Try striking up a conversation by asking about personal details you already know like, “How are your cats doing, Mr. Smith?” or “How is Mr. Evans doing, Mrs. Evans?” Look at the personal effects your teachers have on their desks. If they have a lot of pictures of mountains, ask them if they like to go hiking. Or tell them about a personal connection you might have with some mountains (maybe your family went there on vacation one summer?). Try making connections between yourself and the details you see about your teachers’ lives. You can also give them a little card or gift during the holidays. A gesture of appreciation can mean a lot to your teachers. Just don’t make it too extravagant of a gift or your teacher will feel uncomfortable accepting it. A simple card, a box of candy, or a $10 giftcard would be an acceptable gift.

Show your teachers that you respect yourself by not allowing others to treat you poorly. Stand up for yourself if someone bullies you and report bad behavior to the principal if you see something.

Do your work in pencil when possible so that you can easily erase any mistakes you might make. If you have to write in pen, try to make as few mistakes as possible. But be prepared to start over with a clean sheet of paper if there are too many mistakes.

Plus, taking notes will help you in the long run too. When test time rolls around, you’ll be prepared with lots of notes from class to study from.

Being organized is a big part of turning in assignments on time. Try keeping track of your homework by writing your assignments in a planner and notating the due dates for each assignment. [6] X Research source Being organized and never forgetting assignments will impress your teachers.

If you don’t wear a uniform in your school, then don’t dress inappropriately. Wear clothing that meets your school’s dress code requirements. Dress like you would if you were going to church. [8] X Research source This means collared shirts with slacks or nice jeans for boys and dresses (knee-length) or nice pants and a cute top for girls. Nothing should be overly tight or revealing.

You don’t have to smile every second of the day. Just try to smile often.