Starting:
The Differences in a Brand New School

When the bell rings
Now you have a Counselor
Tips for talking to teachers

When the bell rings (Top of Page • Home)
Punctual and regular class attendance is mandatory for school success.

Now you have a Counselor (Top of Page • Home)
Your counselor can be considered a very important person in your life over the next two years. No matter what the problem, your counselor is the one person who always wants to help. Get to know this person. Click here for more information about counselors.

Tips for talking to Teachers (Top of Page • Home)

1. Think about what you want to say before you go into your meeting. Make notes and bring them along.
   
   
2. Choose your words carefully. Instead of saying, "I'm behind because you give too much homework," you might say, "I'm behind on my school work and I want to catch up. Do you have any suggestions?"
   
   
3. Don't expect the teacher to have all the answers. Come prepared with your own ideas.
   
   
4. Be polite and respectful. Remember that the purpose of your meeting is conversation, not confrontation.
   
   
5. Focus on what you need, not on what you think the teacher is doing wrong. The more the teacher learns about you, the more he or she can help. The more defensive the teacher feels, the less he or she will want to help.
   
   
6. Don't forget to listen.
   
   
7. Bring your sense of humor. Not the joke-telling kind, but the kind that lets you laugh at yourself and your own mistakes.
   
   
8. If your meeting did not go as you planned, get help from another adult. Talk to the school counselor or another teacher you know and trust. Pick someone you think is likely to want to help you. Then try again.