As a teacher and tutor, I get asked a lot of questions. One of the most frequent involves how to study for mathematics. I often hear, "I know what I'm doing on homework, but then I freeze up on tests. I'm just a bad test taker."
Let me challenge that perception if I may. I don't believe the deficiency lies in taking the test as much as it does in preparing for the test.
Math requires a willful dedication in doing problems. A lot of problems, to be precise. In fact, the test should just be an indication in my eyes of how many problems you did and how committed you were to learning the material. I tell some of my students that I tutor the following: "I hope that when you're taking the test tomorrow that you think it's boring because you know all this."
It's not bad to be challenged. But it is bad to have something before you, something attainable, and then not go after it. You should live to your fullest--and the same goes for studying mathematics.
So, for those of you wanting studying tips, let me propose the following three.
1. You always have homework. If you have no problems that were assigned, you should take your book and do them anyway. Search online for a used textbook matching your subject material. These books are fantastic repositories of problems that you can solve until you feel comfortable with whatever you are learning.
2. The night before the test, do not isolate yourself completely. Yes, you should go to Starbucks and get your mocha latte and be prepared to review. However, I recommend that you also forge a study group (or come to Academic Pointe, of course!) so you can ask questions in community. This was one of the most deliberate factors that led to my understanding the material in both high school and college.
3. Don't fret it. I jokingly tell students before taking a test, "Don't worry; this test only determines the rest of your life." Visualize yourself doing well as you study, a much better self-fulfilling prophecy than thinking you will fail. And if you don't do as well as you like, dust yourself off and keep on moving forward. That's all we are meant to do sometimes.
Mike Graczyk is a tutor at AP. He lives in Northwest Indiana with his family and collection of math textbooks.
Let me challenge that perception if I may. I don't believe the deficiency lies in taking the test as much as it does in preparing for the test.
Math requires a willful dedication in doing problems. A lot of problems, to be precise. In fact, the test should just be an indication in my eyes of how many problems you did and how committed you were to learning the material. I tell some of my students that I tutor the following: "I hope that when you're taking the test tomorrow that you think it's boring because you know all this."
It's not bad to be challenged. But it is bad to have something before you, something attainable, and then not go after it. You should live to your fullest--and the same goes for studying mathematics.
So, for those of you wanting studying tips, let me propose the following three.
1. You always have homework. If you have no problems that were assigned, you should take your book and do them anyway. Search online for a used textbook matching your subject material. These books are fantastic repositories of problems that you can solve until you feel comfortable with whatever you are learning.
2. The night before the test, do not isolate yourself completely. Yes, you should go to Starbucks and get your mocha latte and be prepared to review. However, I recommend that you also forge a study group (or come to Academic Pointe, of course!) so you can ask questions in community. This was one of the most deliberate factors that led to my understanding the material in both high school and college.
3. Don't fret it. I jokingly tell students before taking a test, "Don't worry; this test only determines the rest of your life." Visualize yourself doing well as you study, a much better self-fulfilling prophecy than thinking you will fail. And if you don't do as well as you like, dust yourself off and keep on moving forward. That's all we are meant to do sometimes.
Mike Graczyk is a tutor at AP. He lives in Northwest Indiana with his family and collection of math textbooks.
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