How to Impress Your Teachers Without Being a Teacher's Pet

Last Updated: May 19, 2021

If you're serious about doing well in school, you definitely want to impress your teachers. The trick is to impress them without looking like the teacher's pet. You can't always control what your classmates think of you, but you can at least try not to look like you're brown-nosing. Be friendly, and make an effort to talk to the other students more often than you talk to the teacher.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Impressing Your Teacher with Your Work

1
Create a digital presentation. If you are assigned a report, create a digital version instead. Your teacher will be impressed that you made the extra effort. The other students don't need to know you turned in a different type of project, so they won't think of you as the teacher's pet.^{[1]
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- Use a free online service like Powtoon to create digital book reports and presentations. Start with one of their templates, and customize them to fit your project.
2
Brainstorm to find great paper topics. Don't write about the same thing half the class will choose. If you make your work stand out by doing something different, your teacher will be impressed.^{[2]
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University of North Carolina Writing Center
UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process
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- Brainstorm to think up unusual angles for the topic. Set a timer for a set amount of time – say, 30 minutes – and do some internet research. Collect a list of possible ideas, then choose the best one.
- Try freewriting. Get a pen and paper, and let your thoughts flow freely. Write down anything that comes to mind. You may be surprised at the ideas you come up with.
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3
Examine different perspectives. When trying to understand a new concept in a class, try looking at it from different perspectives. If you need to research a topic for a paper, consider different angles before settling on one idea.^{[3]
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University of North Carolina Writing Center
UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process
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- Describe the subject in minute detail. Include every little part of the subject, and try to find the most interesting things about it. What makes this subject different from others that are similar to it?
- Trace the subject's history. Describe how this subject has changed over time, and find specific moments or events that changed it.
- Map your subject. Find a few things that are similar to your subject, and people or events that influenced it. How have other people approached your subject, and what were their thoughts about it?
4
Try adding interviews to research papers. If you have a term paper to write, try to include a brief personal interview. Most people are flattered to be asked for their opinions, and they won't mind giving you a few minutes of their time. Few students take the time to do this, and it will make a very good impression on your teacher.
- If you are doing a paper on the Gulf War, contact your local veterans' office and see if they can hook you up with a soldier who was actually there.
- If you are writing about gun control laws, call or email the local chapter of the NRA and ask if they can give you a quote for your paper.
5
Ask if you can do extra credit. Your teachers don't want to give you a bad grade – they would far rather have a reason to give you a better one. Ask if you can turn in an extra assignment for a few additional points.^{[4]
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- Ask your teacher if you can write a research paper, on a topic of your choosing or theirs. The other students won't be aware you're doing this, so you won't look like a teacher's pet.
- Ask if you could put together a presentation on something the class is studying. Your fellow students will be aware that you're doing this project, but if you make it fun and interesting it may liven up a class period for them.
6
Turn things in on time. If you have a big paper to write, don't put it off until the night before it's due. Try to at least get started early, so you will know early on if you're having trouble with it. If you absolutely can't finish a project by the due date, go to your teacher as soon as possible. You may be surprised at how willing they are to work with you.^{[5]
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7
Ask for help when you need it. If you're having difficulty understanding something in class, don't wait until the last minute to ask for help – the longer you ignore it, the harder it will be to catch up.
- Ask your teacher what you can do to improve your grades.
- Ask your parents if they will hire a tutor for you if you are really struggling in a certain subject.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting Along with Other Students

