Junior/Senior advice to freshmen
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“Take the class level that is right for you. Nothing too easy, but nothing too hard.”
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“Don’t be lazy, do your homework and study for tests. If you need help, there are plenty of people in the building to help you, including students.”
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“Get the best grades you can while it’s easy. If you can start out with a high GPA, then when it gets harder you’ll have that to back you up.”
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“Start finding out what you would like to do with your life. That way you can take classes that will help you prepare for that.
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"Don’t hesitate to drop a class if you know you are going to fail.”
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“Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself with difficult courses.
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“Don’t slack off! Keeping up with your work will help a lot.”
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“Don’t wait too long to ask questions about something you’re confused with. It can put you pretty far behind.”
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“Don’t take blow off classes as underclassmen, so your load isn’t a lot when you are a senior.”
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“Being lazy will get you nowhere, so do your work to the best of your ability.”
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The following are guidelines we feel will make students successful at Normal West High School. As parents, you can help your son or daughter by assisting them in the following areas:
Note-taking
Students are encouraged to transition from note-taking with the intent to answer test questions to taking concise notes with the intent to learn application of the material. Students should learn they need to write down important information even if it is only spoken and not on the board or on the notes sheet.
Organization
Organization is the key to success for most students;
1. Each class is independent of the others, so each class should have a separate folder or binder.
2. Ideally, these folders or binders would have separate sections for notes, tests, homework and so forth. Students need to keep all of their notes and other materials. They will need them to study for tests and the final at the end of the semester.
3. Use the planner provided by the school. Make sure you write down assignments and their due dates.
4. Parents can help with organization by helping their student maintain his or her binders or folders and checking the assignment notebook.
Homework Completion
Doing homework is essential to your grade. Very often students who have great attendance, participation, and test scores will not do the homework. This greatly affects their grades. Many students also do not take the responsibility to complete the work they miss when they are absent and a lower grade may result.
Final Exams
Final exams are different for each course. Some courses offer a traditional test, project, or other assessment while other courses use the final exam time to reassess previous skills, targets, and learning.
Student Responsibility
Freshmen must learn that they need to advocate for themselves. If they miss school or do not understand concepts taught in class, they need to speak to the teacher. The teachers at Normal West are more than willing to help students who ask.
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