SOPHOMORE YEAR TIMELINE FOR DEVELOPING TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS

STUDENTS
Continue with the above suggestions. If a teacher you particularly liked during your freshman year offers a sophomore course, do everything you can to enroll in that class. For personal and admissions purposes, it is very good to have on-going, good relationships with certain teachers.

If you are unclear about what teachers look for in outstanding students (and about what they might write in a letter of recommendation), here are a few ideas. Teachers look at how students:

1. Learn to deal with new ideas and concepts; develop their skills, reason, and analyze

2. Overcome academic challenges in their class

3. Interact, contribute, and work with fellow students; assume leadership roles

4. Write and express themselves orally

5. Go beyond what is expected; put effort into their academic work and extracurricular activities

6. Grow over the year/s, including collecting achievements and awards, and developing special talents and their own creativity

7. Are academically and personally different from other students

8. Will fare in a rigorous college environment and contribute in their own particular ways

PARENTS
Continue acting on the freshman year suggestions.

JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE FOR DEVELOPING TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS

STUDENTS
With college admissions just a year ahead, this is a critical year in which to develop and have good teacher relationships.

Before Junior Year Ends

1. Before the school year concludes, ask favorite teachers if they would write a recommendation for your college applications in the fall.

2. Let these teachers know what you are doing over the summer to prepare for admissions. Tell them about any schools in which you are interested. If ready, give them a copy of your activities resume to date.

PARENTS
Continue developing relationships with your child’s teachers. If you haven’t done it up to this point, do it now!