How to Impress Your Teachers

Focusing in Class

Follow your teacher’s directions. Carefully read all directions for homework and other assignments. Write directions down if they’re given orally, and if you forget the directions, ask your teacher or your classmates for help. For instance, if your essay assignment requires you to write in 12-point Times New Roman font, don’t use 13-point Helvetica. If you need to ask your teacher to clarify some directions, visit them during their office hours or wait until after class ends.

Be polite and respectful toward your teachers. Show them respect by asking if they are doing well and saying hello when you pass them in the halls. If your teacher greets you with "Good morning!", return their greeting. Always use polite language when speaking to your teachers. Avoid talking to your teachers like you would to your friends. Don't use slang or colloquial terms, like "yo, wad up dawg?"

Show up to class on time. If you have a doctor’s appointment, sporting event, band concert, or other commitment that requires you to miss class, contact your teacher ahead of time and let them know. Ask for the homework and readings that are assigned that day. If you’re constantly late (or worse, don’t show up to class at all), your teachers will be quite disappointed.

Focus on your teacher’s lessons. When your teacher is speaking, look at and listen to them. If they write on the board, look at the board and take notes even if they don’t ask you to. This will show you are actively engaged in the learning process. While there are legitimate uses for laptops (such as taking notes), don’t use your laptop or phone during class to chat with friends or browse social media. If your friends are a distraction, move your seat to sit away from them. If the class has assigned seating, ask your teacher if you can move.

Do your homework. This will show your teacher that you actually care about the class and want to do well. Homework also factors into your overall score, so you'll see your for that class improving. Sometimes homework takes longer than you first suspect it will. Do your homework as early as possible to ensure you have enough time to complete it. Don't make up excuses if you forget to do your homework. Be responsible and tell the truth. You might still get a 0 on the assignment, but your teacher will appreciate your honesty.

Provide your teacher with feedback. Positive encouragement is the best type of feedback. If, for instance, you enjoyed a particular lecture or if your teacher helps you better understand a complicated topic, let them know. Getting positive feedback will help your teacher know what they’re doing right and make them feel appreciated. You can also provide constructive feedback regarding ways in which your teacher could improve.

Dress nicely when the occasion requires it. In most cases, the way you dress is not a reflection of your interest in the class. However, if you are making a presentation or giving a speech, your teacher might recommend that you dress in formal clothing. Heed your teacher’s advice in these situations and dress in a professional manner.

Go beyond the class material. Spend time studying additional materials in order to gain a better grasp of the material your teacher is presenting. For instance, if you want to impress your German teacher, teach yourself some additional words and phrases that you can use on your homework or in class. In this way, you’ll demonstrate that you have a real passion for the subject. Use books, podcasts, videos, or articles to learn more about a given topic. Look for additional sources online and in your local library. You could also ask your teacher directly for additional materials. For instance, you might ask your teacher for other books on a topic you enjoyed.

Increasing Your Participation

Ask questions in class. Your teachers will be very impressed if you ask thoughtful questions. The formulation of these questions will vary widely depending on the particular class you’re in. Consider your teacher’s lecture or the material you were assigned, then identify information that was not explained well (or at all). For instance, if you read that a particular national crisis was solved by the passage of a new tax, you could ask your teacher who developed the tax, or how long it was in effect.

Answer your teacher’s questions. If you know the answer (or even think you know the answer) to your teacher’s question, raise your hand and answer it. Don’t be afraid to get an answer wrong; your teacher will appreciate your effort just the same.

Join in class discussions. Your teacher might sometimes invite comments from you and your classmates about a particular problem or topic they are lecturing about. During this period of open comment and exchange, share your thoughts and feelings in an open and honest way. Use the responses of your fellow students as well as the class material to come up with your own thoughts and comments. Joining class discussions counts towards class participation and may help boost your overall grade.

Don't dominate the class discussion. Your teachers won’t be impressed by you if your hog all the attention. Make a few smart points, then let others contribute. Try to participate at least once during each class or each discussion. Be courteous of other students, however, and give others a chance to talk as well. If your class is large or if your teacher does not invite questions or comments, you might not be able to participate at all on some days.

Offer to help your teacher in class. If your teacher is rearranging the desks or hanging posters up, ask them if they need help. Your thoughtfulness and generosity will impress them. Encourage your friends to help out, too.

Going Above and Beyond

Encourage improvements around your school. Open the letter with some positive comments about your school, then make some suggestions for improvement. Use clear, concise language as well as proper spelling and grammar. If you can't think of how to improve your school, ask your classmates for their thoughts. One example might be providing greater access for disabled students.

Engage in community activism and write about your experiences. Volunteering to help poor or under-served communities in your city, launching a petition to improve public safety, or bringing a proposal to your city council to create a public park are all positive extracurricular activities that would impress your teachers. It will be hard to share these experiences with math and science teachers whose classes don’t require much writing, but they could provide useful material for classes like English, speech, sociology, and history.

Act as a tutor for other students. If you are really skilled in a particular class, you could volunteer (or work) as a tutor. Look for opportunities to tutor others either through official channels (like a tutoring program organized through your school) or through your network of friends and peers.

Start an in-school mentorship program for different grades. Your mentorship program might, for instance, pair older students with younger students in order to help them get studying tips and advice. Or you could start a mentorship program that empowers younger students to resist peer pressure. After establishing the goals and methods of the program, enlist help from other students who want to act as mentors. Promote the program online and using fliers posted around your school to attract younger students who might be interested. Mentorship programs are very flexible. It’s your program, develop it in a way that will both serve your school and impress your teachers.

Organize a canned food drive during a holiday season. A few weeks prior to Thanksgiving or another holiday, ask your teachers for permission to place bins or boxes in their classrooms. Encourage your classmates to bring canned or boxed goods to school to put in the bins. Donate the contents of the food drive to a nearby soup kitchen or food bank before the holiday arrives. To increase participation, ask your teachers if they’ll offer extra credit to students who donate canned goods.

Be a leader by getting involved in student government. Taking on a role with the student council or another leadership position will really improve how your teachers think of you. The specific process by which you can become a member of student council or a related organization varies depending on your school. In most cases, you’ll have to develop a campaign, drum up support from your peers, and then face off against rivals to win an election. Leadership positions in school clubs might be less competitive. Talk to the current leadership of clubs you’re interested in for details about how you can contribute.