It’s increasingly common for high school students to need extra academic support, especially given the difficulties that accompany remote learning. It may be that school work is more difficult or time-consuming than expected, the pace of a class is too fast, or that it’s hard to absorb the material due to something going on in a student’s personal life. Whatever your reason for seeking academic support, there are always resources you can turn to for extra help. Here are some ways to get extra help when you’re struggling in a class.
Talk to Your Teacher
Your teacher should be your first resource when you have questions about a class. You could approach your teacher before or after class to ask if you can schedule a time to discuss the material with which you’re struggling. Be sure you review the material before meeting with your teacher, and come prepared with specific questions that the teacher could answer rather than vague questions. It’s important to come prepared with specific questions so that your teacher can cater your session to your strengths and weaknesses instead of reteaching an entire lesson. If you have specific questions, many teachers would be happy to set up a one-on-one meeting with you or help you during a group study session after school. They could also direct you to extra resources that could help clarify questions you have about the material.
Use Online Resources
Online resources are another great way to supplement what you learn in class, especially if you want to learn the material at your own pace. Khan Academy is a fantastic resource for everything from math to science to history. While Khan Academy mainly offers video explanations of topics, they also offer articles and practice questions you can work through for additional practice. If you are looking for help with an English paper, the Purdue Online Writing Lab offers articles on a variety of writing-related topics, including how to create an outline, conduct research, and properly cite sources.
Meet With a Peer Tutor
If you want more time to talk through material with another person, peer tutoring could be a great option, as your teacher may only have a limited amount of time to meet with you. Many high schools have peer tutoring programs, so if you think this may be a good option for you, then you should talk to your teacher or guidance counselor about signing up to work with a peer tutor. You could also reach out to students in your class who are doing well and ask to meet with them.
Hire a Professional Tutor
If you would like to meet regularly with a subject expert, then you should consider hiring a professional tutor. A professional tutor should be able to create a customized study plan that includes tutoring sessions, meetings with your teacher, and online resources that allow you to learn the necessary material efficiently and succeed academically. A professional tutor should also be able to cater to your learning style and take your other responsibilities into account so that you can complete your schoolwork in the most efficient way possible. Moreover, a good tutor will not only diagnose and work on your weaknesses to produce measurable results, but also work with you to develop skills that could help you to navigate academic challenges in other subjects.
Whether you’re struggling with math, science, or the humanities, there are always resources you can turn to for additional help. If you’ve exhausted the resources at your school and online, contact us to discuss how our tutors can help you to reach your academic goals. Command Education provides free diagnostic tests and a free evaluation to help you understand your academic strengths and weaknesses and to answer any questions you may have regarding coursework and standardized testing.
