AboutDaryl Taylor, BSc(Hons) Psychology Expertise As a former youth worker, working in the UK and as a Camp Counsellor in the US, I have volunteered and helped young people from all over the world. I have worked for two or three websites like this in the past since I was about 13/14 and I continue to do so now at the age of 23. I can answer problems on a whole range of issues from friends and family, to drugs, sex, alcohol and relationships etc.
Experience I have worked as a youth worker for local organisations, volunteered on this and other websites giving out information for about 8 years, volunteered at my college and university doing face to face counselling and I have recently worked for an organisation in the UK which specialises in helping young people aged 13-19 to make positive decisions in their lives. I have featured in a UK based magazine called Aim Higher as a case study to show triumpth through adversity and I have recieved an Adult Learner's Award for my pioneering work at college.
Question I just turned 17 I am in 10th grade I am A boy and the problem is my grades are not exactly the greatest and now the 4th marking period has started and this is like my last chance to get my grades up before the summer and I dont even know if thats gonna be enough sometimes I just want to give up and i dont know what to do school is not really my thing but at the same time I know im not really gonna get anywhere without an decent education and im not really the type to ask for help or let anybody help....or tell people my problems so I dont really know what to do so maybe you can give me some advice
Answer Hello there Janeer,
Thank you for taking the time to write to me and to share your concerns. I know that it is not easy to ask for help when you are so used to dealing with things by yourself, but I hope I can help in some way.
I think it is important that you put things into perspective and you begin to see the bigger picture with your grades: they are important, but if all else fails, you do have options to retake classes and do resits in the future to boost up your credits if needs be: even if this means you will have to finish school, get a job and then go back to retake classes at a later date. The school will do all they can to help you now and if needs be, in the future and if they cannot, they will be able to point you in the direction of local services that can. So, if all else fails, it may take time but you can get to where you want to be...so it's not worth making yourself ill with worry over this.
Secondly, you have obviously realised how important this new marking period is and you have been jolted into action to try and up your marks which is good. You can still make a big difference to the outcome of your schooling and if you put in as much work as you can, there is no reason why the school should not reward this. If don't, then the school may see you as not caring and not do anything to help.
I think it is important that you plan your time well and that you devise a study schedule for weeknights. It doesn't have to be gruelling or boring, in fact, the less so the better. If you start reading around your classes from recommended text books or reading the notes for the following classes ahead of them, you can write down any questions to ask your teacher or ask them to explain anything you don't understand. It is also important that you do actually understand the material you are studying in class and that you don't just go home knowing you don't understand it. Get help and get things explained to you, it's part of the school's responsibility and it is the job of the teacher's to help you understand material so you can use it to get the highest grades you can.
Make your own notes and make them interesting. If it helps use different colored inks and pictures to help you remember things. Get some 'cue cards' which are cards that you can put questions on one side and the answers on the back and check yourself. Break up your learning at home but studying different materials and not getting lost in one book. Do something you enjoy and at the end of every week, do a practice paper and then reward yourself with a treat. Take plenty of breaks, get plenty of sleep and make sure you eat properly...all of which can help you feel alert, including drinking plenty of water.
Attend extra study classes if they are on and get help from friends who may be able to explain difficult things simpler than the teacher. Do all this and then when it comes to taking the actual paper, just do all that you can do and be happy with the fact that you have tried your best.
You may also want to discuss your options with a guidance counsellor at the school who may be able to show you what you need to do to get where you want to be.
You can only ever do your best and if that is not good enough, then what is? If you all this work and nothing comes of it, then maybe you are just not the academic type but that doesn't mean you are going to end up in a bad job, it just means you are going to have to take a different career path.
