have your specific chair that your brain associates with studying. When you do your fun activities (chatting with friends etc) for a different chair. That way, when you do get under the habit of studying regularly, you can do it more easily with a set spot for studies.
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Meg-san · Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:50 am Post subject:

I was the exact same way with French and Math in high school.

With math, I got a tutor. Well, the main reason I didn't do well in math was because I wasn't very good at it so I didn't try hard because I didn't think it mattered-I would just do badly anyways. But getting a tutor really helped motivate me to succeed in the class and helped me with any of my issues.
You can also find someone who has really good study ethics and study with them-having someone around studying hard really motivates you to get going also.
French...I hated french. But the best way to study is using flash cards, or my friends and I would give each other sentences in English to translate.
As cliched as it is, you just have to keep your eye on the prize. Set yourself a time to start your homework. Say you get home at 330. Give yourself half an hour or an hour to unwind from the day (no longer) and then get started on your homework immediately. Have a designated study area. Take a 10-15min break between subjects. I know people say you should have no distractions, but I find I work better with some upbeat music (NO TV!!) while doing homework (when you're studying for a test-no music).

emcee · Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2007 2:18 am Post subject:

To be honest, I have always felt like I was expected to do well - my parents are really smart, successful, and my family is too - all my cousins around my age have received full scholarships to the universities of their choice; my youngest aunt received a full scholarship to Berkeley and she's now the VP of a bank in the United States. I really stressed out about it until I was around your age, in 10th grade, and then I stopped caring. Which, fortunately, wasn't too bad, cause I still got an A average throughout high school right till my graduation, and it was enough for me to get into the school of my choice. Now, however, I definitely feel like I took the value of education for granted, and I do feel I could've done better and received bigger scholarships. I think the biggest thing that I regret is like you, having a lack of motivation.

Now, however, I definitely feel like I need to prove myself. I've found that in university, everyone is 'exceptional', whereas in high school, I was one of the few that were exceptional (I was enrolled in a program that is for the moderately gifted). You really have to know what drives you; for instance, for me, I'm inherently competitive and I turn EVERYTHING into a competition. I couldn't really deal with the fact that people would possibly be beating me when I could probably do better than them if I put the effort in. Really, you just have to try to work to your full potential, and I think the first step to doing that is to look at the benefits of what you're doing and what you'll get out of it. Sure, math sucks, but once you get it done it'll open a lot of doors for you. I've never been a big fan of math and sciences, but I dealt with them right through to grade 12 cause I knew that if I did, I would be able to go into those fields if I wanted to.

The next thing you probably want to discover is what helps you focus. It really varies from person to person. I listen to music despite the fact that my mom says that it distracts me, and I always keep either a glass of water or tea nearby and make sure that I'm content when I try to tackle an assignment, because I know I work the best when I'm in that frame of mind. Perhaps even recreating a previous experience when you worked diligently and efficiently will work and help you focus. But really, you have to keep in mind that you have to find out what works for YOU, and stick to it.

And another big thing,
DON'T PROCRASTINATE, I can't say this enough. I still haven't kicked my habit, and I know it will eventually catch up to me - this week, I have had three term papers, a test, and a presentation to do, and I did it all, in one week (I am actually supposed to be writing my English paper right now). The point is, procrastinating seems a good idea at the time, but all it really does is pile on unneccesary stress. And it sucks.

Sorry this was a little long! But I hope it helps Happy