One of the toughest subjects to succeed in is physics and yet, it is also one of the most important subjects to study at school because it is important in so many career choices. Mathematics and physics marks are traditionally a benchmark for people looking to study degrees like engineering and medicine, so getting good marks is vital. No matter how much aptitude you have for the subject there is so much scope for being derailed – through bad teaching, too much workload or a failure to grasp the basics at the start. But fear not, all is not lost. Here are a few simple ways to help improve your marks.
Extra lessons for the win
No matter how good or bad your teacher might be, at school there is only so much attention that a teacher is able to give to an individual pupil. And it is that individual attention and one-to-one relationship which can be so important as part of the learning process. So, if you want to give your marks a giant shot in the arm, perform a Google search for something like ‘physics tutor Perth’ to find a person or an institution close to you who can help. A word of warning though – it is important that you can forge a good relationship with your tutor. If it doesn’t feel right at first, then find somebody else.
Online resources
There is a great deal of information about science and physics online and there are plenty of YouTube channels devoted specifically to the subject. What is great is that most of these channels, at least the successful one, are very well done. They are designed to be consumed, to be educational and to be entertaining. Spend a bit of time browsing these channels and you will be amazed at what you learn.
Ask questions
One of the biggest problems with classroom learning is that so often students are reticent to ask questions. This is either because they are shy, or they fear to look ‘stupid’. Both are poor reasons for staying silent. The reality is that if you don’t ask questions when you are unsure that you will end up looking stupid when the exam results come out at the end of term. Ask questions in class though and you are probably asking something that half the class also want to know. And remember, if you really are too shy to ask in class, then hang around after the lesson to ask your question or meet the teacher after hours for a quick Q and A.
Practice
The adage has it that practice makes perfect and this is very true when it comes to physics. Find old exam papers, read, give yourself problems and talk through the subject with your family or friends. It is all about becoming completely comfortable with the education material and familiar with its quirks and intricacies. You need to ensure that you create a situation that means by the time you get to exams that you have seen every possible problem or scenario that might be encountered and that you are comfortable with how to deal with it.
