Dear parents and students,
In the 37-plus years I spent as a classroom teacher, I learned some tips for helping students become successful, so I am sharing my “Bees” of success.
First:“Be there.”
No student with a spotty attendance record will perform well. Learning builds. Think of your education as building a brick wall. Missing a day of school means you miss bricks, and those missing bricks become unsightly “holes” in your learning. The greatest service parents can do to ensure their children get a solid education is to get the children to school every day.
Second: “Be on time.”
The rule in my classroom was “BIC” when the tardy bell rings. “BIC” stands for “butt in chair.” Good teachers want to start quickly and use what precious time they have to teach. Waiting for students to mill around and take a seat cuts into instructional time.
Third: “Be prepared.”
Being prepared means having your supplies and materials. Coming to class without a pencil or paper or textbook or laptop means you did not brings the tools for doing your job. Would you trust a plumber to fix your leaking faucet if he asked you for a wrench or screwdriver? Show up on the job with what you need to be a good learner.
Part of being prepared is doing your homework. Teachers assume you complete your assignments when they plan activities for class the next day.
Fourth: “Be respectful.”
You need to respect yourself, your classmates, your parents and your teachers. Students often become angry when they think a teacher has “dissed” them. I cannot tell you the times I have heard students say, “You gotta give respect to get respect.” The irony is most of the time, students say these words right after they have shown disrespect.
Teachers should model respectful behavior. So should parents. Most students are going to have a hard time respecting a teacher who has been bashed and trashed by Mom or Dad.
One more thought on respect: Teachers show respect for their students when they refuse to allow students to turn in shoddy work or give substandard performance. By giving constructive criticism and encouraging students to work harder, teachers are showing respect for students.
The fifth “bee” is: “Be cooperative.”
Believe it or not — teachers want students to succeed. I never had a student enter my class and said to myself, “Man, I want that kid to fail.” Teachers want you to learn. Your teachers know the ordeal you are going to be facing at testing time. They have a plan in place to have you ready.
Frankly, some students act like balky mules. Their lack of cooperation usually stems from one of two things. First, adolescent arrogance makes young people think they already know what they will need in the future. They do not.
A second cause for withholding cooperation is fear. Some students believe even if they try, they will fail — so why try? But teachers are equipped to prepare you to succeed. They want you to succeed. In today’s test-crazy educational setting, your success reflects on your teachers. Do you think teachers want you to look unprepared and untaught?
Sixth: “Be responsible.”
Students: you are in charge of your education. You decide how much effort you give and how much attention you pay. Getting an education is a student’s job. Part of doing that job is accepting the responsibilities that come with the job.
Seventh: “Be kind.”
The world is often cruel and hurtful. I wanted my classroom to be a safe haven — a place where students can come to learn without fear of taunts, bullying and ridicule. Nowhere is the Golden Rule more appropriate than the classroom: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Finally, the eighth: “Be honest.”
Begin by being honest with yourself. If you fool yourself, you are a fool indeed.
Be honest with your teachers.
Finally, be honest with your parents. Stop blaming your teacher for “giving” you a failing grade. Parents, I do not give grades. When grading enters the picture, I am an accountant who punches numbers into a grade book program. A student unhappy with the result needs to work harder and prepare better.
Parents need to provide the push.
Put these “Bees” into practice and you will have a great school year.
If you ignore these “Bees,” you will get stung.
Mike Parker is a columnist for The Free Press. You can reach him at mparker16@suddenlink.net or in care of this newspaper.