6 Ways to Support Academic Success in High School Students

Introduction

With graduation season approaching, high school students are starting to think about the next stage in their education. While it's exciting to go off to college and start a new chapter in life, it can also be stressful for your child who might feel unprepared for the challenges that come with being a college student. Even students moving from middle school to high school are experiencing a similar transition.

High school students need support from teachers as they navigate this transition. In this blog post, we'll discuss some ways you can help your students succeed academically during high school so that they are well-prepared for what comes next!

1. Organization

Organization is the key to success.

High school teachers want students to be organized. They want them to start each class with their book open, ready to take notes or complete assignments. They want students to keep track of all of the papers they've handed out and know where they are in relation to what's due when (and hopefully without having missed any deadlines!). They want students to access office hours regularly so that they can help support student learning.

However, so many students don't know about these options or don't know how to organize their work in order to succeed in creating such a system. Organization skills are important for students because they can help them stay on top of their workload and prevent stress from interfering with their performance at school.

To support your students' organization strategies, build these habits into your classroom routines:

• Writing in a planner

• Checking what is due at the beginning of class

• Reviewing what is due before leaving

• Listing on the board what materials are needed for the day

• Having an online LMS of resources that organize for students

Organization doesn't have one clear path; there’s no single solution that works for everyone. Having clear routines in your classrooms (either visual reminders or habits) can help students practice these habits in a safe space.

2. Time Management

How to use a calendar

For many teens, using a calendar is the best way to organize their days. It helps them get everything done on time and prevents them from forgetting important events and deadlines. If you want your students to take full advantage of this method, try these tips:

• Encourage students to use a large wall calendar so they can write down all their activities (make sure it's visible in each room).

• Remind your student that he or she should also schedule time for homework and study sessions in addition to extracurricular activities like sports or clubs.

• Incorporate routines into your classroom

• Schedule out assignments with smaller checkpoints.

• Use choice boards or contracts to help students choose what they have time/energy for

• Check in with students for where they are on assignments (or have them do this digitally as a check point online).

Check out these ready-made time management activities here.

3. Study Habits

Having a plan for studying is one of the easiest ways to increase student academic success, but many students don't take advantage of this or even know how to start.

Here are some tips you can share with students for creating a study plan:

• Set aside time every night to study. Don't wait until the last minute! Use tools like Google Calendar or Apple's Reminders app on your phone or computer to remind yourself when it's time to start studying.

• If you have an upcoming test, make flash cards with key vocabulary words and practice them over and over again (in addition to other studying). You might find it helpful to use software such as Quizlet or Anki Flashcards if you're looking for more ways to learn information quickly and easily.

• Review titles and subtitles first and then summarize for each small section of the text or notes.

• Identify main points and turn those into questions that may end up on the test (as the teacher, you can even assign this as a study guide assignment).

For a free ebook on Academic Success Strategies (with slides/activities to teach from) click here.

4. Support Groups

Support groups can be a great way to get help from other students. Students can also help each other by sharing tips and tricks, providing encouragement, or even offering emotional support.

In your classroom, you might offer time for students to discuss how they are doing in class, add in social emotional learning activities to process stress, or even offer opportunities for students to reach out to others or yourself directly. You can also point students to their guidance counselors for more support. Remember, only do what you feel comfortable doing and what you think will work best for your students.

Want to help students with stress-management, but don't know where to start? Check out this Stress-Management Course that has: video lessons, slides, an ebook, resources, and activities. Or head over to the Stress Management for Teachers and Students Resource Hub for some free social emotional learning lessons for high school students.

5. Goal Setting

As a student, you may find yourself wondering how to make the most of your time at school. One of the best ways to do this is by setting goals.

A goal is an objective that you have decided on and intend to achieve within a specific period of time. A good goal should be specific and measurable, so it's clear what exactly you'll need to accomplish in order for it to count as successful completion. SMART Goals are very helpful in that they make students create goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely

For example: "I want my GPA (grade point average) 2 points higher than last semester" or "I want my essay score on the writing test on Tuesday at least 20 points higher than my previous highest score." It's important not only that your goals are realistic but also that they're challenging enough so that once they're achieved, there will still be room for growth!

It can sometimes be difficult for people who haven't been exposed much yet—such as high school students—to understand why setting goals is important; however, understanding why this process works will help them get more out of themselves when working toward their dreams later on down into adulthood when things become more serious.

More information on goal setting and SMART goals can be found in the Academic Success Guide from our Free Stress Management for Teachers and Students Resource Hub.

6. Self-Advocacy

In order to succeed in high school, students need to know how to advocate for themselves. Students can learn self-advocacy by asking questions and seeking clarification from their teachers, as well as from other sources such as books or websites.

For instance, if a student is confused about what they should be doing with an assignment or project, they should ask their teacher for help rather than making assumptions about it and getting it wrong on the exam.

Offer opportunities for students to ask questions in a variety of ways:

• Go over how to write an email to you in the beginning of the year.

• Include an "Ask a Question about this week's content" area in a weekly quiz to reflect on the week's materials.

• Add a Question Box to the classroom for students to submit questions they may have anonymously.

• Give students question stems or a reference for how to ask questions, so they feel more secure in asking questions in the first place.

More information on self-advocacy can be found in the Academic Success Teacher-Ready Slides from our Free Stress Management for Teachers and Students Resource Hub.

Supporting academic success in students helps them grow not only in their grades but their confidence as well.

School is about more than just grades. It's also about building a strong foundation for your students' academic and personal success.

As a teacher, you want to help them learn how to manage their time effectively and develop good study habits that will serve them well throughout their lives. Academic success isn't just about getting the highest grade possible; it's also about gaining the confidence that comes from knowing you can succeed when faced with challenges.

When students understand how their work fits into their larger goals, they're able to make better decisions about what they need to do in order to accomplish those goals. This can lead not only toward improved grades but also an increase in confidence or self-esteem as well!

Conclusion

As a teacher, you know that there are many ways that you can help your high school students succeed academically. The best way to do so is by supporting them through the process of setting goals and working towards them in small steps.

You can also support their confidence by encouraging them to speak up when they have questions or concerns about their classes or teachers, even if it makes them feel uncomfortable at first! By doing these things together with your children (and other students), they will grow not only in their grades but also in their confidence as well.

If you haven't taken a look at it yet, head over to the Stress Management for Teachers and Students Resource Hub to get a ton of free resources for you and your students! No gimmicks, just free content added monthly solely focused on supporting teacher and student stress management. Check it out here for more information.