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Passing Your Math Class

Everyone knows it. That sick feeling in your stomach as the papers are handed out. It's multiple choice, so, hey, you should be able to get 20 out of 100 points! That's little comfort as you inspect your Number 2 pencils. Will you run out? Will your calculator fail?

These fears are common for high school and college math students faced with a major math exam. Unfortunately, very few teachers ever explain to their students a "sure-fire" approach to passing their course. In English we get outlines, in History there are study guides, but in Math... no such luck. Even when sample exams are handed out, very few people use them correctly. The purpose of this article is to explain how to pass your math class. You say your final is tomorrow? Well, I'm probably too late then, because good preparation starts at the beginning of the class.

I explain to students that learning math is a process - like walking from one to 10 on a number line. You start at one. You attend class. The teacher explains things (in varying degrees of effectiveness). You leave class. That's where most people stop. But you're only at three or four now.

You have to go home, do the assignments. Most people do their homework by mimicing examples from the text. This is a good exercise, but it only gets you to six or seven. If you want to be more effective, you have to close the book and do the homework with no help at all. That'll get you to eight or nine. How do you get to 10? There's only one way - practice, practice, practice.

Math is like an athletic event - and it's not a spectator sport. If you don't practice, you'll never be able to do it. Most people go into math tests having never given themselves a practice test. That's stupid! You'd never try to compete in a tennis match if you've never tried to play the game with someone. Math is the same way.

Every student is different and you'll probably have to "tweek" my advice to fit your personality - but this is a good place to start. So, where do you start? Read on!

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