I think I am going to cry

Parents Forum
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<p>I am a sopmore, and I go to school in columbus ohio. It is the end of the 2nd quarter.My grades are and A- in Science,English-A-, Journalism- A+, History B+, French B+, Math well i had an 89.9. This is my problem right here, Geometry.We had a test for about a 100 points and it was like two days ago. My teacher is really hard and he is just not nice, and it is not because of my situation but many other people have been where I have been. Well I have a private tutor because Math is just not my thing me and I just like dont get it. I have always had problems with Math and it is just depressing sometimes. </p>

<p>Anyway, this is my situation, From the begining of school until now we have had a student teacher teach us because he wants to major in math, you know those people who come to your class and observe or just teach for a while. Well he left after winter break and we were back with our old teacher and he is very hard. The student teacher was really nice and he was very helpful. My teacher is not helpful, and he gets mad at every little thing. The first day after winter break in class, someone was like "there goes my grade" because he is a really strict teacher. I requested to switch out of that class in the begining of the year but my Principal wouldn't let me. I really wanted to beacause I knew I would never pass his class or at least survive him. Well after I got a private tutor things went good from there I had high grades on tests and quizzes, but that was when the student teacher was there. Well I before I took the test I had a session with my tutor and went afterschool for help from my math teacher the day before.</p>

<p>We got the test back today and I got an F. I am one of those kids like If i get an A- I am mad, so and F to me is like the ultimate dissapointment. If you ask anyone in my grade, who is the hardest working person in your grade they will say me. I am not being arrorgrant it is just the truth,I work my butt off to get good grades. I do more than what is given, I write extra on homework, and work really hard to get the grades I want. I am dissapointed in myself because I needed a high A to get an A- in the class and also I feel like I let myself down. I went from a B+ in the class to probably a C-, I am screwed. My GPA is ruined, I dont know what to do. Exams are next tuesday I am pretty confident for all my exams. But I just feel like I failed myself, I mean deep down in my heart I truly can say I tried my hardest in that class and that F just was like a dagger in my heart.:(</p>

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<p>Your life isn't ruined. Everyine has a few disappointing grades, performances, etc. Just work to bring the grade back up as much as possible, and remember that colleges aren't going to reject you for not being a "math person."</p>

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<p>Well, I really feel for you - failing after working so hard is very dissapointing. I don't think that you failed yourself though, only the exam. You tried your best and that is all that you can do.</p>

<p>Unless the test was in someway unfair (in which case, i'd advise that you speak with the teacher) there isn't really any recourse on this grade. It's time to move on, as hard as that can be. </p>

<p>Looking forward, it's important for you to go over this test and the corresponding material either on your own, with your tutor, with your teacher, or preferably with all three. It is likely that you will see this material again (on the midterm, final, or in your next math class). You would be failing yourself if you didn't take the time out to really learn this material.</p>

<p>As far as your GPA goes, there is nothing that you can do about this now other than work hard in your other classes. From what you have said, you already are. You still have 2 years to earn the very best grades that you can. One test will surely not determine your future, as much as it may seem that way right now.</p>

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<p>Actually, a C sophomore year is not the end of the world, although it probably seems like it now. This is the part where courage comes in. You have to pick yourself up, and continue on, prep for your exams, and put the grade behind you. All of us have to deal with some kind of failure, and fate has handed you a geometry test. You have to go forward and work beyond it. And you can!</p>

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<p>Imagine that you already have been accepted into your dream college where you are required to take a math class. The grades that you received in high school no longer are important -- but what is critical to you now is knowing and understanding what you previously studied.</p>

<p>With this scenario in mind, go back to your math teacher. Begin by stating that you know that you screwed up and are concernec because you thought you understood what you studied. Ask if your teacher can meet with you to help you understand what went wrong and help you so that you don't make the same mistakes again. Your grade for this particular class might be lousy but you will probably do better on your SAT/ACT tests and in your college math classes!</p>

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<p>You can still bring your grade up. I failed my first AP English test, and still managed to get an A both semesters (one of only a handful of kids).</p>

