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How to Avoid Failing in School

by Ron Kurtus (14 July 2006)

You know you have problems when your report card shows failing grades in one or more classes. Fortunately, you are usually given a fair warning and an opportunity to rectify the situation. You need to wake up and look at the reasons you may be failing, realize that it is not a good situation, and then take some steps to get your grades up to where they should be.

Questions you may have include:

• What are reasons that a student may get failing grades?
• What are the consequences of failing?
• What can be done to avoid failing?

This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.

Reasons students fail

There are a number of possible reasons a student may get failing grades in school. I've combined them into classifications, for better analysis:

Subject matter

• Subject material was too difficult
• Did not learn required material in previous classes
• Pace was too fast

Teacher

• Couldn't understand the teacher's explanations
• Teacher had a heavy foreign accent
• Didn't like the teacher
• Teacher didn't like the student

School skills

• Froze up in tests
• Have trouble doing homework

Goofed off

• Skipped class
• Didn't do homework
• Didn't pay attention in class

Personal

• Wanted to punish parents
• Fear of success
• Don't like the subject
• Don't like school
• Don't pay attention

Note that there is nothing listed about you not being smart enough to succeed.

Problem with failing

One problem with failing is the word itself. It says that you are a failure (at least in this subject). That is quite a stigma, even if you say you don't care or you blame the teacher or your parents.

Teacher's responsibility

Personally, I feel that it is the responsibility of the teacher to see that every student in his or her class passes. But of course, there are some students who are so stubborn that they refuse to cooperate.

Friend failed

A friend of mine, Jim R. worked hard to get an "A" in high school Math. He said he wanted to prove that he could do it. Then the next semester he goofed off. For the final exam, he didn't put anything on the paper except his name. He made the exam into a paper airplane and threw it on the teacher's desk. She said afterwards that she was so sorry she gave Jim an "A" the previous semester. He failed the class and later dropped out of high school.

I have no idea why he acted that way. But it was not the teacher's fault.

Teachers

Most teachers want all their students to pass, but there are some who do not take responsibility and put the entire burden on the students.

I believe that if a student fails, the teacher has failed also, except in cases where the students don't make an effort.

Stigma

Failing has such a stigma, even for those like Jim who don't seem to care. Failing either says you are stupid or that you are a trouble-maker who can't be salvaged.

A student who tries but yet fails feels bad about him- or herself.

What to do

If you have failed, despite trying to get a passing grade, you need to do some personal evaluation. Sometimes a stud net will goof off, but then give it an effort in the end. If that effort isn't good enough, he or she may fail.

• Evaluate why you failed
• Take some of the responsibility

Was it too hard? If so, re-group. It is better to have tried something too hard and failed than to have taken the safe route and gone below your ability. You can then better determine where your talent lies and concentrate in that area.

Re-build your esteem. It hurts to realize you are not good in a subject or that you did not provide the teacher with the type of work he or she was expecting.

Summary

If you want to get good grades in school, it is important to learn how to take tests. Homework can be time-consuming, but it is important in learning and being able to pass tests, so you need to learn to do your homework effectively. Teachers are human and may be prejudiced. Since they have the power to determine your grade, it is wise to treat them with respect.

Reader Questions and Comments

Be proud of your achievements

Resources

The following are resources on this subject.

Websites

Good Grades Resources

Books

Top-rated books on Good Grades

Miscellaneous

Mini-quiz to check your understanding

1. Supposed you hate taking tests?

2. Why is homework so important?

3. What if your friends don't like your teacher?

If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in School studies. If you had problems, look over the material again.

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