This work will help establish the importance of such skills and aid educators in efforts to foster their development in students. Notably absent in nearly all these efforts, however, is trait of honor. This is particularly ironic since few other personal traits have been held in higher esteem or valued longer throughout history than that of individual honor.
Honor can be either a noun or verb. As a noun it generally means high respect, great esteem, or adherence to what is right, similar to integrity or honesty. As a verb, honor means to regard with great respect, to fulfill an obligation or to keep a promise. One of the highest awards offered by the U. Department of State is the Distinguished Honor Award given in recognition of exceptionally outstanding service resulting in achievements of marked national or international significance.
Due to the strict requirements of this award, only two members of the Foreign Service below the rank of Ambassador have ever received it.
Honor serves as the central value in every branch of the military. The Honor Code at each of the military academies defines a system of ethics and code of conduct for cadets studying there. The Honor Code at the U. The U. It is also the oldest, continuously issued decoration of the U. Unfortunately, according to Terry Newell, author of the best-seller To Serve with Honor , the concept of honor has been lost in public service in modern times.
Newell, who spent nearly forty years in senior positions in the federal government, argues that although honor should pervade all those who serve in government, today it is confined only to those in the military. His book is an impassioned call to restore right conduct and honor to their needed places in public service. Then I introduce a new logic game to my remaining students and wait for the period to end.
In a not-very-scientific research survey, I asked 11 high school students of mostly high level academic performance whether being on the honor roll mattered in high school.
Did they think about it? Was it important to get on the list? Were students who did not make the list disappointed? Was honor roll motivating in some way? Every one of them said they never thought about honor roll, quickly adding that they did think about their GPA.
This is a telling statement on two fronts: First, students see grades and GPA as currency. Grades are about communication, not compensation.
Does posting a list of students who achieved straight As or some acceptable mixture of As and Bs actually motivate students to strive for honor roll status in the future? And, exactly how does an honor roll assembly motivate invitees and their disinvited classmates to learn more or work hard in the future?
Of greater concern is the flimsy nature of the single factor used to designate those worthy of honor roll status: grades. As most teachers know, grades are subjective, relative, and inferential at best. They are fragile things on which to base so much celebration and rejection. Grades are more a reflection of teachers than a reflection of what students know and can do regarding lesson objectives.
Some hold students accountable for one level of performance while others give As for far less proficiency. Some allow re-takes for full credit, some for partial credit. This will make the assignment more interesting to read for your teacher. Develop a clear thesis statement that helps you stay on topic throughout.
If your teacher gives a specific essay format, be sure to follow it in order to avoid losing points that could have been saved easily. Make sure you proofread your writing assignments thoroughly before handing them in. Part 3. Ask for help.
Talk with teachers and get help with subjects you don't understand. Your teachers will be happy to help you if you come to them after class or during office hours and tell them that you are struggling. Show them that you care about your grades by going the extra mile to ask for help.
There's no such thing as a stupid question. If you're studying or doing homework at home and don't get a problem, ask your parents or call a friend who has the same class. If they don't know the answer, make sure to come into school, ready to ask your teacher. Study for upcoming exams a little bit every night. This makes it easier to study for tests and keeps all your notes fresh in your mind in the event of a pop-quiz or even just for class participation.
Reviewing topics daily will help you stay on top of your studies and prepare for whatever happens in the classroom on a daily basis. Reviewing for exams a little bit each night means you will absorb much more of the information than if you wait to cram it all in at the last minute the night before the test. Always have time set aside to study and search for techniques that work for you.
Take good notes. Always take thorough notes in class. Be sure that your notes are easily readable and contain everything you need. Trying to study notes that are incomplete or illegible is a waste of your valuable time and making the honor roll requires organized study routines. Go above and beyond. If your teacher offers extra credit, always take advantage of those opportunities. In addition, you can put in some extra work to help you understand the concepts that are taught, rather than doing the bare minimum for each assignment.
For instance, do independent research so you have thorough background knowledge of the subject. This is especially helpful if you will have to answer essay questions on the topic. Join extracurricular activities.
Show that you are a well-rounded student by joining some extracurricular activities. Being on the honor roll is more than just about making good grades.
It means that you are an exemplary student that your school is proud of. Participating in extra activities on campus will help your school administrators and teachers view you as an involved student. Minimize stress. Being stressed out all the time will make you unhappy and, in the end, it could cause your grades to drop. Take some time to enjoy life, but remember to keep up with your work and your review. Spend some time reading a book for pleasure or playing sports with your neighbors.
Avoid expecting too much from yourself or setting unrealistic expectations. Don't focus on school so much that it consumes your life.
While school is always the priority, be sure to get involved in other things as well. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Please help me. Emily Listmann, MA. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Not Helpful 11 Helpful How do I make myself not depressed about my grades? Every time I do something different I just get this reminder in my head saying I'll get an F.
It's the start of the quarter and I'm failing science. What can I do? Not Helpful 15 Helpful Focus on yourself. Regardless of what your classmate does, you will be on the honor roll as long as you keep up your grades. Ignore her attempts to distract you and put your frustration towards her into your homework.
Not Helpful 8 Helpful Find out what qualifies you at your school for honor roll. You'll need to know: Exactly how good do your grades have to be? Are there other requirements behavior expectations, being on time, etc. Keep working hard, and don't give up. You can ask a teacher or counselor what else you need to do to get on honor roll if you are confused. If you think it's a mistake that you aren't on honor roll, talk to the counselor or an administrator at your school.
Not Helpful 9 Helpful
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