This is my ‘first’ time doing an advanced math class, and for my first test I got a B.
We had a test on factoring (Substitution, grouping, gfc, etc) and */± with rational equations.
I’ve been doing all of my homework and even went to tutoring, and I understand the concept of solving the problems, but I overall performed very poorly with a D- on my test.
Its stressing me because I’ve been going to tutor and doing my homework, so there isn’t much more I can do and I don’t want to drop to normal Algebra 2. Is this normal or anything I can do to differently to help me prepare myself better for future tests?
It seems like something went wrong from your first test to the second…did you do anything different to prepare for the second test than the first test? Was it just a genuinely difficult test? Did you read the questions wrong? There can be many reasons for why you did so poorly and it’s especially important to figure out since you know it’s not from lack of studying or not understanding the concepts.
Most importantly, see if you can talk with your teacher! She should be willing to seriously sit down with you, go over the test, and help you understand why you got such a low grade. Explain to her all of the work you’ve been doing and tutoring you’ve been receiving. Teachers are usually very receptive to a student’s concern and should definitely want you to do better–they may even be just as concerned about your performance as you are! He/she can definitely tell you what you need to work on and give recommendations for future action.
Also, do you have any quizzes in class? Any way to see how you’re doing before a big test? A review packet? Sometimes it may seem like you totally know how to do a concept and then you get to the test and realize that you actually don’t have as strong of a grasp on the material as you thought…Make sure that you’re tracking your progress throughout the unit and that you can correctly evaluate your skills and track what you do/don’t understand. Do practice problems without your notes! Do every single worksheet/problem your teacher gives you, whether it’s optional or not–more practice can never hurt! You do say it’s your first “advanced” math, so the rigor of the course could be getting used to. Taking an advanced class for the first time is difficult the first few weeks, but don’t give up! It should get easier once you find your optimal way to study and prepare and have a feel for the tests and overall pace of the class.
Good luck!!