Core Competency Reflection

In this math semester, iv’e had to deal with a lot of personal changes along the way. Right when the semester started, i lost someone very special to me and this made it very hard for me to focus in class. My level of productivity was very low and i found it hard to complete the homework we were given in class. I found myself falling behind in class as i was not prepared for any of the tests. I was at my all time low and i was constantly failing every math test. It was very challenging for me but also very motivating as the thought of failing yet another test made me feel really bad about myself. I wanted to do something about this, so i signed up to be tutored at school during flex. I studied more, completed the homework and asked more questions in class. I was grasping a better understanding of each chapter and found myself getting out of the “rut” i was in. I also started strategically preparing for assessments. I made sure all of my workbook questions and handouts were completed and asked my tutor for help on questions i found challenging. This seemed to pay off as i got a good mark on the next test. I felt a sense of accomplishment and the motivation i felt made me want to keep doing my best all throughout the course. Having said this, i still find it challenging to focus in class or even complete some of the homework sometimes. One thing in math that i found helped me grasp a better understanding is the group work we do almost everyday. I find that working collaboratively with others gives me more knowledge on the different steps of math problems. I also think that the verbal communication with others in the group has helped me expand my math vocabulary as saying the math terms out loud really helps me memorize and solve math problems. I would say that the group work has really helped me throughout the course. I’m really glad to have supportive people in the class that don’t judge me and celebrate my successes.

Advice for Future Students

Throughout the course, i have learned that keeping up with everything is very important. My advice to students going into math 10 next year is to take notes in class. This will force u to have a better understanding as writing it down already helps your brain to recognize and understand the material. I also think that completing the homework and asking questions when you don’t understand is really important to not fall behind. I also recommend students sign up for a peer tutor if they find themselves struggling throughout the course. The last thing I’m going to say is to make sure you have fun in the class and not get too stressed as it can be overwhelming sometimes.