Recommendation For Math Retention

Review math lessons instantly. Do not allow a lot of time to pass before reviewing what you just learned.  Don’t wait until pieces of information start slipping away from your short term memory, and strain your brain trying to remember how things fit together. Quick reviews and some practice will take the information from your short term memory into your long term memory. The more you review and practice the longer you will retain the information.

Exercise critical thinking in your review. Try to contemplate the lesson and find the ‘why’ and ‘how’ about the method or approach. You can also try to see if you can find a different or similar way to get to the same conclusion. You can also challenge yourself to find easier steps to reach the answer. This will empower your comprehension of the math lesson, since you are looking at it from a critic stand point. Always try to do a little more than you think you need do. It doesn’t hurt to surpass and go a little bit beyond your comfort zone. It can only help in the long run. 

Avoid high level frustration. Although you should be doing work all by yourself, yet, when you get stuck in a math problem and can’t find your way through the problem, seek outside help. Don’t allow frustration get the best of you. You want have fun while learning the subject. You should ask or let someone else help you get past the hurdle and then finish it yourself. The helper should only facilitate your learning process not do the work for you. You will reach a good level of comprehension, and therefore good level of retention, if you are doing most of the work yourself.

Study with a buddy. Sometimes studying with someone else, at the same level as yourself, will immensely help speed up comprehension. When you are studying with someone else you are actually exchanging information and ideas, and attempting to answer each other’s questions. Like they say, two heads are better than one.  How many times have you found the right answer you are looking for just by listening to yourself ask the question to another person? On the other hand, the other person might just ask the right question that will trigger the lost answer in your head to pop right out. Also, explaining or attempting to explain material to another person significantly increases your understanding and retention of the subject matter.

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