The Secret Sauce of Grades

I’m gonna spill the beans, let the cat out of the bag, clue you in on a big secret about how grades work. 

We’ve ending the third quarter for this school year and panic has begun to set in for some students. I’ve been getting frantic emails and messages:

“Am I passing this class?”

“What’s my grade?”

“What can I do to bring my grade up?”

I’m faced with a group, a disappointingly large group, of students who are just realizing that they have somehow missed the boat when it comes to grades. They have not figured out how academic success works and now they are in a state of apoplexy.

You’re not going to like this. It’s going to seem boring and routine, but here’s the secret to academic success: Do your work. Ask your questions. Come to office hours for help. Talk to your teachers if you’re confused, lost or over-whelmed.

We can help. It’s literally our job to help you succeed.

But, if you’ve basically taken the first 120 days of school off, doing little to no work, don’t expect an extra credit assignment to wash that all away. It can’t, you’ve skipped too much work. 

The best thing you can do is hit the ground running on Monday for the 4th quarter. Do the work - all the work. Get help when you need it. Ask your questions. Come to office hours.

It’s not exciting and it’s not easy.  It’s not the quick fix some kids are looking for, but doing the work - day after day is the secret to academic success.

Do the work and success will be yours, that’s the secret.