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<p>Aww.. It is going to be okay. It is not the end of the world. I also have a thread on here that i started. Just know that this is not the end of the world. This is not your first fail, and i'm pretty sure that it's not the last. Just handle it like you handled the other fails you recieved before. Now you know that when it comes to math, you have to work twice as hard. Trust me I know. Math is not my subject and it is very frustrating. Just keep pushing and BREATHE.</p>

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<p>My daughter had a similar situation in the 10th grade. Had a VERY difficult math teacher for precalc who prided herself on being "tough" on the kids. As luck would have it, the teacher retired after that year. My daughter got a B the first semester and a C the second semester and she, too, was devastated as it was the only C on her record. But daughter is now a senior and has been accepted to 4 colleges so far so don't despair...all is not lost! As you said, you did the best you could and that is all anyone can do. As I told my daughter when it happened to her, try to put it into perspective. In the overall scheme of your entire life, it won't matter one iota...really :)</p>

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<p>Take the test to your tutor and go over it with a fine tooth comb until you figure out what you did wrong. Don't let one bad grade upset you so much --- part of becoming an adult is learning how to deal with setbacks like this.</p>

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<p>Yes, get feedback on what you did wrong and move on. Best advice as given above..</p>

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<p>first let me say that I empathize with you and can certainly understand your disappointment. As one former President would put it, I can "feel your pain". However there are 2 discordant thoughts in your post and I want to comment on this.</p>

<p>You write "Well I have a private tutor because Math is just not my thing me and I just like dont get it. I have always had problems with Math". This is understandable; everyone eventually takes a class where they just have trouble, and in math it might be Geometry or it might be Multivariate Calculus. You're doing the right things, such as working with a tutor.</p>

<p>You also write "My teacher is really hard and he is just not nice, and it is not because of my situation but many other people have been where I have been. " and this is the part I have trouble with. </p>

<p>Maybe the teacher IS a mean S*B but this is a math class, after all. It isn't like English or History where grading of an essay is entirely at the whim of the reader. A theorem proof is right, or its not. You have the right steps down, or you don't. There's some leeway on whether you give partial credit or not or take off excessively for trivial things like missing a semicolon, but fundamentally grading in the hard sciences and math is much more objective than other subjects. Given that the grading is fairer in this class than in many other subjects, my advice is to try to put aside your dislike for the teacher and concentrate on getting the answers right. </p>

<p>I know geometry doesn't come easily to everyone, and you've said its a struggle for you. But it IS a solveable problem. Keep working with the tutor, and also get some of the workbooks on geometry that have problems with worked solutions. Cover up the solution and see if you get it; if not read the solution but make sure you're not just reading it but ALSO understanding it. Keep track of the problems you get wrong, and keep doing them over each day until you get them right. Also get another geometry book from your local library; sometimes another author can present the same point in a way that makes it clearer, and the more ways of looking at something the easier it becomes to master it. There's even a "Geometry for Dummies" book, and the "dummies" series aims to make a bunch of topics easier to understand.</p>

<p>I'm not saying this is easy or fun. To me, math was almost natural in HS but I can't memorize a list of foreign-language words to save my life; Spanish was the hardest class I ever took in HS! But I got thru by simply refusing to give up, and you can do the same. I had flash-cards <em>always</em> with me, I wrote out word lists over and over, I even taped them to the mirror to look at when I brushed my teeth! I was saying them outloud so much I think my dog was learning spanish too! </p>

<p>The question really boils down <em>not</em> to whether your teacher is a nice man or not (and for the sake of argument I'll agree with you that he's not), but whether you're willing to devote all the time it takes to master this subject. It may be a substantial committment, but from what you've described of your grades and work ethic it IS something you can do if you want it badly enough.</p>

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<p>I don't understand why you are expecting to get an A in math at the same time that you are saying you do not have strong mathematical abilities. Getting good grades is not just a matter of working hard, but of having a strong mastery of the material. It sounds like you are driving yourself crazy to perfrom beyond your capablilites. Most students aren't strong in everything and it sounds like you have academic strengths in other areas. It doesn't mean you won't get into a good college and be sucessful, it just means your're normal.</p>

