Simply approach your teacher after class, and say something like: “Hi, Ms. Guardiola, can I talk to you about my last exam?” Also, inquire about the possibility of doing extra credit to make up for your poor score. Having this feedback from your teacher will help you explain the situation to your parents and offer you possible ways to address the situation.
For instance, you can plan to earn a few points back through extra credit work and attend the after-school review sessions hosted by the English Club. To make a good plan, you should know what exactly went wrong. Was it simply that you didn’t understand a particular formula? Were you distracted by a personal issue or competing obligation? Did you not study as much as you should have? Take some time to reflect so that you can be sure your strategies will fix it.
For example, you might try out ways to broach the subject, such as: “Mom, I’ve been struggling a lot lately in Biology, and I failed the unit test we had last week,” or, “I got a D on my Trigonometry exam. . . I’ve already talked to Mr. Williams about it, and he recommended a tutor and agreed to let me do enough extra credit to bring up my score by one letter grade. ” Practice until you’re able to talk about yourself positively, as a positive self-image can give you confidence. For instance, instead of saying, “This test proves I’m a failure,” reframe the thought to, “This test proves that I need to work harder on certain concepts. ”
Your parents may also be able to help you rectify the situation by giving you support and advice. The sooner you tell them, the more likely they are to be able to help.
If test scores and grades are a frequent concern, try agreeing on a designated time each week when you can talk to your parents about how you’re doing in school.
You can say, “I’d like to talk to you about my score on the last Chemistry test. It’s kind of hard to talk about, but it’ll be easier if you’re patient and hear me out. ” Alternatively, you could try something like: “I got a bad grade on my French exam. Before you respond, can you give me a few minutes to explain the situation and how I’m going to address it?”
Being up-front about what went wrong will also communicate to your parents that you realize you are responsible for your own education and academic achievement. In other words, they don’t need to give you a lecture about it. For example, you might say, “I was very busy with rehearsals, but I know that studying should be my top priority,” or, “I knew that I didn’t have that particular formula down, so I should have gone to the teacher or a tutor for extra help before the test. ”
Try saying something like, “I’m so disappointed with my score; I’ve been upset about it all day,” or, “I feel terrible about failing the test; sorry for letting myself and you down. ”
For instance, you could say, “I’m going to do my best to get a better grade on the next exam. I plan on spending more time on my homework, studying with my friend Lisa who got an A on the last test, and doing extra-credit assignments to make up some of the points I lost. ” You can also show that you respect their experience and know-how by seeking their advice and feedback about your plan. Just ask questions like: “Does that sound like a good way to improve my scores?” or, “Do you have any recommendations for how I can do better in the future?”
For instance, you might say: “I struggled with this test, but I did really well on the last two,” or, “I missed all the questions about one particular theory but got full points for all the others. ”
It may even help to suggest what you feel is an appropriate punishment, such as: “How about if I stop playing video games during the week until my scores have improved in Trigonometry?”
If you don’t follow through, it will suggest that you have not taken responsibility and that you cannot be trusted. Both will make it more difficult to tell your parents about a bad score in the future.
Start the conversation with your parents by saying something like: “I would really like to improve my grade in German, but I’m still struggling. I think it might help if I got some one-on-one tutoring. Would you be willing to help me find a tutor and pay for a few sessions?”
For instance, you may ask them to help you study for the next exam by quizzing you with flashcards. All you have to do is say, “Dad, do you have a minute to help me review for my American History exam?”
