It’s not what you study it is how you study
Studying for math exams can often feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure where to start. As a student myself, I’ve been in the same boat, feeling stuck and frustrated trying to master difficult math concepts. However, in this video “Think You Know How to Study? Think Again,” you will learn essential study techniques that can help any student improve their approach to math studying.
1.) Summarize
So many student struggle with memorizing important information like formulas, processes and definitions. The trick, is being able to summarize everything you are learning by writing them down in your own words. Summarizing the key points and relate them to other topics you know and understand. By doing this, you can better retain concepts and understand their meanings.
Somtimes just summarizing your notes though is not enough. Focus in on the importance of active recall when studying. Instead of merely rereading notes, studying requires actively retrieving information from memory repeatedly. When reviewing your notes try implementing the “Five by Five” strategy. Write down five important concepts from one set of notes and recite them five times from memory. Pick different times throughout the day to try this technique as it will help reinforce your memory, making recollection much more straightforward.
2.) Break it down
Splitting and grouping techniques are also important tools for effective studying. They can make tackling a vast amount of information more manageable by breaking it down into more accessible parts. Organizing in this way can make it easier to learn concepts as it limits distractions from other content. It comes from the old advice, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time
There is no better way to collect the information you study and receite each day than on a cheatsheet. Creating cheat sheets. While this isn’t about cheating academically, this is about strategically creating a document that has essential information that can aid in recalling concepts. The cheat sheet should contain information from textbooks, class notes, homework, previous tests, quizzes and necessary formulas. When it is time to review for the exam, students can refer to their cheat sheet, making it easier to recall what they’ve learned.
3.) Act Like a Teacher
If you really want to make sure you know what you are learning then look into teaching others, which helps to reinforce learning retention and gain a comprehensive understanding of concepts. You will find out really quickly what you know and what you don’t know simply by trying teach the concept to someone else.
If you don’t have anyone to teach to then you can pretend but the power of actually teaching to someone allows you to get important feedback. Feedback can provide a clear understanding of what you are explaining well or not. When people give you questions they can further reinenforce your understanding of the material
4.) Summary
Lastly, remaining motivated while studying can be a challenge. Don’t rely on just one set of studying techniques but rather try a variety of strategies for maintaining focus and engagement. It also may be helpful to look into better ways to increase attention and focus. For example, students can use apps like Forest to stay on task by committing to a duration of concentration time, made more playful with a digital tree that grows as you concentrate. Alternatively, playing study playlists can create an environment more conducive to learning.
The most important takeaway I want you to take away about how to study for math from the video is that effective math studying techniques is an adaptive process. Understanding these strategies and their purpose can make a real difference in approaching math concepts, improving understanding, and ultimately getting better results on exams. As a student, I found the tips helpful, and I had my students implement them into their own studying routines with massive results.
So if you’re also someone who struggles with understanding and retaining math concepts, keep in mind that effective studying is about discovering what works best for you. These proven techniques can serve as a great foundation for your journey toward success in math.
Mr. McLogan