I am smart at math but when i take a quiz or test then i always do bad. I feel stupid and my parents yell at me for getting low grades. What should i do?

Question

I need help. What do i do?

Answer 1

I have a lot of experience tutoring students with stories similar to yours.    Often times the problem is anxiety caused by perceived time pressure.  Many people suffer a falloff in memory and/or reasoning power due to feeling  anxiety.    I advise you to look into relaxation techniques.    There are many out there, one of them will probably work for you.

Answer 2

Hi Jasdeep,

You may want to look just at the test taking skills an not your knowledge.  Sounds like you know your subject well from what you described. 

 

I am fortunate that I take tests well but it was not always that way.  In high school and college I did very well in science and my nursing classes.  I would always feel awkward being the first one done  and would want to second guess myself .  I didn't want to be seen as a "know it all"  Don't apologize for knowledge.  If you are good at what you do, let yourself shine.   Be proud of yourself .

 

When taking your test, read the questions carefully. Go with your first response for the answer. If you're not sure, go back to it later. This way you stay focused.

 

Good Luck!

 

Janet

Answer 3

Hi Jasdeep;

I had a similar issue.  It haunted me throughtout all my grammar school days, and the first half of my college years.  I had issues in math, French, economics and anthropology.  It baffled my instructors who knew I fully studied the material as I demonstrated knowledge of it in the classroom.  During the second half of my college education, it was not a problem because I was no longer taking exams but rather writing terms papers.  My grades went way up.  I graduated college with a B-average.

 

It is a long story and I will not bore you with long stories.  This is my short story.

 

A few years after I left school, I was working in a supermarket as a cashier.  After a few weeks, they asked of me to join the office staff.  One morning, the head bookkeeper was teaching me how to do the morning cash report.  I was using the adding machine and going at a fast pace.  Then, suddenly, I slowed down and began making many mistakes.  She immediately noticed this.

 

She said, "Vivian, you are thinking.  Do not think.  There is nothing to think about here."

 

I stopped thinking and resumed my normal pace.  A few years later, I thought about all those bad exam results which left my instructors baffled.  I believe this was the problem.

 

If there is nothing to think about, do not think!