With the end of the school year fast approaching, math students have their middle school exams, high school exams, or even the all-important Math SAT to look forward to. Tackling math assessments can be a difficult task, so having a solid exam preparation plan in place is essential.
By combining school work, individual tutoring, and dedicated exam preparation courses, students will give themselves the best chance possible of not just passing their exam but acing it. Students with a comprehensive math education will enhance their math skills, and, more often than not, see a boost in self-confidence which can help them in other classes and, indeed, outside of the classroom.
Let’s take a closer look at the importance of exam preparation, looking at effective studying techniques for math specifically, and some tips to stay motivated and focused throughout both the planning stage and the studying stage.
Exam Preparation Planning
As the old saying goes, fail to prepare and prepare to fail. Proper planning is fundamental when it comes to preparing for math exams. Students must be able to identify each and every topic they need to study and give themselves time to review and revise each of these topics in the lead-up to the exam day.
One of the most effective ways to guarantee that a student has a comprehensive understanding of their curriculum is to enroll them in individual classes after school.
Individual tutoring introduces students to a new way of learning. Students become the focus of the lesson, with tutors able to provide highly personalized attention. This heightened attention on one student lets students and tutors focus heavily on specific areas of weakness in that student’s knowledge.
On top of the heightened focus on knowledge gaps, individual tutoring gives students – some of whom may be too shy to speak up in class – to ask questions, receive feedback and clarifications, and broaden their overall understanding of what can be complex mathematical concepts.
Along with individual tutoring classes, dedicated exam preparation courses are another fantastic resource that students should be taking advantage of. These lessons allow students to consolidate their knowledge and refine their problem-solving skills. Given that these courses are specifically designed to address the particular challenges that a student will face in the exam, they give students valuable experience in a simulated exam environment.
By enrolling in these courses, students gain invaluable insights into exam patterns and question formats, and they also give students the opportunity to develop and hone effective strategies to approach certain math problems effectively and efficiently.
Studying Math Effectively
Math is a unique subject, and as such, it can require slightly different techniques to study effectively and maximize learning and knowledge retention. Math requires a lot of practice and application, and active learning methods are particularly beneficial for young learners. There are a few steps students can take to optimize their math studying.
Let’s start with the obvious one. Math requires regular practice. There are no two ways around this fact. Mastering concepts and solving problems in a confident manner will only occur if students dedicate themselves to practicing math every day of the week. The best way for a student to do this is to include exercises, practice questions from exams, and problem sets in their study, and to plan their study out day-to-day in advance.
The next tip is one that most students learn early in math class. That is, students must learn to break down the problem into smaller, more manageable segments. Students should focus on understanding and mastering one single component of the problem before moving on to understanding and mastering the next. This approach promotes a well-rounded understanding of math concepts and gives students a rock-solid math foundation to build upon.
The final tip to study effectively is to utilize visual aids, such as graphs, charts, and diagrams. These visual aids are prominent elements in many math topics, and if students can become comfortable using them, reading them, and creating them, complex math concepts can become much easier to understand.
Helpful Tips to Stay Motivated and Focused
Just as students need some helpful tips and hints on studying effectively, so too can they benefit from some tips related to staying motivated and focused throughout the seemingly never-ending days of revision before exams.
The first step for each student is to set clear goals for themself. Some students may want to pass the exam, some will be aiming for top grades, and others will be hoping to improve on their previous results. Breaking these goals into smaller milestones will help students stay on track, and track their progress. And don’t forget to celebrate each milestone achieved to help maintain motivation.
Next, students must create a study schedule. These schedules should include regular breaks that align with concentration periods, meals, and other factors. Sticking to the schedule is a matter of discipline, and students will not be lacking motivation if they stick to their study schedule.
Finally, students will benefit from finding a study environment and study partners/groups that suit them. Study rooms should promote concentration and minimize distractions, and the same can be said for study partners. Students shouldn’t just study with friends, instead trying to find study partners with similar goals, levels of motivation, and determination to stick to the designated study schedule.
At Online Math Center
At OMC, we have experienced tutors that will help your child excel in their upcoming exams. Whether they are middle school students, high school students, or students preparing for the Math SAT, our exam preparation courses and individual tutoring classes will position them to do their best on the day of the test.
Contact OMC today to enroll your child in our individual tutoring classes.
