I am looking for advice on how to improve my study skills in geometry

Question

Hi everyone, I am looking for advice on how to improve my study skills in geometry. Does anyone here have any experience studying effectively or can recommend any study methods that are helpful? Also, I would like to know more about how Wyzant can support me with suitable resources or tutors. Thanks!

Answer 1

Geometry is a subject that requires a type of thinking that is difficult for some to understand so your question is not uncommon.

My biggest piece of advice:

As you begin Geometry, you quickly start to compile information that is both new and extensive. Because of that, it is good to keep a list of Geometry definitions, theorems, and postulates, as you encounter them, that you can continue to add to as you move through the course. That list will provide you a place to refer to when you are doing your homework instead of flipping back through your book looking for something that you can't seem to find. It also provides you with a place to go to study and memorize in prep for upcoming exams.

My second biggest piece of advice:

Practice, practice, practice. You cannot get better without continual regular practice. Do this even if your teacher doesn't require it. You can use Khan Academy for extra practice. Ask your teacher for extra work - maybe you'll even get extra credit for it.

If you feel you need help. don't wait. If you get behind, that will snowball quickly and you'll be hard-pressed to catch up. Help might involve a Wyzant tutor or after-school help from your teacher. But it might also involve you working with someone else in your class. If you do that, verbalize to each other your methods of looking at a problem and solving a problem. Be open-minded for suggestions on how to improve your work but ALWAYS, do the work the way that makes sense to your brain (there are lots of ways to do most math problems).

Finding the best Wyzant tutor depends on what you need. Many people work better with in-person tutoring and Wyzant provides that for most places. If virtual tutoring will work for you, it opens up more possible tutors. Of course, you will need to balance the quality of tutoring and the cost but that depends on you and your situation. The "Search for Tutors" capability in Wyzant allows you to search locally (for in-person tutoring) and globally for virtual tutoring and lets you narrow tutors down by their rates.

Answer 2

Hi Luna!

This is an excellent question. I especially like how you've framed the question in terms of 'study skills' instead of 'absorbing content', and this subtle distinction is so important. It extends far beyond geometry.

Here's an example to illustrate the difference: as a young adult I took piano lessons more or less weekly with an accomplished teacher for about seven (7) years. She was a wonderful teacher, supportive and accommodating. But for months-long stretches of time, I would not appear to be improving. I would struggle through songs. She would notice and then ask if I had been practicing. The answer in these scenarios was typically 'no' and she could tell. I felt terribly guilty for disappointing her, and would promise to practice the following week. Sometimes this would work, but other times it did not.

For me, the greatest motivation to practice piano was not in search of mastery or improvement; it was having a particular deadline like a public concert or a competition. The weeks leading up to these events gave me the motivation to prepare. And when the deadline approaching, I decided that regular practice was now a priority.

So let's translate this anecdote to geometry. You've already decided that you want to improve your study skills, and the first question that arises is 'why?' In other words, how you're currently approaching the subject might not be working so you're considering different approaches. If you're understanding the material but find it boring - a tutor can definitely help! If you're not understanding the material and also find it boring - a tutor can definitely help! If you're putting in a lot of effort but not seeing dramatic grade improvements - a tutor can definitely help!

Motivation, in general, is highly individual. If you're looking for study skills, there are SO SO many ways to study effectively. What works best for me might not work best for you. A tutor can serve as an instructor (delivering content), but also as an accountability partner (not your teacher) to ensure you're actually spending time with the material. Some people just learn better from conversation - not absorbing content from a book.

Whatever the subject, whatever your challenge - having a tutor can definitely help!