If you are a high school student who fears the ACT math test,
If you, as a parent of said high school, fear helping him/her with the ACT math test, If both of you would like to put your ACT math fears away for good, Then this article is for you. Stay tuned till the end for a surprise gift that will ease your math fear and finally give you the confidence to succeed in math. Why I hated math, but why I needed it
Do you hate math? When you look at math, do you start to sweat and panic when figuring out the right answer? I hear you. I was afraid of math sometimes.
I tried to take the ACT math test many times this year on my own and froze during most of the problems. It's not that I don't know the answer, because I can figure it out. As many who have fears know, anxiety has a way of taking over. Algebra 1 and Geometry Were Easy-ishAlgebra 1 and Geometry seemed ok for me, because I could figure out the reason behind the math. Each type of problem seemed to have a purpose in real life. However, Algebra 2 and beyond didn't seem to fit what I wanted to do after high school. Part of the problem could have been that my math teacher was also the cross country and track coach. Instead of getting a qualified math teacher to substitute, we would get an English teacher who was also afraid of math and couldn't help us. Tutor's Secret Revealed
I have been afraid to reveal this secret of mine, because I don't want to lose students. But I also want students to know that you can overcome your fears of any subject that scares you including math.
The other point I want to make about overcoming fears is you can overcome it at any time your life. This new found respect for math has come within the last year. What changed during the year? Growth Mindset Changed Math for Me
About a year ago, I took a class on growth mindset and learned that I can either have a fixed mindset where I refuse to learn anything new or a growth mindset where I am learning all of the time.
During this class, I learned that at times we have both a fixed and a growth mindset in our heads. That is why we sometimes return to our old fears and stop dead in our tracks. I have always thought that I wanted to teach elementary students. But, while taking this course, I discovered something about myself. I decided that I want to become a middle school math teacher. Why, do you ask, would a person who has been afraid and therefore, disliked math, want to become a math teacher? Well, for one reason and one reason only... I don't want other students to be as afraid of math as I have been. I now have a coworker who has taught math for 26 years, and it doesn't scare her. I decided that I was going to pick her brain and ask questions about math for her opinion on how to make math easier for the students I teach and, of course, help myself in the process. Secret to Math Revealed
One thing keeps resonating from her answers: find a reason behind each type of math problem or skill set.
For the past 26 years and several states /schools that she has taught in, she has learned that math isn't about formulas and inserting numbers. Instead, it is about exploring numbers. As people explore numbers and how they work, the better they understand math and it seems to get easier.
Duh! (Insert palm slap to forehead here) I teach my students to apply other strategies such as reading and English to their interests or their schoolwork. Why didn't I think of this when I was thinking about math? I know the answer to that... I asked my Algebra 2 teacher the same question when I was learning about math in high school, and she didn't have an answer for me. Instead, she ignored my question. But if we go back to having a growth mindset, Carol Dweck talks about looking at an issue from a different angle to find new solutions. It doesn't matter how old we are, because we can still learn new skills and grow our minds-even in math. Here are a few of the reasons you need math in your life. Everyday Math Skills in Life
So let's take a look at some of the ACT math skills and find practical uses for it.
Basic math
AND MANY MORE MATH SKILLS HAVE REASONS BEHIND THEM! As for the ACT math test, there are a couple more things to think about. All of the answers are on the test so you can think of the ACT as an open book test. You have one job in math...
Figure out which of the answers is the correct one and choose it.
Just like a regular open book test, if you don't know where to look, you waste time. As you practice each skill, you will be learning where to look for the answers by applying the correct strategy. The second thing to think about is that most of the math test you learned by the end of your junior year in high school regardless of what math you have taken. What strategies have you learned about math that helps you get through a subject many people fear? Tweet about it @tchr121
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