'Success at School also means better comments.' What do we mean by this? In an earlier post we saw that even if we do not get on well with teachers, we can begin to improve on our future prospects by working in our local community and how that small contribution can spiral outwards to leverage opportunity. We saw that it can link us with potential employers or other contributors to a more successful future. It gets positive comment flowing around us. That is valuable.
All well and good. 'How do I get more postive comments from my high school? Are these not very important too?' Absolutely. If your school gives you a lot of bland comments, employers can easily read into this that you have not really tried to do much, just cruised, did not join in, were not a team player, needed to be pushed all the time. All these conclusions can be reached from bland but non-negative comments. Most schools these days brush over the truth of the matter with bland, beige, non-personal, half-truths so they do not offend. Trouble is, then everything has to be interpreted by parents, by employers and by higher learning institutions.
What can you do to make the situation reflect better on you? First thing to remember is that teachers like to write positive comments because it reflects well on them. If they have a class full of hard working, attentive, curious, homework doing, organised, pleasant, polite, respectful, collegial students, the thinking is that it is they who have worked hard to create such a utopian classroom. If they can use these and other, similar, adjectives to describe students in their classes, they will tell everyone, knowing it positively influences their reputation. In high school that environment is very much down to the individual student.
Above all, remember it is the teachers standing in front of you each day who contribute those comments next to your name at the end of each semester. It is those comments that build a picture of you for people you may need to impress. Do not wait for too long to get those comments going because you want a consistent, non bland, picture of you to emerge. As always do not rush it, or the job will seem too big but also because you want an emerging, not static, picture as this creates a sense of growth in the person. It's just a perception thing, as most of what we do is.
What are your favourite two subjects? What sort of comments did you get on these? Were they strong, descriptive and complimentary? Did they reflect you in your best image? Did they faithfully represent you in that class? If they did, go to the next two and ask the same. Wherever you find that the comment is not as good as you would like it, take it on as a challenge to improve by the end of semester. Your target is at least two more clearly positive comments.
It is easy to do. Your teacher can hate you but must report factually. Use this. Here's how. What sort of comment would you like to see added to your next report? Some comments to get you thinking: works hard; works independently; asks questions if needs clarification; is polite; helps others in the class; submits excellent reports; is respectful of others; has a positive approach; finishes all set tasks; is organised; work is of high quality; cheerful; attentive; always prepared with equipment ready. You get the picture. There are a lot more we could keep listing. Now pick the two you want to work on. See, two will do because teachers do not write about each subject endlessly so they write about the things that stand out most.
Now about once per fortnight during the semester you have to follow up. The time in between each confirming action in the middle could be slightly longer but I would not risk it because teachers are very busy and so need constant affirmation of their thoughts about students for it to be embedded in a positive manner. How do you get '[insert your name] respects the needs of others in our class' next to your name? Show it. 'Morning sir/miss'; or whatever the standard greeting in your area is will start the process. You can do this around the campus out of earshot of those who may tease, if you are worried about that. So, not necessarily in the classroom in front of everyone. Then the real confirmation comes in the class itself. Look for it. If a student has no pen and you have a spare, ask through the teacher if the student wants to use yours; '[insert penless student name] can use mine sir/miss, I have a spare'. No loss of face there. If two students have no text to share and your buddy sitting next to you has one, offer your text. This does not need to happen often. What does it say? It says to the teacher that you realise that some people need a hand, that you value the learning of others, that you are courteous, that you respect their right to learn ... There are many conclusions a teacher may draw from this but all must be positive. Do this only a few more times during the semester and you are a stand out for a great comment. Impossible to ignore. If you need help with other ideas, email me.
Attack only two at a time, or you will give the teacher overload as they can only write about so few. Add another next term/semester.
Good luck with your studies. Hope you start to get more positive comments now you know how easy it can be to get them.
Have a great day
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