I seriously need you guys to help me! Please!?

Question

Ok, I'm in eighth grade.
All my older sisters and brothers are super smart. They ALWAYS get 3.8 or higher. It doesn't even seem like they struggle in any subject.
Unfortunetly, I'm not the same way. I always recieve 1 C on my report card from one subject and I get a 3.0-3.2 for my G.P.A.
My problem is I struggle for every subject. MOSTLY MATH!
I had a math test and the day before my sister helped me study for it, and we studied together for over an 1 and a half. I nailed everything. I was so excited to go to school the next day, because I wanted to show my teacher how I WILL get EXCELLENT grades from now on. I thought I did great on the test.
When I recieved it back I got a 70%. I was so dissapointed I started crying real bad. Why is this so hard for me. For everyone in my family and all my friends its soooo easy for them.
What do I do?
I CAN NOT DO THIS NEXT YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL! PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE!

Answer 1

You indicate that your sisters and brothers are super smart...well hon, you are super smart as well so don't be so hard on yourself. Yes, in a family of achievers it's sometimes tough to keep up especially if there is a subject or two that seems a struggle. A little story first before I give my suggestion ok?

I have a son in high school and this is his last year...were we are the kids go to grade 12 and then on to college/Univ etc. Throughout his high school years 9-11 although he was good at math he basically did the work with all the how to do it's explained by teachers but he never was given any answer to his questions when he asked why it was done the way they were teaching it. He is a kid who likes to know why he does something the way he's being told to do it...so to him he never fully got the level of understanding he felt he wanted/needed.

Grade 12 was different....he was in a College Level math course with trig, calculus etc as the bulk of learning. The teacher taught only by the 'why' of things...why did they do this the way they were going to...the math course was one of his best subjects last term. Flying colors and he was always excited and looked forward to the class because he finally had a teacher who knew the answers to why math was done the way it was done in all areas.

So....sometimes it isn't the student who fails to learn, it's the teacher who fails to teach...sometimes not because they mean to be that way but simply because they themselves don't have the big picture and thus they can't always answer the why and only know the how which for some students isn't enough.

Now....utilize your super smart siblings...ask each of them to tutor you in the course(s) you feel you are struggling in...each sibling can take turns if your main issue is math..and they are all very good at it. Get them to explain the whys and hows and see what happens. You might be very surprised at the difference it makes. Perhaps you have a teacher that just isn't able to bring across the subject as best as they might need to for you.

Further, 70% is NOT a horrid mark hon, and if you did your best on that test, then you should be proud of that accomplishment, take time to analyze those questions you may have gotten incorrect for whatever reason and go over them with your siblings...learn from your mistakes. Beating yourself up is not going to achieve anything...it's simply going to convince you that it is ALL you and nothing more...it isn't....you can achieve whatever you want, everyone has to struggle at something, even your siblings...perhaps not now but later, it isn't a bad thing, it's a learning experience that once taught well, stays with you for life.

You will do EXCELLENT hon, just learn from your mistakes, get your siblings to tutor you and stop putting so much guilt and pressure on yourself....a pressured mind cannot absorb nearly as much as a positive one.

Now go for it , you CAN do whatever you know you can...if you think you can't...then you won't..... get it? Now go for it because you ARE super smart...because you know you want to do well and you will.

Take care

Answer 2

I am quite a bit older than you and math used to not be one of my strong subjects, but I worked in convienence stores for 25 years and found that practical math was strongly applied. If you will take your home work and class work and apply it to something that you "do" understand, like cooking, music, video games, or even talking on the phone it will help. (Example: If you are talking to a friend on the phone for one hour, and you look at the time when you got on the phone and then when you got off the phone and use this as an example in a math question). I knoe this is hard to understand, because I am having a time trying to explain it to you. You could also look at some of your mom's recipes and use the fractions in a math question. 1-tablespoon, 1/8 of a cup, 3/4 of a cup and so on. If you understand these measurements, then use them as examples in your mind. Now if this is pre-algebra, i'm totally lost. All I know is that to make the formula work, you must understand how it works first and then just compute it on paper. I know what I have written is not very clear, but I hope it helps.

Answer 3

What helped me in math was looking at how I thought about it.
Like no matter what there is no opinion in math. Like alot of people will say "hey, I thought that was a good book.' and someone else will say that they didnt like it.' There is really only one way to read a story where it will make sense. Front to Back. But with math its a whole different way of thinking. There are lots of ways to work out a problem. Different formulas different techniques but you will only have one answer that is absolutely correct. Hopefully your teacher is teaching you different methods. Keep trying dont get to discouraged try to make it fun when your studying.

Answer 4

what is your topic in math? the important thing is, not the length of time for you to study something, but how much you've been paying attention in class. Paying attention in class gives one an easier pickup because it focuses on 2 aspects, visual and audio. You watch and at the same time hear the lesson.

Maybe you can ask help from your teacher, he might be the solution to your problems, he can teach you after class, or he can see your effort towards his subject.

Answer 5

Stop using your siblings as a measuring stick for who you are. NEVER let any ones opinion of you come before your own opinion of yourself. You are who you are, and somethings are easier for some than they are for others. You do your best, hold your head up high and be proud of who you are inside. The rest will come and you will find the things that you are better at than others. There are only two things you control in your life... Your attitude and your effort. Everything else is just...stuff.

Answer 6

I see that you are more literate than most of the people, many much older than you, who put questions here. With your remarkable control of the English language, why are you worrying about maths? You have a great future in writing - stories, plays, movie scripts, whatever you like. So forget trying to match people who can't match you. You have exceptional skills - don't throw them away.

Answer 7

Everybody has different strengths. For example, I can't understand physics and chemistry and NEVER will. Just do the best you can to get through it. How about trying a tutor? Remember you have your own special and unique talents that only you possess. :)

Answer 8

omg i have the same problem!!! if you get any good answers email me!