geometry tutorsThe end of school is around the corner. To keep good grades within reach and to finish strong, watch out for these three important things:
(1) Letting Burnout Settle In
(2) Missing Opportunities To Repair Bad Grades And Earn Extra Credit
(3) “Cramming” For Final Exams

Now, eight months into the school year, most students are tired and overworked. The homework workload from our schools is huge. Sports and other activities take their toll too, making for crammed schedules and late nights trying to keep up. Yet this final four to six weeks of school can make the difference between good and poor grades. Fight distraction and burnout by setting and rewarding short-term goals. Keep the mood positive and the focus clear by celebrating each small success.

Know now whether your child’s grades are in trouble. Get on your school’s online portal and check their grades. If your child has missing assignments, see if they can still be turned in. If they have bad test grades, see if the tests can be retaken. Many teachers offer extra credit opportunities so students can compensate for bad grades earlier in the semester. Even if your child’s teacher has not suggested this, many are open to it if the student approaches them. Now is the time to explore these options, before preparing for final exams becomes the focus and there is no time to do extra credit work.

High school and middle school students will soon have tests that cover material from much or all of the semester. Most students will “cram” for these tests last minute. The problem is that cramming doesn’t work when you have to retain lots of information, or retain it for a long time. Instead, start studying early and in small pieces to insure good long-term recall. Early preparation for finals also allows your child time to identify the material that they did not really understand the first time and get help. Whether they get assistance over lunchtime from their teacher or from a tutor, now is the time to start because it is harder to find help at the very end of the semester when everyone is frantically busy.