ASK ADA (ADVICE COLUMN)

Dear Ask Ada, 

    One of my teachers is really strict, and I have a B in their class right now. At the end of the grading period, I really want an A, but I’m worried that the instructions aren’t clear and I’m going to keep getting B’s.

-Concerned Classmate

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Dear Concerned Classmate,

    I understand where you’re coming from. Communication is the key to getting good grades, so if you don’t have clear instructions or a rubric to look at, then your grade will drop. You’re definitely going to want to email your teacher about that, so here are a few things you might want to include;

1. If your teacher’s style is only a couple long and important assignments, then you’re going to need to do really well on all of them. If you already got a B on one of them, try asking for extra credit. This is a surefire way to show your teacher that you care just a little bit more than everyone else, and you also have a chance to boost your grade.
   
2. This you should do anyway, but if you’re confused about something, you gotta ask the teacher for clarification about it. Don’t sit there in confusion until it’s too late - advocate for yourself! This is a great skill to learn, so that you don’t get confused by vague instructions and get points off for those mistakes. Students used to be able to just go to a teacher’s room after class or at lunch, but with pandemic restrictions you now need to plan out when and how you can get the help you need.
   
3. My final tip is to ask for a rubric. This shows what you need in your essay/quiz answer/slide to get which grade. If your teacher already provided you with a rubric, go back and cross-reference it to what you’ve already done (ideally before you turn it in!). For example, if the rubric says you need two strategies of solving the math problem to get a 4, go back and add another. If you meet up to the requirements, you’ll get a good grade, fair and square.
   

    Anyway, that pretty much sums it up. I’ve had the same problem before, so I really hope that these tips help out. They worked for me!

-Ask Ada

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