How to Pass Grade School Math

I taught math for 10 years and now I write math assessment, aka tests. I know almost everything there is to elementary mathematics. I know what is take and how to work hard to pass all these math classes.

The easiest and hardest thing that will help you be successful in math is to know your facts. This does not mean you know how to find the answer. This means that you know the answer within 2 seconds of hearing the problem. You must memorize and commit these facts to your memory.

For some people this may be an easy task and it is something that comes naturally. For other this is a daunting task that is so overwhelming that you don't know where to begin.

It takes hard work and determination to learn your facts especially after 5th grade. There are numerous studies that show if a child does not learn their facts by 5th grade they will most likely never learn them.

This seems simple. Let me tell you why I assign homework. I assign homework for practice and to see which student are struggling. Student who always get 100 only tell me that their parents do their homework for them or correct all their errors before sending it to school, this doesn't help me as a teacher help students.

It drives me insane when student get 100 on every assignment and then fail the test. They obviously needed more assistance before the test but because their homework was perfect I wasn't aware of what they needed.

As a teacher I would much rather have student that make a tone of errors on homework, learn from their mistakes, and ace the test.

There are two things good students do, they ask questions and they are for help when they need.

Student that ask question during class just more out of class and understand the material better than student who do not ask questions.

Students that ask for help instead of suffering in silence are able to overcome their difficulty and be successful in math.

Keep and a notebook and folder of your notes, assignments, and work. I love the 3 subject notebook for math. Give your self an area or two for notes and a separate area for work. That way when you are looking for information you don't have to page through your random work.

Look for online resources to help you learn and understand math.

Khan Academy is one of my favorite online math resources. It has lessons and quizzes to help you become successful.

Look for things that will help you overcome the areas that you are struggling with.

With my kindergartener who struggled to write the number 6 the correct way. I made the 6 into a face with his tongue sticking out at 7. It was silly and simple but he hasn't made the number facing backwards since because it stuck in his head and he remembers it.

Why does this work, how does it work, and is there an easier way to get there. Ask yourself those questions when you do a problem. The most important part of math isn't memorizing formulas but understanding why the formula works.