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<p>From one who in hs a billion years ago went to the teacher for help and she would pass back the grades on tests saying,"there is only one student in the class who tried and she failed."</p>

<p>I started getting As in Math when I changed from thinking "I am no good in this subject; I need help" to "this is interesting, math is like a big puzzle, a game." I went to the library determined to be an A student and checked out several books on math anxiety. I read parts of them, just enough. I became an A student. </p>

<p>And yes, teachers can make a big difference. Look beyond that. It is truly all about you and what you want to do. Your gpa is not ruined. You have just experienced a minor setback.</p>

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<p>I agree with overseas in that, if you believe you can succeed in math, you will. I had the same problem and was about a C+ student in math until sophomore year, when I decided to get excited and work hard in math. Now, I actually find it quite interesting and stimulating--not only that, but I make A's in my precal class (the class where even the math-oriented kids in the top 1% say they can only make B's or low A's on test). So stop thinking "I suck in math" and start getting motivated. I know it's hard, but you HAVE to put bad grades behind you and keep working towards good ones to succeed in school. We all make bad grades every once in a while, believe me.
And, although your teacher is tough, try not to dwell on it; just try to do the best that YOU can do. I know that in this area you can make up for your dislike of your teacher with motivation and enthusiasm.<br>
Good luck!</p>

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<p>As others have posted, the 'i suck at math' attitude is a prescription for failure. Unfortunately, math as taught in many schools is presented as 'this is difficult' as opposed to 'this is fun and interesting' I'm impressed with ninnykins for seeing through that BS. </p>

<p>C4Life: If you put in a lot of effort and failed, this is the time to review the quality of the effort, and why it didn't pay off on the test. Did you really understand the info? Did you study the things that were on the test? Did you choke on the test? Is your tutor a good match for you? What other things are available to you? Can you meet with the new teacher and together come up with an approach? If you can honestly review, then you can make a plan to improve it going forward. good luck</p>

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<p>I go to Bexley High School. If you live in Columbus you will know Bexley is top in academics and everyone in that school wants to do well. I think I am actually going to sit down and have a talk with my math teacher, because I personally refuse to do this bad in math. I mean I came from hating math in the beginning of the year to actually liking it, and now that my real teacher is back I dont know whether I can keep that motivation for math. I am just dissapointed and sad. You see first quarter I got a C-, now 2nd quarter I was suppose to get an B+/A- I got a C-. Because first quarter when the student teacher was there I didnt necessarily do well, but I had confidence in myself and in math. But now I dont know anymore since my old teacher is back.</p>

<p>I have to get an A on my math exam to get a B- for the semester grade. Because in my school they add your 1st quarter, 2nd quarter, and exam grade to find out your semester grade. But our teacher is letting us use a 5*8 notecard to put anything we want and we can use it on the exam. I mean I have really prepared for the exam he gave us a review sheet 1 week ago, it is on 6 chapters. I did 2 chapters a night, and I went after school for help. But a 95 on the exam, wow I need Jesus to do that. My math exam is on Tuesday, I hope everyone says a lil prayer for me because I going to need Jesus on that exam.</p>

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<p>Do you have Ralston? Jones? Ryan?</p>

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<p>You still have three days... meet with your teacher on Monday. Go over what you have been reviewing and ask him any questions. Ask if he can give you any tips. Do as many practice problems as you can over the weekend, keep track of what you get wrong, try to understand why you got them wrong and how you can get them right. Then sit down with your tutor or teacher and fix any confusion or misuderstanding over the ones you still cant get.</p>

<p>You sound like an incredibly hard working, dedicated person. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.</p>

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<p>I have Ralston and After these exams I am going to have a talk with him because I refuse to get a C- in Geometry.</p>

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<p>You should see positive results from one on one tutoring. If you aren't--then you don't have a good tutor. </p>

<p>Find another one quickly and start meeting every other day until you understand the material and can work through practice tests easily.</p>