What do successful math students do?

Successful math students…

1… Know that practice makes perfect. A quarterback perfects a pass by practicing it over and over again. A basketball player improves his free throw percentage by practicing it. How does a baseball player improve his batting average? Batting practice! What helps a student get better at math? PRACTICE! You won’t learn math just by watching your teacher…you have to practice every night! Try every problem on every homework…give it your all.

2… Understand that studying for math = doing math. Go back over the review sheets. The answer key with all work shown will be posted on eSV. The best way to prepare for a test or a quiz is to practice, practice, practice. Re-work your homework problems. Find more problems in the textbook or on the textbook website. Go to the scheduled extra help sessions prepared with questions.

3… Explain their work. You’ll know you really understand the material if you can explain it to someone else. Show and explain it to your parents. Teach a friend. Talk it through to yourself. Volunteer to show your work at the board in class.

4… Know what good work looks like. Write the problem. Show every step of your work in a neat and organized manner. Your ability to show process is extremely important.

Good work looks like this…

Not like this….

5… Use all of the resources available to you. Use your teacher. Ask questions in class. Go to extra help. Visit eSV. Use your friends. Call and ask them about questions you don’t understand on your homework. Work and study together. Use your family. Ask your parents and siblings to help you or to check your work. Use your workbook. Study the model problems. Complete extra practice problems at the end of each lesson in your workbook.

6… Be organized. Write your homework down in your agenda every day. Include test and quiz dates too. Write the complete heading on all class notes and homework assignments. Keep all of your class notes and homework assignments in your notebook in order by date. Keep a separate notebook for math class. Make sure your homework is in your notebook, complete and ready to be checked the next day. If you place a tab or post-it on the homework page, it will be easy to find.

7… Know that math is not a spectator sport. Come to class every day…on time. Be prepared. Bring your workbook, notebook, calculator, and at least two sharpened pencils to class each day. Look, listen, and take notes every day in class. Ask questions. Participate in discussions. Make sure to check the eSV when absent from class to get missing class notes and homework assignments.

8… Know that math is like a snowball that never melts! It grows and grows, but it won’t ever go away! You’ll learn new math every year, but you still have to remember every bit of math you learned before to understand the new stuff. Don’t ignore your errors. Correct every mistake on your homework and on all of your quizzes and tests. The more you do now, the easier it will be later.

9… Understand the “Bulldog Factor” Be determined! Be persistent! If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again. It’s okay to struggle, but it’s never okay to give up.

10… Know that there is no such thing as a “Math Gene” Even if you hear your parents or grandparents say, “I was never any good at math either,” we know that being a successful math student is within your reach. All you have to do is follow our advice! And always try your best!

That’s what successful math students do! In just 10 simple steps, you will be a successful mathematician for the rest of your life! You CAN do it!