EXPERT ADVICE SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION
There is Still Time for Better Grades Report cards are an important milestone in the school year, and while they may cause stress and concern, there is still plenty of time to get better grades before the end of the year. With just less than half the school year remaining, there is still ample time for students to transform the stress of report cards into actions that lead toward better grades on the next report card. In order to get grades on track before the school year is over, students need a plan. They need to review where they are now, and where they would like to be by the next report card, and determine how they are going to accomplish these goals.
Brooke Lewis B.A. (Hons), B.Ed. (OCT) Centre Director
Oxford Learning Kingston 793 Blackburn Mews Kingston, Ontario (613) 384–7323 www.oxfordlearning.com kingston@oxfordlearning.com
By creating a plan, students can keep up with current homework, tests, and assignments, and work toward improving grades. This is especially important for busy high school students who have the added stress of balancing current schoolwork with studying for end-ofyear exams. A plan keeps students on-track and stress-free. An academic plan will not only help students reduce some of the stress related to report cards and the uncertainty of report card marks, it gives them renewed motivation to keep working toward their goals. In doing this, students—and their parents too—will feel more confident, and less stressed about that next report card. Oxford Learning can help students create an academic plan to address report card grades and get on track for the rest of the year. By simply taking inventory of current marks and reflecting on comments and feedback, setting some clear goals, and identifying actions to take, students empower themselves to stay on target for better grades and a better report card.
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Brooke Lewis, Centre Director of Oxford Learning Kingston, recommends the following steps to help students create a plan: 1. Grab a calendar and determine how many weeks of school are left. 2. Do a mental inventory of current academic standings. Refer to the last report card if necessary. Look at past test marks and comments on assignments. 3. Ask: What subjects are the most difficult? Where is extra help needed? What areas can be improved, both cognitively and academically? 4. Talk to teachers and create a plan together. 5. Use an agenda daily to stay organized and on top of schoolwork. 6. Enlist extra help from a variety of sources, such as tutors.
The thing to remember is that report cards do not have to be stressful. Having a plan in place that keeps kids focused on grades and positive work habits eliminates some of the stress that comes from not knowing what the report card will say. Oxford Learning has many great programs to keep students of all ages focused on their schoolwork, right until the end of the school year. As well, Oxford Learning also has summer programs to help students maintain that focus all year long. It’s never too late for better grades with Oxford Learning! Contact Brooke Lewis or Alex Moore at Oxford Learning Kingston for more information about making the rest of this school year count.