Hot to get your instructor to know who you are

How to get the best grades from your instructor

People ask me how to build a relationship (which is very important) with their instructor when you may only have them for one class or only see them in large classroom settings.

Whether you are only going to have a particular instructor once or possibly several times in your college career, I HIGHLY suggest getting them to remember your name.  I cannot get into all the benefits of this strategy but you can do the math yourself.  You do not have to be a "kiss up" or even be the student that sits up front or answers all the in-class questions.  Your goal is to get the instructor to 'know you' and your strategy is to let them know your name, short background and your goals for the class and your college experience.

Here is what I ALWAYS do to get the instructor to know me out of everyone else.

* On the first day of class, take a few moments to meet the instructor after class.  There will be a line of students with questions and problems waiting to meet them. That's OK, try to be in the middle of the line or near the end somewhere.  Although instructors aren't generally rushed immediately after a class, after speaking to ten students, they may have to be on their way.  Try not to be the last student they speak to.  Introduce yourself, mention your background, maybe reason for taking the class and make sure to mention the grade you expect to get in their class!!!!  Make sure you mention that you want an "A".  I can't say that this will sway them in any manner, BUT, I do believe if they see you straying from your goal of an "A", they will mention extra credit work and I FEEL that instructors may be more likely to give you partial credit on answers on exams, better advice on research assignments and may even prompt them to bump your grade up if it is on the border line due to your goal of high achievement.  Obviously, I am not suggesting that instructors are unfair or show partiality, but I think this strategy works for students.

* If you can, stop by their office BEFORE classes start and introduce yourself.  This is a great private conversation between you and the professor.  Take the time to tell them about your background (what you do for a living or how you did in high school) and what you would like to accomplish in their class.  Here is what I would normally tell an instructor during this introduction, 'I am a former police officer working toward attending law school here at CSU after I graduate.  I have a 4.0 g.p.a. and would like to know what you suggest my strategies are to maintain that grade in your class.'

* Sit in a seat near the front (first or second row) just off center.  I always sit to the left of the instructor.  I seem to get a lot of eye contact and attention in that spot.  This will cause constant eye contact and attention during class.

* After a class is complete, thank the teacher with a handshake and ask what their class load is next semester.  Maybe ask for advice on classes to take that they will be teaching.

* This is a little off topic but, ALWAYS ask an instructor if they will proof read any writing assignment or research paper that you have to complete if you turn it in a little early.  I have never had an instructor  deny me this benefit!  The benefit to you is that they will make corrections on things that they would normally have marked on your final draft.  This is insight into what they are looking for and all you have to do is make the corrections that they made and your paper should be an "A" paper.  Ask for a second look after your first round of corrections just to make sure they caught everything.  They are essentially correcting their own corrections and your final paper will essentially be a paper that they would have written!!!!

* GET TO KNOW THE SECRETARIES in your department!!!  Firstly, these people really know how the inter-workings of the department work, know the different professors, can give you GREAT advice and can get stuff done for you.  Stop in before classes, introduce yourself, tell them the same thing as would did or would have told the professor.  Make sure to stop in at least once a semester and visit them.  Hint:  secretaries day is April 23rd.

I will post other habits of highly successful students in a later post.

Allan