First Bad Mark In Spesh Maths 1/2...how to deal?

[geminii]

Hi everyone!

I just came out of my maths class, and we had a test on transformations. I'm a train wreck right now, trying to keep myself together, because when I get a bad mark on a test, I get really upset.
So last week on Friday, my teacher told a few of us that we wouldn't need to do this test today, because we'd be missing half the lesson where he would be teaching us the content needed for the transformations test. So I concentrated on my other homework and turned up today with 0% study on the weekend.
Now I walk into class and the teacher says "okay everyone, set up the tables so you sit end to end" and I put my hand up and say that some of us aren't supposed to do the test.
My teacher says "no, I never said that," and continues handing out the test papers. I started panicking because I barely knew any of the stuff I needed to.

I manage to do most of the questions - it's open book and we can ask the teacher questions. I ask him if this is how I set up the equation, and he says "you need to put the image to the right and the pre-image to the left" and I'm like what the because I wasn't in class to learn any of that!!

I spent so much time trying to figure out that question and draw a graph of that equation that I don't get up to the last question. And the question that I asked him about was six marks, and I think the test might have been about 25 to 35 marks.

I have no idea what to do now. I'd be lucky to get a B. And I just got a B in a biology test, and my parents are going to meet up with the teacher to find out what went wrong. That's what happens when I get a B.

I haven't got the mark back yet but I know it's bad. My parents are really strict and they'll get soooooooo mad about this. I don't know how to deal with this.

And if it couldn't get any worse, almost everyone else in the class was fine doing the test. They all probably got great marks.

I normally don't get below an A - I got 100% in an algebra analysis task and 96% on my matrices test.

Please help, I don't know what to do and all the pressure from my parents is getting really stressful, especially because I'm doing 3 1/2 subjects this year (Spesh maths, HHD and biology).

Any advice would be much appreciated

[Coffee]

Hey AceVCE777. You sound like an excellent student! Your marks are impressive and you should be proud of your achievements. A B is by no means a bad mark although I can understand why you might feel disappointed and even a little cheated given the circumstances.

I'm sorry to hear you're having a rough time with your parents. Have you talked to them about how you're feeling? Sometimes our parents can have unreasonable expectations of us and they don't realise the detrimental effects it can have on us.

You say you're doing 3 1/2 subjects. Have you considered dropping one or two to lighten the load? If you're feeling stressed and like you can't cope there is no shame in dropping a subject or two to make things easier. Have you talked to your teachers or a member of the welfare team at school? Perhaps they can help you find a solution.

It sounds like you did rather well on the test given it was sprung on you at the last minute and you didn't have time to revise. Next time, rather than focusing all your time on other homework and not studying at all for maths, try to allocate some time at the end of the week to writing up some notes or doing a few questions. It doesn't have to be long and the purpose is really only to consolidate your knowledge.

At the end of the day, it's important you're happy with what you have achieved - not your parents.

[geminii]

Hey Coffee, thanks for your answer!

About dropping a subject or two, I can't. Again my parents have picked what subjects I'm doing and the only one I sort of picked (due to a clash), was HHD. So I have two 3/4's in store for me next year - Bio and HHD. They picked Spesh, Methods, English (which is compulsory anyways), Chemistry (which I hate), and Bio (which is okay because I love).
It's hard for me to talk to them because I feel like they'd get mad if they told them I was having trouble, like they would feel disappointed. I know they'd tell me I just have a bad attitude and to just get over it.
I could get as many teachers as I want to tell them that having 3 1/2 subjects in Year 10 is not the best idea, but they would ignore all of the advice because they think I'm capable of dealing with it.
Without knowing it, whenever they tell me "don't be stressed, I know you'll get a good mark," they're stressing me out even more. I start out being not stressed but then they say that all the time and I realise how much they're expecting of me. When they say "I know you'll get a good mark," it's like saying that if I don't, I'll have disappointed them.

Basically, the short version of all that is that I don't think I can talk to my parents without disappointing them and looking like I failed.