1
Give other students a chance to answer. If the teacher asks a question, don't raise your hand every single time you know the answer – you will look like you are trying to be her pet. Resist the urge to answer about half the time, and give other kids a chance to look like the smart kid.
- If you see that the kid next to you wants to raise their hand, but isn't feeling confident about it, give them an encouraging smile.
2
Don't volunteer every time. If the teacher calls for volunteers to clear the white board or to read a passage from a book aloud, don't volunteer every time. This will definitely make you look like you are trying to kiss up to the teacher.
- If your teacher continually “volunteers” you to do in-class readings, try saying, “I'm sorry, but I have a cold (or allergies) and my throat is a little sore. Can someone else take over today?”
3
Avoid gloating or boasting. If you do better on an exam than everyone else, and the grades are posted, don't mention it. Don't be seen discussing the test with your teacher, and don't talk about class grades with the other students.
- Be especially aware of the “humble brag.” Saying things like, “I forgot to study, and wound up cramming for the test over lunch – but I got an A, anyway” doesn't make you sound smart. It just makes you sound like a jerk.
- If you can deflect positive attention onto another student, this is even better. If a student or teacher praises you for a science project, for example, you could say, “A lot of the credit should go to [insert name of your lab partner] – she was amazing at analyzing the data we collected.”
4
Talk to other students more than the teacher. Before and after class, talk to the other kids. Unless you have a reason that you actually need to be there, don't be seen visiting your teachers during lunch. Eat lunch with your friends, and speak with your teachers in class. If you hang out at the teacher's desk all the time, you'll look like the teacher's pet.
- If you need to speak to the teacher before or after class (say, about the results of a test), keep the conversation short and focused on the issue at hand.
- Don't linger at the teacher's desk, or change the subject to social topics unrelated to your work.
- If other kids can overhear your conversation with a teacher, be sure you're discussing assignments or tests. Don't be seen joking and laughing with the teacher all the time.
5
Avoid sitting in the same seat every day. If possible vary where you sit in the classroom each day, so you can talk to different people before class. Don't sit directly in front of the teacher's desk unless you have to – this will definitely make you look like a teacher's pet.
6
Help your fellow students, but only if they ask. If one of your classmates asks for your help with an assignment, make time for them. But don't offer to tutor a struggling student who hasn't asked you – they may be offended.
7
Ask questions – but not too many. If you keep up with the lecture and ask questions when you need additional information, your teacher will appreciate it. But if you ask a lot of questions during every single class, the other kids will think you are trying to be the teacher's pet.^{[6]
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8
Put your phone away. Few things are more distracting in a classroom than someone who is trying to text someone back without being noticed. Everyone will notice, it's guaranteed. If you make your teacher stop and ask you to turn your phone off, they will not be impressed.
9
Smile. Make a point to smile as much as possible, without forcing it. Smiling makes other people feel more comfortable around you, and they will feel you are there for them and not for the teacher.
10
Be friendly. Greet everyone, and try to be sociable. If you're a little shy, try to make more of an effort to initiate conversations. Sometimes being too quiet can come across as being aloof or snobbish, when that isn't what you intended at all.^{[7]
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- If you want to strike up a casual conversation before class, ask them about something you've heard them mention in the past. (“Did you catch Game of Thrones last night?” or, “Did you hear there's a new Hunger Games movie coming out?)
- In English class, you could strike up a conversation about the reading assignment. “Are you caught up with your reading? I think I'm finally getting into this one...it was slow going, at first.”
- It doesn't really matter what you say, as long as it's a neutral topic and you say it with a friendly tone of voice.
- If you want an excuse for a quick exchange, ask your neighbor about last night's homework. “Did you get the answer to question 3? That one took me forever.” (Of course, don't do this if your homework is being graded – it will look like you're trying to cheat.)
- Unless you know someone very well, avoid topics that might spark an argument, like politics or religion.
11
Be your genuine self. Take the time to figure out who you really are, and have the courage to put your real personality on display. Your real self might be extroverted, confident, and charming. Or you might be introverted and bookish with a subtle, clever sense of humor. When you aren't pretending to be someone else, it's obvious to everyone you meet. Less evolved kids might tease you for being different, but most people will be impressed – teachers included.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I be impressive without overdoing it?

Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.

Ashley Pritchard, MA

School Counselor

Expert Answer

Asking good questions and paying attention in class is an easy way to impress your teacher without overdoing it.
Question

I have a question - I searched up how to impress your teachers. But this gives me nothing because everything listed in this is to be expected of others and I am already like this. I'm talking about things I can present to them to show I'm hardworking. What kinds of projects might I be able to engage in to gain my teacher's attention and trust?

Community Answer

Good question. You might try telling your teachers you want to find projects to work on that would look good on your school transcript - this will show them you're serious about your education. See if they can come up with a special assignment for you to do on your own. When the class is studying a topic that truly interests you, ask your teacher for book recommendations on the subject (be sure to discuss the book with them, after you read it.)
Question

What if someone else in the classroom is the "teacher's pet" ?

Community Answer

If you are sure that this kid is getting better grades than he deserves because the teacher likes him best, talk to your parents about it. If you don't have any proof that this "pet" is getting special treatment, the only thing you can do is work really hard on your assignments and try to get your teacher's attention that way. You don't want to be a "teacher's pet," anyway, do you? Wouldn't you rather be liked by everyone - students and teachers alike?