I apologize in advance if I’m posting this in the wrong place.
I can’t seem to maintain my grade in my honors trig/precalc class (junior year, honors course). Despite math being my worst subject, I’ve always been able to pull straight A’s up until now. The class only has two categories of grades: homework checks (which are worth practically nothing), and quizzes/tests; everything is weighted equally. The teacher is well known for making problems that are nothing like the homework on tests, making it hard to study/anticipate the material. I happen to be a horrible test taker, earning 80s or lower on most assessments in that class, even when I feel comfortable with the concepts. I was hoping to learn some new test-taking strategies or ways to get a better understanding of the material in the short time between the lesson and test/quiz. Any advice is appreciated.
Teachers often write tests so students don’t just regurgitate homework equivalent problems, but have to under the concepts thoroughly to use them together or in a new way to get an A. Sounds like you have this kind of teacher. 100% understanding the concepts and all the homework problems is the best starting point.
You know that feeling when you do a homework problem, but can’t really figure it out? You look at the answer key and say, “Oh, that is what they did… I see how they did it, but would never be able to replicate it on a different problem.” You shrug, take a halfhearted note, and go on. Those are the types of problems you have to take a step further on and really completely understand.
Let’s start with the basics: do you attend extra help? Most teachers are more than happy to work with you, one on one, to get to the root of the issues you’re having. It can be hard for an honors kid to acknowledge that she needs to attend extra help, but the payoff is almost always worth it. (And, for what it’s worth, you’re letting the teacher get to know you outside of class. That opens the door for a potential letter of recommendation for college!!)
If that doesn’t work, try another teacher. We don’t care who you get help from, we just want you to get the help you need. Sometimes a different teacher will choose the words that give you that “Aha!” moment you’re not getting from your own teacher.
Try a study group. If you and 2 or 3 friends get together and work out the problems, you’re more likely to anticipate the kinds of problems you’ll see, and the possible ways of approaching the material.
Take a look at old Algebra II & Trig Regents exams. They’re the end of the year exams given in NY State, and they may contain the types of problems you’re seeing. They’re an easy resource to access; you may find that that’s where your teacher is getting his/her problems. And, no , you’re not likely to choose the exact problems, but the exposure to different problem types may help.
Do you have the formulas memorized? My Algebra 2 kids have a formula sheet they add to each time we have a new formula. There are a LOT of them in this course, and you need to know them all. Start one this week, while you’re off. You’ll be surprised at the return you get from the time you invest.
My advice: Over-learn the math. While memorizing formulas can save time, understand why each of the formulas is as it is. In other words, know more about the topic than anyone else taking each test. Watch some extra internet lectures on the topic. Know the material cold. Answer every problem you can find. When you finish every problem in your text (electronic or other) hunt them down on the internet. I’m not suggesting this as a way to happen on the exact questions you might face on the test. Nope!
I’m suggesting this because education is all about becoming educated. Silly as that sounds, that fact has been largely forgotten by too many people. It’s not about Acing tests. It’s not about learning how to be a better test taker. It’s about acquiring knowledge and understanding-which should help you to solve problems on a test or in the world. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t sell us all short. Don’t learn to get A’s. learn the material and the outcome is likely to be A’s; not as the goal but as the byproduct of learning. Isn’t that how it is supposed to work?