Please click on the link below to indicate your
participation.
Workshop Attendance
How well do you study in
math courses?
 Take the following survey to realize
your current study habits.
http://www.purplemath.com/stdysrvy.htm
 Make note of your score, and print off
the list after you have received your
score.
 Incorporate the suggestions!!
Determining your Learning Style
Assessing your Perceptual Learning Channels
 Complete the assessment in the link by determining
how applicable each item is for you.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm
 Keep in mind that your learning style is not the only way
you learn, it is merely your strongest way.
 Since professors don’t always present the material
tailored to your learning style, look at the suggestions
provided at the end to determine what you need to do to
make the most out of your class meetings.
 Look to the link below for further suggestions of how you
can make the most of your lectures and study time.
http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworkhelp/a/learningstyle.htm
It’s Homework Time!
Where do you find answers to practice questions?
Practice several questions, and then check your answers in the back of the
book.
When do you read the text?
Read the text BEFORE going to class, and see what you can figure out on
your own. Walk into class knowing what you need to learn!
Search the web often?
Check this out: Math Resources
How else can the Academic Resource Center help?
Visit us at www.viterbo.edu/arc to find times for Drop-In Math, learn how
to sign up for Weekly Group Tutoring, or click the BOOK NOW button to
Schedule an Appointment with the Math Specialist.
Positive Attitude
 Research shows that a positive attitude is the
single most important key to success in math.
 Practice visualizing success.
 If you picture yourself failing, you double your
chances of failure. If you picture yourself
succeeding, you double your chances of success.
 The choice of beliefs and behaviors
determines results.
 Negative beliefs likely lead to self-defeating
behaviors.
 Positive beliefs will result in choosing positive
behaviors.
Negative thoughts about math often can be traced
to some false common beliefs about math:
 Aptitude for math is inborn; some people can do
math and some can’t (some people have a “math
mind”).
 Truth: Every human has the ability to reason with
abstract ideas at some level. This belief interferes with
one’s ability to learn math. Hard work is the key to
success.
 I’ve never been good at math, and I never will be.
Truth: Math is a skill that can be developed – with
frequent practice.
False Common Beliefs (Continued)
 Math is unrelated to my life.
 Truth: Life sometimes involves doing things you don’t
like and/or are difficult. Learning to “get through” math
may help you to persevere through another unpleasant
task later.
 There is a “best” or “correct” way to complete math
problems.
 Truth: There are many ways to get a correct answer.
 Math is like learning a foreign language.
 Truth: Practice is as important in math as it is in
learning a foreign language.
Check out this video: Can I ever learn math?
INNER “VOICES”
 Take some time and pay attention to what goes on in your
mind as you prepare for and take exams. Which voice are
you listening to?
 Critic - This is the internal voice that criticizes us for all that
goes wrong.
 “I stink at math. I just can’t get this stuff.”
 Defender - This internal voice tries to protect us by deflecting
criticism outward, saying, “It’s all their fault!”
 “If the professor would slow down and actually explain
the information, I would understand better.”
 Guide – This voice objectively observes events and simply
asks, “Am I on course or off course? If I’m off course, how can
I best get back on course?”
 “I couldn’t figure out a couple of problems on the last
test. I’m going to ask the teacher to explain the concepts
and practice more.”
Positive Behaviors
 Actively participate in the lecture.
 Sit in front of the class, where you’re less likely
to be distracted.
 Ask questions.
 Review the textbook before attending the
lecture.
 Do the problems. Math skill comes from
practice and repetition.
 Review material as soon after class as possible.
 Practice relaxation techniques.
Characteristics of Successful
Math Students
 They are not necessarily smarter but can anticipate
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difficulties.
They don’t give up because they realize progress is
made one step at a time.
They are kinder to themselves when they make
mistakes, viewing them as opportunities to learn.
They are patient, tenacious, and rarely very fast.
They are not that different from other students, but
they likely approach math with a different attitude
and a different set of behaviors.
Budget Your Time Wisely
 To get an idea of how much time you have available for
studying and for fun, complete a weekly schedule.
 Your schedule should include:
 Class meeting times
Color –code your categories
 Study time
 Work, sports, or other non-academic activities
 “Free” time (i.e. meal time, hanging out with friends, watching TV)
 Does your study time match-up to the following COLLEGE RULE?
________ credits of “easy” classes x 2 = __________ hours
________ credits of “medium” classes x 3 = __________ hours
________ credits of “hard” classes x 4 = __________ hours
Total study hours per week = __________ hours
Keep this schedule in your folder and refer to it from
time to time to see if it can be modified.
Math Anxiety
 Math anxiety is described as:
 A learned fear response to math, which causes
disruptive consequences on a test.
 A feeling of intense frustration or helplessness
about one’s ability to do math.
 What this demonstrates is that math anxiety is
not a reflection of intellectual aptitude.
Tips for Overcoming Math Anxiety
 Realize anxiety is a learned response; therefore, it
can be unlearned over time.
 Don’t go by memory alone. Try to understand the
concept. If you’re anxious, your memory is the first
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to go.
Ask questions. This is the way towards better
understanding.
Don’t put off math until the last minute. It’s better
to do a little math every day. Never let yourself fall
behind.
Recognize your self-defeating talk and change it to
more positive talk.
Breathe!
Check out this website:
Managing Math Anxiety
Anxiety and Tests
 If you get to the exam, look at the questions, and
feel that you can’t work a single problem:
 Take several deep breaths.
 Look for a question that most resembles what you know
how to do. If necessary, work some simple addition
problems on the side to unlock your brain.
 It’s important to review errors made on previous
exams, so you don’t repeat your mistakes.
THANK YOU!!!
Please provide your feedback by completing the
evaluation found by clicking this link:
Math Workshop Evaluation