As the end of the school year approaches, it is essential to keep good grades within reach and to finish strong.  Here are three important things to watch out for:
1. Avoiding burnout and spring fever
2. Missing opportunities to repair bad grades and earn extra credit
3. “Cramming” for final exams (instead of studying effectively)
By now, many students are tired and overworked.  Spring is in the air and there are far more distractions, too.  This is the worst time for them to take their eye off the ball at school.  The last four to six weeks of the school year often make the difference between good and average 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.
Don’t wait until the last few weeks of school to realize that your child’s grades are in trouble.
Get on “infinite campus” 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 they can be retaken.  In addition, many teachers offer extra credit opportunities so students can compensate for problems earlier in the semester.  Even if your child’s teacher has not suggested this, many are open to it if the student approaches them.  Final exams will soon consume all of your student’s time so now is the time to explore these options.
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.  Cramming doesn’t work when you have to retain lots of information, or retain it for a long time.  Starting early and using the right studying approaches for long-term recall is very important.  Starting early also allows your child to identify material that they did not really understand the first time and needs re-teaching.
Whether this is done over lunchtime with their teacher or by 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.
Mary Beth Inchalik is the President of SCV Club Z! Tutoring.  She has over 20 years of combined regular and special education teaching experience from elementary school through high school.  Contact her at 661-977-1629 or minchalik@clubztutoring.com.