Better understanding leads to happier students
If you really want to learn how to understand Maths better then here are a few different ways of getting a better understanding.
- Listen to your teacher when they’re explaining how to do a Maths problem or question. If you don’t understand what they said then ask them to explain it to you again. If you still don’t understand then ask them to explain in a different way so you get it. If they just repeat the way they said it then try someone else who is good at explaining Maths. Eg. Another student, a friend, your parents, or even a video that explains it or a Maths tutor.
- Copy the examples they’ve shown you and then make sure you set out your steps down the page. The more you set out the steps when you do Maths the better you’ll remember the steps. Even if you don’t fully understand the problem but still know the steps, eventually something will click in your mind and you’ll understand it.
- When doing the exercise show the steps in your working out – this way you can follow them to see what you did when you’re reviewing your work for a test. You can also see if you’ve made any mistakes.
- Correct your work after each question to make sure you’re getting them right – ask your teacher if you’re doing them the right way.
- Do plenty of homework so you develop the skills in each question and so you understand how to do them.
- Always ask someone for help if you can’t do your homework.
- Pester your teacher for help with the homework questions you got stuck on.
- Start reviewing the questions you’ve done in the topic at least 3 days before the test.
- Go over any questions you got wrong in the test when you get it back from your teacher.
- Reward yourself if you get a good mark for your test.
That happened to me when I was in year 11 Maths. I didn’t understand any of what our teacher Mr.Grace was explaining on the board. But… he always wrote the steps while he was explaining the Maths. So I always copied the steps even though I didn’t understand the Maths. Then one day I was leaning back on my chair in class and wondering if I’d ever understand the stupid Maths – then all of a sudden I understood the problem on the board. Something had clicked in by brain and I was able to understand the Maths. From that point on my understanding of Maths got better and I was able to get better scores in my tests. All because I had copied down the steps in every lesson I had with Mr.Grace.