Succeeding in the Classroom
1. Pay attention. If you want to be a successful student, then paying attention in class is absolutely crucial to your success. While you don’t have to love every single subject that comes your way, you should be motivated enough to listen to your teachers, to avoid texting your friends, and to be focused enough to really hear what your teacher is telling you, and to be able to pick up on the most important aspects of each lesson.
2. Take notes. Taking notes is also crucial to your success as a student. Not only will taking notes help you study later, but doing so will also keep you engaged in the classroom, and will help you learn the material because you’ll have to jot it down in your own words. Some people even use different highlighters or pens to organize their notes as they take them to really help them absorb the material. Taking notes will make you feel more accountable in the classroom and will help you listen to your teachers.
3. Ask questions. If you really want to succeed in the classroom, then it’s important that you ask your teachers questions, when it’s appropriate, in order to get a stronger understanding of the material. You shouldn’t interrupt the lessons, but you should ask questions if you really have them in order to avoid being confused and to prepare for your exams. Asking questions will also keep you active in the discussion and will help you learn the material, too.
4. Participate. If you want to succeed as a student, then it’s important for you to participate in class. You should not only ask questions when you have them, but you should also answer your teacher’s questions, be an active member of group activities, volunteer to help your teacher during class, and make sure to be as active as possible in the classroom so you can really get the most out of the learning experience. Participating will also help you develop a good relationship with your teachers, which will also help you in the classroom.
5. Avoid distractions in the classroom. If you want to make the most of your learning experience, then you should try to focus as much as you can. Avoid sitting next to your friends or chatty students, and put away your food, your magazines, your phone, or anything else that is keeping you from your studies. You can reward yourself by talking to your friends, reading your magazines, or doing whatever else you do for fun later, but you can’t let it get in the way of your study habits.
6. Develop positive relationships with your teachers. Another way to really succeed in the classroom is to develop strong connections with your teachers. While you don’t want to suck up or attempt to become best friends with them, building a strong rapport with your teachers can help you when you need to ask them for extra help and can also make you gain a stronger interest in the material. Work on showing up to class on time and following your teacher’s rules so that you can make the most of your studies.
7. Sit near the teacher if you can. If you’re in a classroom where you can choose your own seats, then you should think about sitting toward the front of the room, near the teacher. This will help you focus since it’ll be harder to get distracted or to do something other than pay attention when the teacher is right there. It’ll also help you build a stronger bond with your teacher, especially if you’re in a large lecture hall, because teachers tend to engage more with the people who are sitting in front.
8. Take advantage of extra credit! Take the opportunity to gain extra credit whenever possible. A lot of schools especially as you get older don't offer a lot of extra credit so grab it whenever possible.
