Changing Your Relationship with School Making Education a Positive Experience

Relationship  Re-la-tion-ship NOUN 1. the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. Oxford Dictionary  Re-la-tion-ship NOUN 1. the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected. Oxford Dictionary

Friends vs. Enemies  What if school and learning were your friends, not an enemy? A source of intellectual nourishment and pleasure, rather than frustration and disappointment? For many students that is hard to imagine. The good news is that you have the power to change your relationship with school, your teachers, your parents, and your future. And it all starts with changing how you connect with school.

Common Mistakes  People sometimes make mistakes when it comes to doing well in school. Things like:  Not doing work in class.  Missing school just because they want to stay home.  Not turning in assignments on time or not doing homework.  Being afraid to ask for help.  Misbehaving in class.  Disrespecting others.  All of these things can add up to feelings of frustration, anger, or disappointment and can lead to a bad attitude toward school and learning. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.  People sometimes make mistakes when it comes to doing well in school. Things like:  Not doing work in class.  Missing school just because they want to stay home.  Not turning in assignments on time or not doing homework.  Being afraid to ask for help.  Misbehaving in class.  Disrespecting others.  All of these things can add up to feelings of frustration, anger, or disappointment and can lead to a bad attitude toward school and learning. But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Changing Your Relationship  Making changes in your connection to school is going to require that you actively choose to work to make your school experience better. The good news is you have a lot of support from teachers, counselors, administrators, and family. Also, understand that it will mean you have to work toward making it better. You can choose to improve in one class or every class. So, let’s think about things in a new way...

Lagoon o Why do you like to go to Lagoon? o What are your favorite rides or attractions? o Why do you like them? o What if your favorite ride was shut down for the day? o Why don’t you go on certain rides? What about Kiddie Land? o Could you still have fun at Lagoon if it was raining hard and most of the cool rides were closed?

Making Lagoon a Fun Place  Have you ever thought about what it takes to make Lagoon a fun and safe place for their guests?

Work  It takes a lot of work to make Lagoon a fun and safe place. There are many things that have to happen every day to keep Lagoon running.  Maintenance  Electrical  Grounds Keeping  Food Services  Lifeguards  Painting  Mechanics  Engineers  Business Office  Marketing  Sanitation  Games  Carpenters  Plumbers  Purchasing  Graphic Designers  Beverage Services  Safety Inspectors  Ticket Office  Parking  That’s not all...

How Does This Relate to School?  Just like Lagoon, it takes a lot of work to be successful in school. So, what can you do to change your relationship with school? How about taking a holistic approach to school by aligning what you need to know to be successful with the work you are doing in school.  In other words, you are the one who decides how you will connect with school, learning, teachers, and other students. You can make school a friend or an enemy. Making it a friend helps you be successful, feel better about yourself, and your school experience.  Just like Lagoon, it takes a lot of work to be successful in school. So, what can you do to change your relationship with school? How about taking a holistic approach to school by aligning what you need to know to be successful with the work you are doing in school.  In other words, you are the one who decides how you will connect with school, learning, teachers, and other students. You can make school a friend or an enemy. Making it a friend helps you be successful, feel better about yourself, and your school experience.

It’s Not About the School Critical Questions to Think About  Are you stressed, bored, or distracted?  Are you avoiding doing the work to gain a sense of control?  Are you struggling to understand a concept and afraid to ask for help?  Are you unsure about where you want to be in school?  Do you understand the benefits of doing well in school? Critical Questions to Think About  Are you stressed, bored, or distracted?  Are you avoiding doing the work to gain a sense of control?  Are you struggling to understand a concept and afraid to ask for help?  Are you unsure about where you want to be in school?  Do you understand the benefits of doing well in school?

What Can You Do About It?  Attend school every day and go to each class.  If you are sick, a parent must call the attendance office before 8:00am to report the absence. Excused absences mean teachers will give you extra time to get work done.  Do your class work and homework when you have it.  Ask for help from teachers when you need it. They are experts in their field of study.  Avoid procrastination and turning in assignments late.  Follow school and classroom rules.  Use your planner to keep track of assignments, tests, quizzes, and due dates. It’s also your hall pass.  Make a commitment to do your best and keep working your best.  Treat others with respect.  Attend school every day and go to each class.  If you are sick, a parent must call the attendance office before 8:00am to report the absence. Excused absences mean teachers will give you extra time to get work done.  Do your class work and homework when you have it.  Ask for help from teachers when you need it. They are experts in their field of study.  Avoid procrastination and turning in assignments late.  Follow school and classroom rules.  Use your planner to keep track of assignments, tests, quizzes, and due dates. It’s also your hall pass.  Make a commitment to do your best and keep working your best.  Treat others with respect.

What Will Happen?  If you stick with your plan and keep working toward your goals you will see improvement in your grades.  As your grades improve, your relationship with school will improve.  When you are doing better in school you will feel better about yourself and become more confident in your abilities.  You will be ready for the next grade in school and for a career or college after you graduate.  School will become a positive, safe place for you.  If you stick with your plan and keep working toward your goals you will see improvement in your grades.  As your grades improve, your relationship with school will improve.  When you are doing better in school you will feel better about yourself and become more confident in your abilities.  You will be ready for the next grade in school and for a career or college after you graduate.  School will become a positive, safe place for you.

What Happens if You Fail?  Simple, start over.  Re-evaluate the problem. Think of better ways to make the connection, and try again.  Don’t quit. Stay in the struggle. Ask for help. Keep trying!  “We shall require a whole new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.” – Albert Einstein  Simple, start over.  Re-evaluate the problem. Think of better ways to make the connection, and try again.  Don’t quit. Stay in the struggle. Ask for help. Keep trying!  “We shall require a whole new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive.” – Albert Einstein

Last Thing  You decide what your relationship with school will be. Sure, you may have classes you struggle to learn in or don’t enjoy, but your attitude will determine your success.  20 years from now it won’t matter what clothes you wore in junior high, how popular you were, if your phone was charged, how many “likes” you got on Insta-snap-book-chat- twitter-gram-page. What will matter is if you took the time to work toward making your goals happen. If you do, then you will have had a great school experience and will have developed a positive relationship with school and learning that will last a lifetime.  Remember: It is up to you. No excuses and no blaming. How you connect to school is your responsibility.  You decide what your relationship with school will be. Sure, you may have classes you struggle to learn in or don’t enjoy, but your attitude will determine your success.  20 years from now it won’t matter what clothes you wore in junior high, how popular you were, if your phone was charged, how many “likes” you got on Insta-snap-book-chat- twitter-gram-page. What will matter is if you took the time to work toward making your goals happen. If you do, then you will have had a great school experience and will have developed a positive relationship with school and learning that will last a lifetime.  Remember: It is up to you. No excuses and no blaming. How you connect to school is your responsibility.

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