David Borgenicht: The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School

4 Check, please!

As you pack your bag for the trip home, give your planner a final check so you can pack any books you’ll need to get your homework done. Leave the others in your locker so they don’t weigh you down.

5 Do one final prep.

The next morning, check that planner again. If you’ve got football practice, pack your helmet. If there’s a field trip, bring a snack. If it’s Saturday, don’t go to school!

Maybe it feels like you’re the only one who gets called out for being late. Maybe the one time you toss your friend a note, your teacher catches it. Or maybe you feel like he just has it in for you. If you sense that you and your teacher aren’t clicking, try pushing these buttons instead.

1 Find a time to talk… privately.

Politely ask your teacher if there’s a time when you two can speak privately, so you won’t feel rushed. Good times to talk: during lunch, after school. Bad times: as your teacher passes your desk while handing out homework, right before the bell rings.

2 Nod a lot.

Arrive to your meeting on time and start by saying something like, “I want to talk about what I can do to help us get along better.” You made the brave move of taking that first step. Now you gotta see it through—look your teacher in the eyes while he’s talking, and don’t squirm, slouch, or look at the clock!

BE AWARE• Slow nodding says, “I’m listening,” and signals that you’re taking your teacher seriously. Too-fast nodding says, “Okay, I get it, enough already!”

3 Resist the urge to debate.

Every time you say, “I didn’t do that,” or, “He’s lying!” you keep the conversation in the past—and the past is the place where you kept getting in trouble. Try forward-looking statements like, “What can I do to succeed?,” or, “I’d love for us to have a fresh start. How can I make that happen?”

4 Make conversational extra credit.

Before you leave, make sure to thank your teacher for taking the time to talk to you. Expressing your gratitude lets you walk out with your best foot forward!

Your geography grade is sinking like it’s caught in quicksand in Morecambe Bay. (And if you weren’t tanking in geography, you’d know where that is.) You need someone to throw you a lifeline, quick… and here it is.

1 Hold a strategy session.

The learning process is like a game of tug-of-war. The more folks you have on your side, the better your chance to win. Feel like you’re getting pulled down? Recruit help! Let your teacher know you’d like to do better, and ask her to help you come up with a plan for success. Maybe she can recommend a tutor or fellow student who can help you out.

2 Twenty questions.

If a concept isn’t sinking in, ask a question. Still don’t get it? Ask another question. Then ask another person! Don’t give up till you find someone who can explain the confusing stuff in a way that makes sense to you.

3 Build your own A-Team.

Your friend’s a science whiz. You’re a budding Shakespeare. So, do like Billy S. himself, and “swappeth skills.” Have Mr. Wizard help you with your lab project, and you help him with his “book learnin’.”

4 Ask for an extra-credit card.

You never know until you ask, so don’t wait another minute: Ask your teacher if you can do something to score extra points. Maybe you can do another math worksheet? Write a short story using vocab words? Make a science poster explaining photosynthesis? It never hurts to make a suggestion!

You are the French master! You can conjugate être upside down and backward! So naturally, the one time you’re called on in French class is the one time you left your livre in your locker the night before. Anyone know the word for “help” en français ?

1 Take a moment.

Getting called on by surprise can make you panic. Take control! You don’t have to answer right away, even though all eyes are on you. Take a deep breath, think back to your homework or your textbook, and give it your best shot. If you really can’t come up with anything, then…

2 Be honest.

Look right back at the teacher and say, “Sorry, I don’t know that one.” At worst, you’ll get reprimanded for not paying attention. At best, you’ll get points for being honest. Earn cred in a foreign-language class by saying “I don’t know” in the language that’s stumped you.

3 Tip it over to a smart pal.

If it’s a fraction you’re stuck on, and your pal is Miss Fractions, try a little alley-oop: “I don’t know, but I betcha Emily does.” Just be careful: If Emily’s knowledge is more fractional than you think, she’s going to be plenty peeved that you shifted the spotlight onto her .

4 Raise your hand when you do know the answer.

Just like people take vitamin C to help ward off a cold, you can prevent the dreaded “getting called on when you’re clueless.” Teachers just want to hear from you, so participate early and often when you do know the answer. That should reduce your chances of getting called on when you don’t .

They say that cheaters never win and winners never cheat, but how does that help you if someone’s trying to harness your brainpower?

You sacrificed watching your favorite TV show to finish your math homework. But when you get on the bus, a greedy homework hog asks to copy your work.

1 Just say no.

Don’t even listen to the cheater’s pleas for help. Say “no can do” to that h-work hog, pop in your ear buds, and take a seat. Simple as that.

2 Try a quick comeback.

If the cheater won’t buzz off, use one of these replies:

• “I finished the assignment in school yesterday and already turned it in.”

• “That’s so funny—I was just about to ask to cheat off you!”

• “Actually, my dog barfed on it. You sure you want to touch it? I guess it doesn’t smell too bad…”

You studied like crazy for the history test and now know more about Columbus than C. C.’s mother did. But the test pest to your left is trying to steal the words right off your answer sheet.