What can I do to perform better?
If you haven't been as successful as you'd like to be, consider the questions I've posed below and think about trying out some of the suggested test-prep strategies.
Have you been doing what you should have been doing all along? Reflect on these questions to find out...
How much effort did you put forth during class?
Did you devote your full attention to each lesson? Were you distracted by your phone or something else? Were your notes taken completely every day? Were you mentally engaged during note-taking. Were you aware of whether or not you understood what you were writing during note-taking? Did you participate actively by voicing suggestions when Mr. Rogers looked to the students for assistance with the problems presented during the lesson? Did you ask questions when you were confused?
How much effort did you put forth during homework?
Was every assignment completed in its entirety? Did you complete your homework yourself? Was homework completed carefully while referring to your notes to ensure you were using appropriate strategies?
How much effort did you put into checking your homework for accuracy?
Did you carefully compare your homework to the answer key? Did you correct your errors? Did you try problems over again after you realized your previous attempt was unsuccessful?
How much effort did you put into completing your sample tests?
Did you make sure every sample test question was answered correctly? Did you practice the sample test questions more than once to ensure proficiency?
Did you complete questions from the optional DeltaMath assignment?
Did you ignore the optional DeltaMath assignment completely? Did you merely "look over" the optional DeltaMath assignment? Did you use scrap paper and complete questions (showing work completely) from every section of the optional DeltaMath assignment? Did you refer to the solutions given by DeltaMath when you had trouble?
There may be a need for extra effort. Consider employing some of the following strategies.
Study your class notes for 5 or 10 minutes prior to attempting your homework.
Studying your notes will not only refresh your memory, but it can foster better understanding. After studying, it is likely that you will be able to complete your homework more quickly and more accurately. This can make homework review more productive and lead to better test results.
Complete your sample test questions more than once.
Your sample test can be thought of as the single most important non-graded assignment of any unit. Consider starting ahead of time and completing it little by little. Start on the first day of the unit. As new skills are acquired each day, complete more questions from the sample test. This will help to ensure that new facts and skills are being used and learned properly along the way. At the end of the unit, complete the entire sample test again to make sure the facts and skills have been retained. If you struggled with any questions, then practice them a 3rd or 4th time.
Use the videos (or written notes) on the class site to preview your lessons.
If you preview your lessons, you'll arrive at every class session knowing exactly what to expect. You'll know what topics confused you and when you'll need to pay particularly close attention or when to ask questions.
Preview upcoming homework questions.
If you use a video to preview a lesson, you can also consider previewing the corresponding homework assignment by reading and/or attempting the questions before they have been officially assigned. This will give you an even better idea of where your weaknesses/confusion may be so you can address them during the lesson.
Use videos on the class site to review your lessons.
If a lesson was confusing, use the videos on the class site to watch and participate in your math lesson(s) again. Watch a video in its entirety or fast-forward to the part(s) you found confusing.
Practice by redoing problems.
Some students require more practice than others in order to become proficient. Practice problems that have already been presented in class or assigned for homework to reinforce your skills and make sure important details haven't been forgotten. If needed, you can often find blank copies of the questions that have presented in class if you visit the class site. These can be viewed and/or downloaded and printed. Practicing problems that have already been presented can be beneficial because you know those questions are targeted specifically toward the requirements of this course and you have their solutions in case you run into trouble.
Complete questions from the optional DeltaMath assignments.
If you would prefer to practice using questions you haven't already seen in the past, visit DeltaMath and complete questions from the optional assignment for the current unit. If you have trouble, view the solution and try again with a similar question generated by DeltaMath.
Use the remedial videos on the class site to practice questions from your sample test.
If you had trouble answering questions on the sample test and you intend to retake the test, refer to the appropriate remedial video from the class site to find help. Remedial videos are posted near the bottom of the page on the class site for each unit. They feature the solutions to all the questions on the sample test. Be sure that you are using the techniques shown in the video to answer the questions on the sample test, apply those techniques to correct any errors you made on your test, and then apply those techniques again when you retake your test. (When you try to access a remedial video, you'll see a prompt that states you must request access. So please don't wait until the last minute to try to access one of these videos. Click the link and request access ahead of time so you'll be able to watch the video by the time you need it.)
Send questions to Mr. Rogers via email.
If you are having trouble with an assignment, Mr. Rogers is happy to answer your questions via email. But be sure to make your questions specific. It is often helpful to send photos that include the original problem and your attempt at the problem so Mr. Rogers can see where you've gone wrong and address any errors specifically.
Bring questions that have given you trouble to Math Lab to get extra help.
Ask for help from the tutors in Math Lab or from Mr. Rogers. Once your question(s) have been answered, you can remain in Math Lab and work on other questions. If other questions arise, you'll be able to get more help right away.