Good Grades

Teacher influence -

Teachers have much more influence over which students make good grades than you might think -- and I'm not just talking about favoring students they like. I'm talking about learning preferences.

If you think back to your own experiences in school, you'll probably agree that many of your teachers were lecture-oriented. Why? It's simple. Those teachers were auditory learners. In other words, they learned best by hearing.

Typically, auditory learners will do better in school. Why? Because of circumstances that have been perpetuated for decades.

The schoolhouse model -

Originally, in the schoolhouse model the teacher was the expert who imparted information. Much of the communication was one-way and compliant students were rewarded. Consequently, children who could sit still for long periods and learn by listening excelled.

Since these children often had positive school experiences, they were more likely to enter the teaching profession. This resulted in a steady supply of teachers who were auditory learners and lecture-oriented.

More recently, teacher training has emphasized differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction focuses on students learning in different ways and at different rates.

Nevertheless, many schools are still heavily lecture-oriented. This is particularly true at the high school level.

What should you do?

So what should you do if your child isn't an auditory learner? What should you do if your child's teacher doesn't differentiate instruction? You can still help your child succeed.

How? Point out the problem to the teacher and help your child adapt by learning proper notetaking skills.

You should also make sure your child understands how the teacher calculates grades.

Teachers are also influenced by other factors. Check out these good grades TIPS to help your child rise above the crowd.

Want to help a young person you care about?

Click here - How to Achieve

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