Category Archives for "School"

0 How to deal with test anxiety

eiei asks: I am sure to fail chemistry in 1st Semester. I studied well but I can’t answer well. And the teacher will scold me and students will tease me. I know I must try in 2nd semester very much and I can pass 1st year and attend 2nd year. But I can’t face this moment. Results will be out soon, I’m sure I’m the only female with this problem, and everyone will notice who failed. I can’t sleep and eat from thinking about it. I know it’s crazy, but I’m feeling like I wish I were dead!

Hi eiei –

I really have two answers for you.  But the second is only if you actually do fail the test.  Can you promise me that, if you’re right and you fail (or even do really poorly), you’ll write me and let me know?  That way I can send you a letter about what to do in that situation.

But I’m not going to send you that letter yet.  And the reason is simple – I want you to STOP THINKING ABOUT FAILING!  Is it possible that the teacher grades “on the curve,” and your ending grade will be a bit higher than your scores so far would imply?  Is it possible that you’ll get points for effort, or that there are quizzes and things you haven’t taken into account?  Is it possible that Continue reading

0 How to teach a young child to read

Natasha asks: How can I get a 4-year-old to read?

Hi Natasha –

Most children don’t learn to read quite that young.  But my friend Handsome did.  So the one suggestion I can give you is what happened to him.  It was very simple.

First, when he was very very young, less than two years old, he had a babysitter who started teaching him the alphabet.  She taught him to sing it, and would show him the letters.  So by the time he was less than three, he knew the alphabet perfectly.

Then something happened that no one expected.  You see, Handsome always loved Continue reading

0 Why do some people like math?

danashafik123 asks: Why do lots of people like math?

Hi danashafik123 –

You know it’s funny, since you also recently wrote me asking about how to be less sensitive.  My friend Handsome is a very very sensitive guy – worries about everybody, cries at movies, all that.  And that’s what he uses in his work all day.  So you know what he really looks forward to every month?  Balancing his Continue reading

0 How to get your parent to agree to transferring to a different school

kym asks: How can I approach my mom to transfer me into another school?

Hi kym –

You might have seen already that I’m a huge fan of formal conversations.  In other words, I’ve seen tons of disasters when a kid or teen tries to casually, spontaneously, bring up big issues.  Like when their mom is uptight in a traffic jam, trying to get them to school on time, even though they got out of the house fifteen minutes late because the youngster didn’t get up when they were supposed to, and the kid says, “I think it’s unfair that I’m supposed to be home by ten o’clock, because I want to go to a party with some new friends this weekend and it’s all the way on the other side of town and no one’s going to want to leave before eleven because the college kids don’t come by with the beer before ten!”  Mom is not going to do well with that!

On the other hand, if you walk up to your mom and say Continue reading

0 How to confront cyber-bullying

fro-yo asks: There is this face chat thing on my iPod, and I logged on today, and got a friend request from someone with my account name. She told all my friends it was me, and started writing statuses saying stuff about me that isn’t true! I don’t know who she is, but I’m so embarrassed, and I’m afraid to go to school. All my friends will be there and they might have seen it!

Hi fro-yo –

My friend, you are the victim of what’s known as cyber-bullying.  This is a modern, high-technology, version of something that’s been done for millennia.  This person is lying, spreading false rumors about you, and working very hard to make you miserable.  Not only that, but the fact that they tried to ‘friend’ you means they definitely want you to know they’re doing it.

This stinks.  It’s cruel, it’s malicious, and most of all, it’s cowardly.

You see, this is where I have to say, we dogs are way better than people.  See, if I want to pick on a dog, I walk right up into her and Continue reading

