Monthly Archives: January 2014

Math Homework is Math Practice.

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Math Homework is Math Practice.
[An excerpt from Parents in Highschooland.]

Parents don’t need to know algebra, geometry or calculus to help their teen be successful in math. It’s the teacher’s job to ensure that students grasp new concepts and assign time at home (homework) to practice new skills. Some students, however, may need more individual attention to learning than the teacher can provide in a fifty-minute class period with thirty-five students.

In these cases, parents may want to arrange for tutoring. The school itself is a great resource for help outside of class hours. A list of qualified tutors, either students or adults, may be offered to you by the guidance department or the teacher. The local public library may have tutoring services. Call them up and ask what they offer. Your teen may not be exactly wild about the idea of tutoring, but schedule two meetings a week at your house or the public library with the tutor. Just one hour at a time is plenty. Tell your teen that nobody will know about this; he may be self-conscious that he needs some help. Don’t hover around them; just leave the room.

Poor performance in a math class isn’t usually related to not understanding math. Not practicing with homework assignments or not correctly practicing for tests is more likely the problem. I use the word “practice” twice here because that’s what students need to do in math: practice. And the math homework is math practice. Many students feel that if they just put a bunch of numbers on the page they’re doing homework. This is especially tempting if homework is graded with a checkmark or collected as a packet. Really doing the work – not faking or copying it from another student – will make sure that they really understand the concepts.

Parents can learn to guide their students in high school. At the start of each school year a ton of information comes home in binders and backpacks. Be sure to ask for it (“What did you bring home that I should read?”) and read it carefully, even though your teen may not offer it to you. In the long run, this information can really help as the school year gets going. Teachers often give points when parents sign that they have read the “Class rules and expectations” and the student returns it. Easy points! Once you establish a normal routine of work to be done at home, you can ease back until you’re out of the homework picture entirely. It’s a matter of setting habits early in middle school or the first months of high school. Yes, it’s time (but not a lot of time) out of your evening if you do it right – but well worth it in the long run. Just think of the future fights that will be avoided year after year if you get on the routine early.

Test Anxiety is Common – You Aren’t Alone!

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Only a few minutes before your teacher puts a test in front of you. Are you fidgety and tense, or do you feel sick to your stomach? If that describes you before you take a test, you may have text anxiety. Even the best students have it. But if you want to do well on a test, your test anxiety must be controlled. Practicing some of the following tips can help:

  • test anxietyGet enough sleep.
  • Eat a good meal before the test. Not so much that you feel groggy but enough to give your brain the calories its needs to function well. Remember, your brain is an organ that needs to be nourished like all the other organs in your body. Coffee and donuts aren’t very nutritious even though they’re quick and easy.
  • Exercise to reduce tension and encourage thinking. It stimulates your mind and body and improves your ability to concentrate.
  • Allow enough time to get to class without hurrying. Rushing causes tension and stress because the fear of being late builds anxiety. “Hurry up and wait.”
  • Give yourself time in the classroom to relax and compose yourself. Breathe deeply. Imagine a relaxing scene and allow your muscles to relax. Then think about the test while you’re in this relaxed state.
  • Have a positive attitude. Tell yourself you studied as well as you could have for the test and believe it. Convince yourself that others have done well on this test and you can, too.
  • Make sure you can see a clock to plan your time and pace yourself. Not knowing how much time has elapsed creates anxiety. Budget your time so you can answer all of the questions.
  • Begin by filling in the answers you know. This makes you confident and relieves anxiety because you see that you do know the answers. It may also trigger recall of other answers that you had forgotten.
  • Don’t panic if others are busy writing and you’re not. By spending time thinking, you may create better quality than someone who’s writing frantically.
  • Don’t panic if you forget an answer. Move on to other questions – the answer may occur to you as you continue taking the test. Be careful of the numbering on your answer sheet if you skip a question!
  • Don’t worry if others finish before you do. Finishing first doesn’t guarantee the best grade. Usually the better papers are handed in by students who spend time thinking about and checking their answers before turning in their papers.