Is your teenager having a hard time on tests like the SAT or ACT because of weakness in math?
Your teenager can turn this challenge into an opportunity for success – not just on the SAT, but for life!
The biggest problem that teenagers have is that they approach the SAT and ACT as if they were intelligence tests and that they get stuck with the idea that they're not smart in math.
The whole approach adds pressure -- no one wants to take a test that might reveal they're not smart, right?
And it adds a feeling of helplessness. If a teenager sees this as an IQ test, then there's nothing they can do to improve, right?
To move away from these wrong ideas, let's consider approaching the SAT and ACT, and their math sections, for what they really are -- games of skill!
Let me repeat: the best way to approach the SAT and ACT is to see them for what they really are -- games of skill.
Then for the teenager it's no longer about how smart they are, is it?
It's just about learning to play the game.
And a game is something they can relate to.
Many students already have a game they play actively.
Some play sports like football, tennis, golf, or gymnastics.
Some do dance or martial arts.
Some play music or the performing arts.
They may already be successful in one of these games.
Each game they play has certain fundamentals to learn, certain keys to success -- and so does the SAT or ACT.
The SAT or ACT, like any other game of skill, can be broken down into fundamentals and mastered with consistent practice over a period of time.
So when they see the SAT or ACT as a game it becomes something that they can approach, something that they can see themselves learning -- maybe even enjoying..
So, now that we understand the true nature of the challenge, here's what you might say to your teenager:
First, embrace SAT or ACT Math as a game of skill
Second, let go of the idea that this is about how smart you are or how talented you are in math. It's just about learning how to play your game!
Third, recognize that different people master different games at different paces.
One game might take us longer to learn than another -- and we can still end up great.
And if you see other people mastering the SAT / ACT math game very quickly, you don't have to care about that one bit.
Finally, give yourself time to succeed.
If you were looking at any other game of skill -- tennis, golf, basketball -- would you expect mastery in a few days or even in a few weeks?
Would you cheat yourself by setting a short time deadline, after which you say, "sorry, game over"?
No - you'd give yourself as much time as you need.
And that's what you do for your SAT or ACT game!
Give yourself enough time to succeed -- until you can call this SAT / ACT game your own.
So, those are the key points to share with your teenager.
In the next (4th) part of this 5-part article, we'll talk about Jonah, a student who overcame great difficulty with math, and SAT math in particular, by using practice skills he'd built in one game and then applying them to SAT math.
