Tips for Improving Math Grades

By Greta Siddiqui

Greta Siddiqui began her career in education as a field hockey coach at Corinth Central School in New York. While filling this position Greta Siddiqui also worked as a substitute teacher for a wide range of age groups, and later became a remedial math teacher in the district.

Unlike other school subjects, math offers little opportunity for interpretation or debate - there is only one correct answer to an equation, and if you don’t get it right, even if you’re close, you are wrong. Fortunately for struggling students, there are ways to approach math that make it less intimidating.

Introduction

For starters, it helps to practice and perfect math skills in order of difficulty. Math is based on sequences of abilities, particularly at the high school level; a student who cannot add will not be able to learn multiplication, and a student who does not understand subtraction will never be able to divide. Basic skills, perfected, are the foundations of more involved processes.

Math texts include sample problems throughout each lesson. Solutions are presented with these samples, and in many cases the book provides a step-by-step account of how the solution was reached. While skilled and average math students often skip these sections, students who find math challenging can benefit from these in-depth explorations into actual problems.

Teaching Math

Finally, students should always solve problems on paper. There is a reason math teachers require students to show their work to receive full credit; mental math is a quick ticket to confusion, while a carefully detailed, step-by-step approach leads students to correct answers, and helps them find their mistakes if an answer is wrong.

Conclusion