0 How to deal with drama between friends

Tessa asks: Two of my friends ( a and b ) wanted to do a social studies project with my other friend ( c ). They agreed to flip a coin, because it seemed fair enough, and my friend ( a ) lost. She got very upset and left the chat (we were video chatting), and started messaging me saying she hates her life, cursing about it, and saying she’s happy that she’ll soon be moving away. Now she’s happy again. But my friend ( b) was sorry, because I wanted to do the project with her, so she said we could maybe do it as a triplet ( me b and c). So I told my friend ( c) the next day, and she said we had to tell my friend ( a ) that we were thinking about it, and we had to ask her if it would be okay. I told my other friend about it and she said ok. We were all scared because my friend ( a ) is very sensitive. When we told her she started crying hysterically. We didn’t say it was definite, but she tried to twist our words to make it look that way. Now my friend (c) wants to stay with her, and me and my friend ( b) are feeling left out! My friend (b) is crying, my other friends don’t care, and I’m in the middle. All of the sudden she is happy and our friend again, but she said she wouldn’t talk to us for a week. I don’t know, because she is spoiled, and if she doesn’t get what she wants she gets upset and waits for whoever upset her to forgive her even though she did something. I don’t think she is a good friend – really torturing her own friend and not caring. Should I forgive her or talk to her? I don’t know if it will make it worse.

Hi tessa –

Okay, I just have to say, this is just about the most complicated situation I’ve ever heard in my life.  I’ve had to read your question over a few times, and even though you tried really hard to make everything clear, I’m still confused at a few points.

But I’m very sure about one thing:  Your friends like DRAMA!  Lots and lots and lots of Drama!

My goodness, we’re talking about a Social Studies project here, not the senior prom!  Sure, everyone wants to feel wanted, but these girls need to develop a sense of perspective.

You are, like me, a good-hearted soul, who wants to please Continue reading

0 How to fend off bullies who insult your better qualities

ebrooke asks: I am in high school. A big group of bullies say mean things behind my back. I don’t know why but I think it’s because a) I look anorexic (I’m not); b) I sound American and people say mean things about that; c) I am friends with all the boys except the mean ones; and d) I have good grades (I don’t think that’s bad though). One day they called me and my friends nerds and a called them a mean thing back and then they kept on saying mean things and so did I. I feel guilty and if I say anything, they won’t stop and they can tell on me too. What can I do?

Hi ebrooke –

Okay, first of all, I have a couple of pieces on Bullying, on this site.  Just go to the Search Box on your right, and type in Bullying or Bullies – you should find them.

But then I want to point something out to you about bullies.  The best of them, the really talented ones, are brilliant at making people feel bad about themselves, even for their best qualities.  Said with enough scorn, “You’re a beautiful genius” can be an insult!  You have here listed four things that these jerks insult you for – and not one of them is a Continue reading

0 Why is math so difficult?

queeny nik asks: Why is it difficult for me to learn maths at school?

Hi queeny nik –

Well, as you can probably guess, I’m not exactly a Calculus expert myself!  I see trained dogs who appear good at counting to four or so, but really, our brains just don’t go that way much.

And the truth is, not all human brains do, either.  The human brain is so complex that all sorts of specific talents show up in a million ways.  Mozart could never have invented the light bulb; Da Vinci didn’t figure out the printing press; and if Shakespeare lived today, I doubt he’d be any good at Continue reading

0 Why is it so hard to get teenagers to concentrate on schoolwork

perman asks: I am a maths teacher. Many students say that they can not concentrate on studies at this age. What’s the reason? Can you offer me any help to convince them.

Hi perman –

I have a number of posts on here for teens, about how to concentrate better, and study better.  It’s always been very difficult, but you’re right, today it’s even more than usual.

Why has it always been difficult?  Well, mainly because this is a time in life when people’s bodies are changing very quickly, their hormones are going just wild, they’re becoming much more interested in their peers than in anything else, and many of those peers are also changing, in ways that can become very very attractive!

But also, the teenage years are a time when humans begin to question Continue reading

0 How to build confidence and motivation

Sarah asks: Next year I will be participating in my school’s pageant show and am going up against tough competitors. You see, I am a shy person but whatever I put my mind to I DO IT. I need some advice on being motivated. When people look at me, they see this insecure girl. How can I change that and also change me into thinking positive and having confidence in myself?

Hi Sarah –

I’m not sure exactly what you’ll be doing in the show.  Singing, dancing, modeling?  I might have better specific advice if I knew.  But even without that, it strikes me that you’re asking two questions here, and I can take a try at both.

First, how can you get more motivated, and think positively?  You have come to the right expert on that one, Sarah!  We dogs have NO problems with Continue reading