Characteristics of a Successful Student

Many middle school and high school students do not know what it takes to be successful in the school environment. They understand good and bad grades in a general way, and they sense that they should attend classes, but that is where their knowledge begins and ends.

Most teachers know what a good student is - and is not. For one thing, a good student is not necessarily the most intelligent individual in the class. However, most schools do not teach students how to be successful students. Thus, we see many middle school students and freshman struggle with poor grades and poor habits as they try to figure out the system.

The following is a list of some characteristics of good students. This list is a description of what a hard-working student does and what a teacher likes to see. By learning these characteristics, you may better understand the day-to-day and class-to-class behavior of successful students. The idea is to provide you with guidelines you can follow which will help you get down to the business of becoming a serious, successful student.

1. Successful students attend classes regularly. They are on time. They listen and train themselves to pay attention. If they miss a class, they feel obligated to let the teacher know why before class begins, if possible, and their excuses are legitimate and reasonable. They make sure they get all missed assignments (by contacting the teacher or another student), and understand specifically what was covered in class. Successful students take responsibility for themselves and their actions.
2. Successful students take advantage of extra credit opportunities when offered. They demonstrate that they care about their grades and are willing to work to improve them. They often do the optional (and frequently challenging) assignments that many students avoid.
3. Successful students are attentive in class. They don't talk, read, use their cell phone, or stare out windows. In other words, they are polite and respectful, even if they get a little bored. They also participate in class even if their attempts are a bit clumsy and difficult. They ask questions that the teacher knows many other students may also have.
4. Successful students see their teachers before or after class or during their prep about grades, comments on their papers, and upcoming tests. Successful students end up talking to their teacher outside of class at least once during the semester. They'll go out of their way to find the teacher and engage in meaningful conversation. These students demonstrate to the teacher that they are active participants in the learning process and that they take the job of being a student seriously.
5. Successful students turn in assignments that look neat and sharp. They take the time to produce a final product that looks good, and reflects of a care and pride in their work. Successful students seem driven to complete their assignments. All work and assignments are turned in, even if some of their responses are not brilliant.

Put into practice these 5 characteristics and you will definitely be on your way to becoming a successful student without having to learn the hard way!

If you are following the above suggestions and are still getting poor grades in math, it is very possible you have some foundational knowledge gaps that are holding up your success! Call Mathnasium of Parker at 303-840-1184 and schedule a no risk assessment so we can determine where your weaknesses and challenges lie and short them up with specific, individualized curriculum tailored to your needs.