Step 1: Be Proactive: 

As Ben Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” The best defense against falling behind in school because of absences is to go on the offensive. If possible, students should plan to talk to teachers a few days before they miss school. This is a great time to practice advocating for one’s self and building rapport with his or her teachers. By emailing the teacher in advance, students can set up an appointment to ask what they should do to stay on track in class while they are absent. Alternatively, students can build a network of peers to help in the event that they will be absent. Social capital is powerful. By helping friends when they are absent, students can create a safety net for when absences occur. Students should find at least one reliable friend in each class so that when they need to reach out to get a copy of the day’s notes because they missed class, they aren’t scrambling to find someone to help.  

Step 2: Make a plan: 

To leave an even better impression on your teacher, students should devise a plan. Preparation shows maturity and commitment to success. For example, if a student is going to miss a quiz while absent, he or she should be prepared with two or three potential make-up times when meeting with a teacher to determine alternate arrangements; students should also make a plan to get the notes from a friend. Teachers will be impressed when students are committed to class, and grades will benefit. The easiest way for students to avoid late work and stay on track with grades is to be proactive and make a plan when they miss school. 

Step 3: Follow Up if you have questions: 

When students start doing makeup work, they will probably have questions because they were not in class to learn the material. Even when the student gets the notes from a friend, there may still be questions about how to complete an assignment. Students are not expected to suffer in silence. THEY SHOULD ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP. Not asking for help when help is needed is just another way that students procrastinate when getting work done. If it is an appropriate time, students can email their teacher. Otherwise, students can ask a friend or a tutor for help. 

Step 4: TURN IT IN

Once students have finished make-up work, they must make sure that they turn the work in! When a student is absent, it is not the teacher’s responsibility to hunt them down for make-up work.  Because students won’t have a reminder in class to turn their work in, they need to set reminders themselves or have a system in place to make sure that they turn work in. Students can set reminders on their phones, turn in homework first thing when they get to school, or write it down somewhere they know they will see it. Assignments that never get turned in usually get buried in a backpack or folder somewhere. If a student has done all the work, they should make sure it gets in their teacher’s hands for grading. 

Step 5: Make sure you have Credit 

After students have done the work and turned it in, they should make sure they get credit. This may be shocking to some students, but teachers are also human beings who make mistakes. Sometimes, even if a student turns in work on the day that they return from an absence, teachers will forget to change it in the gradebook. Students should check grades a week after submitting make-up work to make sure that all credit is recorded. If the grade is not updated after a week, students should send a polite email to their teacher to remedy the situation. It is important that students advocate for themselves but always be respectful. 

Using this 5-step plan will ensure that you don’t fall behind after missing a few days of school. `This is just one way to stay on top of grades and ensure success in the classroom. For more tips like these and more information about our unique one-on-one academic coaching services, please visit this page. 

What is Impression Management?

Successful students work hard to maintain their grades but must also work hard to create and maintain good impressions. In other words, to maximize their potential, students need to ensure that teachers, parents, and peers highly think of them. Students should ask themselves: How can I ensure that I get credit for all my work? For example, suppose a student spends several hours each night studying algebra. In that case, he or she should benefit from good impression management techniques to ensure that the teacher knows the hard effort going into the class. Impression management is simply a way to help hard-working students get the recognition they deserve. 

Why Impression Management Matters? 

Believe it or not, the most successful students are only sometimes the ones with the highest GPAs and perfect ACT scores. Students should have realistic, challenging, and measurable personal and academic goals. Students must “catch the eye” of their teachers, coaches, and other authority figures to ensure that goals are met. This doesn’t always mean being a teacher’s pet or completing hundreds of extra credit assignments. Instead, successful students demonstrate maturity, drive, and progress in the classroom every day – even when no one is watching. Forming positive relationships with teachers, parents, and peers gives students an advantage, both in the classroom and in the larger world beyond. Impression Management matters because teachers, coaches, and admissions offices assess the intangibles in addition to the transcripts and test scores. A charismatic, suave student who always turns in her assignments on time and asks good questions in class will always benefit from the doubt. On high school and college applications, glowing recommendation letters allow teachers and coaches to advocate for students willing to go the extra mile. Students who consistently demonstrate a willingness to do the work and come in for extra help are often rewarded on any subjectively graded assignment. When it is time for a student to apply for her first internship, she will be confident in interviews because of a lifetime spent perfecting the art of communication and confidence in her ability to leave a lasting impression on everyone she meets. 

How can students make fast improvements to Impression Management skills?

The benefits of Impression Management training are endless, but let’s talk about quick ways that students can maximize their impact on teachers, peers, and other influential people every day, both inside and outside the classroom. Here are seven ways for students to drastically improve Impression Management skills: 

1. MAKE SURE THE PERSON IN CHARGE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE. This sounds silly, but if a teacher or coach has hundreds of students, you are just another student sitting at a desk in his/her classroom. Make yourself memorable. If possible, go introduce yourself during office hours during the first week of school. Alternatively, show up early and stay a few minutes after class. Spend time getting to know your teacher and having them get to know you. Ask them how their day is going or where they got that peculiar poster on the wall.
2. COME PREPARED TO LEARN. Bobby Unser once said, “Success is where preparation meets opportunity.” Successful students show up to class ready to learn every day. They review notes from the day before. They write down questions to ask in class tomorrow. They have a notebook out and homework ready to turn in thirty seconds after they sit down. Teachers notice urgency, preparation, and organization. Make sure that your teacher knows that you want to succeed from day one. 
3. MAKE SURE THEY SEE YOU. The camouflage of the back row is crippling to the impressions you leave. Sit towards the front of the class. Make sure the teacher sees you taking notes and paying attention during class. Not only will this help you stay focused during class, but it will also put you in the teacher’s good graces. 
4. ATTEND TUTORIALS… EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T THINK NEED IT! Obviously, seeing your teacher during office hours is a positive thing, but don’t treat tutorials like the Emergency Room. Treat them like the dentist and go even when nothing is wrong. Students who show up outside of academic crises make it very clear that they want to succeed and they have a plan to do so. Successful students should be attending tutorials at least once every two weeks. 
5. SAY THANK YOU. Whether it is your parents, your teacher, a janitor, or a stranger who holds open the door for you, say thank you. Gratitude goes a long way, and successful students know that most of these people never get the recognition for what they do. Sadly, saying thank you is rare in schools. Make yourself stand out and make someone’s day at the same time. 
6. TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. Learning to network with other students is a success multiplier. Your grades will improve, and you will also score some serious social capital with your classmates. Form study groups with other students who are successful in the class. Being able to review and teach each other the material is an excellent way to get ready for an exam. Plus, teachers are always listening in the hallways. Imagine if a teacher hears that a study group that you organized has helped several students in your class succeed. 
7. LEARN THE ART OF THE EMAIL. There is nothing more disrespectful to a teacher than sending a poorly written email. Start with an appropriate greeting (e.g., Good Morning), a brief but clear message, and end with a simple signature. Self advocation is a crucial life skill, and emails are a great first step for shy students. 

If you would like to learn more about impression management or one of the other skills taught through our unique academic coaching curriculum, visit our services page.