The teacher will tell you things that aren’t in your text. Keep track of them.
They’ll probably be on the test.
If you get a homework problem wrong, work on it again until you get it right.
If you don’t know if your new solution is right, ask the teacher. The problem might be on the test.
If the teacher writes a comment on your homework, make sure you understand it.
If you don’t, go to office hours and ask.
If you get a review sheet, make sure you can do all the problems. If you can’t, ask.
Learn what all the words mean. They might be used in the test.
Think about whether your answers to problems make sense.
We didn’t do any problems like that in class so they won’t be on the test.
Wrong. There isn’t time in class to do all variations of all problems. If problems are in assigned reading, they are fair game on an exam.
If I can do the problems I don’t have to do the reading.
Wrong. The reading tells you when certain methods work, and how to decide which method to use. On a test (and in life) you have to figure out what method works.
The teacher just talks about things that don’t have anything to do with working the problems.
Listen more carefully. Are these examples of where the techniques you are learning work? Are they hints about how to know if your results are correct? Are they examples to help you connect material to where it is used in life?
Class is boring so I don’t listen.
Boring or not, you’d still rather pass the class than not pass. See first line at top.
College professors don’t give F’s; if I show up, I’ll get a C, or at worst a D.
Not true. Results matter, and you need grades to keep your financial aid.
Nothing happens in class the day before vacation, so I might as well leave town early.
You don’t know what happens in class if you’re not there. You’ve paid for the class period, and the professor might have something useful to tell you.
The homework will be posted on the internet, so I don’t have to go to class.
Maybe it will be, and maybe the net will be down. In any case, you don’t know what happens in class if you’re not there.