Psychology Today
The first quarter is coming to an end. That means we are all a quarter done with this school year! Can you believe it! The first end of a quarter is stressful and confusing. I remember my first quarter of 6th grade. When it ended, there were final tests, final projects, and teachers putting in grades and finding out that you didn’t turn in the cell worksheet that you knew you had 100% turned in. Then, realizing that the cell worksheet was apparently the most important and that it brought your A to a low B. But then you had to get your grade back to an A. If you didn’t know, the first quarter of my sixth-grade year was stressful and chaotic; still to this day, I don’t think I’ve fully recovered. Obviously, I’m kidding, but this quarter is nerve-wracking and difficult, so what are some tips and tricks to figure it out? Here are some ways to end the first quarter like you know what you’re doing:
Turn in all your work
Make sure to always turn in all of your work. That one homework assignment for math might seem insignificant, but it could be the difference between the grade you have and the grade you want. If you get a 0 or a low grade on an easy assignment, that can cause a bad overall grade. Don’t play video games instead of doing your Algebra; wait until after your work is completed.
Extra Credit
If your teacher offers extra credit during the quarter, why would you not do it? This extra credit could save your grade in the end. If you completely fail your final project or exam, extra credit can save your grade or improve it. Some teachers don’t give extra credit opportunities towards the end of the quarter, so make sure to always be checking for extra credit.
Make up work
When you get the flu or have to go to your cousin’s wedding, you miss school and become behind on your work. If you know you are going to be absent, always make sure you check in with your teacher about what you are going to miss during those days. And because you can’t predict when your friend will give you the flu after sharing lip gloss (which I don’t recommend by the way). And remember, if you miss a day, it is district policy that you will have another day to make up your work. Always keep your teachers informed about things that are happening in your life; they can’t help you if they don’t know what’s going on.
Check Your Grades
Throughout the quarter, you need to be checking SIS regularly. This is how you see if all of your work has been completed and what hasn’t been completed. If you aren’t looking at SIS regularly, you might not know that your grade in ELA dropped because you didn’t turn in your writing assignment. Whereas, if you were looking at SIS, you would know that you missed the writing assignment and would talk to your teacher about making it up. This process is crucial for the end of the quarter; you may need those points wherever they come from.
Study for Finals
When you have a final exam that is normally worth 20% of your overall final grade, you need to study for this assessment. You need to understand what was taught the entire quarter. If you don’t understand the content, you need to ask your teacher to help explain the material. They are there to help you. They want to make sure you understand it. It’s their JOB. Other resources are reviewing old lessons and past work to help you better understand the material before your big test.
End of Quarter projects
Again, when you have an assessment or project that is worth 20% of your overall grade for the quarter, you need to make sure it’s the most wonderful project your teacher has ever seen in their life. When you get your project rubric or instructions, you need to get a jump start on it as soon as possible! Probably right after this is assigned, the whirlwind of finals and projects will start. Make sure you stay organized and productive on your projects-remember 20% of your grade!
Stay organized
It is crucial to keep track of your school work and school belongings. You cannot shove your lesson 3 notes for Civics in a random place in your backpack. THAT’S NOT HOW YOU STAY ORGANIZED, it’s how you lose your science study guide. You need to have a place for all your school work and papers, or else you can say goodbye to that A at the end of the quarter. If you haven’t already gotten binders and folders to store your work, you need to get them. They don’t have to be new or nice; they just have to do the job. The black abyss of your backpack is not a reliable storage spot.
Remember, you’ve got the end of this quarter in the palm of your hand, just make sure to follow these 7 tips and tricks! This quarter is stressful, but make sure you stay on top of your work, stay organized, and understand the material of the quarter. These are the years to make mistakes and learn from them. Good luck! You got this, Mariners!