And I have NO idea what I'll do in Year 11 and 12 with Chemistry - it's not exactly my favourite subject and I know I won't enjoy it. I already had a taste of it in science this year.

[JackSonSmith]

A less than desirable mark in Unit 1/2 is not necessarily a bad thing, you will have a valuable lesson from your mistakes that you can learn from and take into unit 3/4 - where your marks actually count towards your ATAR.

[Coffee]

I see where you're coming from as I have had friends in very similar situations. However, I will stress the importance of communication between you and your parents and teachers despite your fear of disappointing them. It's important they know how you feel as sometimes we don't always realise the impact of our actions (in this case, their expectations/pressure).

I'm a bit concerned that your parents are making all the decisions for you although I'm not sure what we can do about that since I'm assuming your parents must sign/confirm the subjects you undertake?

If you're unable to see eye to eye with your parents/teachers it's important you have a strong support network. Have you talked to your friends, siblings, extended family? I also recommend seeing a counsellor of psychologist who will be able to recommend some techniques to dealing with stress as it's really important you're looking after your mental wellbeing. I can recommend a few exercises/techniques but obviously a psychologist will be able to help you more than me!

Best of luck - It doesn't last forever!

[Orb]

Hi everyone!

I just came out of my maths class, and we had a test on transformations. I'm a train wreck right now, trying to keep myself together, because when I get a bad mark on a test, I get really upset.
So last week on Friday, my teacher told a few of us that we wouldn't need to do this test today, because we'd be missing half the lesson where he would be teaching us the content needed for the transformations test. So I concentrated on my other homework and turned up today with 0% study on the weekend.
Now I walk into class and the teacher says "okay everyone, set up the tables so you sit end to end" and I put my hand up and say that some of us aren't supposed to do the test.
My teacher says "no, I never said that," and continues handing out the test papers. I started panicking because I barely knew any of the stuff I needed to.

I manage to do most of the questions - it's open book and we can ask the teacher questions. I ask him if this is how I set up the equation, and he says "you need to put the image to the right and the pre-image to the left" and I'm like what the because I wasn't in class to learn any of that!!

I spent so much time trying to figure out that question and draw a graph of that equation that I don't get up to the last question. And the question that I asked him about was six marks, and I think the test might have been about 25 to 35 marks.

I have no idea what to do now. I'd be lucky to get a B. And I just got a B in a biology test, and my parents are going to meet up with the teacher to find out what went wrong. That's what happens when I get a B.

I haven't got the mark back yet but I know it's bad. My parents are really strict and they'll get soooooooo mad about this. I don't know how to deal with this.

And if it couldn't get any worse, almost everyone else in the class was fine doing the test. They all probably got great marks.

I normally don't get below an A - I got 100% in an algebra analysis task and 96% on my matrices test.

Please help, I don't know what to do and all the pressure from my parents is getting really stressful, especially because I'm doing 3 1/2 subjects this year (Spesh maths, HHD and biology).

Any advice would be much appreciated

You're in Year 10 and you're doing Spesh maths 1/2? (or GMA)

Why not just do Methods 1/2 instead? It'll be a lot easier and paves the way for spesh a lot more.

[geminii]

You're in Year 10 and you're doing Spesh maths 1/2? (or GMA)

Why not just do Methods 1/2 instead? It'll be a lot easier and paves the way for spesh a lot more.

Our school doesn't offer methods 1/2 in year 10.

[geminii]

Update:
My maths teacher is letting me retake the test one Wednesday during lunchtime, thanks so much for the advice, especially this:

Next time, rather than focusing all your time on other homework and not studying at all for maths, try to allocate some time at the end of the week to writing up some notes or doing a few questions. It doesn't have to be long and the purpose is really only to consolidate your knowledge.

I'll try and incorporate that!!

[Orb]

Our school doesn't offer methods 1/2 in year 10.

How can they not offer methods but offer spesh O.o
I'm dumbfounded