Homework poses lots of trouble for students. There have been a lot of conjectures that discuss whether homework is actually needed in the current system of education in America. Despite such speculations, many have actually supportedthe presence of homework as it helps the students combat any issues pertaining to certain subject and learn it better. However, sometimes, teachers tend to forget the amount of homework they assign and over load the students which demotivate the students and affect their confidence regarding that particular subject.
Especially for subjects like chemistry, acquiring some positive amount of confidence is absolutely required for the students to take it up and understand it better. Chemistry itself is complicated with numerous topics and equations to go through and can always pose a threat to the confidence of a student, especially if they are less inclined towards science subjects. However, this can be possibly worked upon in time, through certain techniques.
‘Confidence comes not from always being right but not fearing to be wrong’
Confidence and homework
It has been seen and experienced through ages that students feel shy and less confident to answer questions and even work on their assignments alone. Many even avoid the questions in a class and would rather prefer being dead than answer any question in front of others. There are a number of reasons why a student might lack self-confidence which further affects their thought process and academics. They are:
- Lack of experience
- Lack of study
- Feeling of insecurity
- A sense of being vulnerable
- Any troubled past experiences
- Low grades
Whatever be the root of the cause, it is essential to find them. This can be done by listing down the strength and weaknesses and working upon it. Homework allows you to devote much time on that particular subject you are less confident about and builds your confidence as you work more upon it. The more you study and gather knowledge and experience from it, the better your confidence level will be.
Solutions to boost your confidence
Despite the presence of such weaknesses, the only way that you can work upon building your confidence is by employing certain study techniques to get better at chemistry. It will take some time and the transformation won’t happen overnight, but it will happen if you are completely dedicated to the cause. This can be done by employing a holistic approach toward your homework and study methods to enhance your confidence in chemistry and understand it better.
Read carefully
Read each and every line very carefully of the assignment to figure out what is it that the teacher wants from you. You can use a pen to highlight the key words. When doing the homework, go through the study material carefully. Read it out and explain whatever you have read to yourself while reading it. This builds your confidence as you understand what you have learned and hence, allows you to understand and work through the assignment in a better manner.
Practice
The reason why homework builds your confidence is because you practice again and again what you learn. Lest say for example, you have to write down the equations for organic chemistry as to how sugar is extracted. The more you practice and write down the equations, the better your retention power becomes. Moreover, you learn to anticipate the steps in an equation and also can figure out ways to balance out the equation.
Tackle problems efficiently
Homework builds the confidence of handling any problems in life ably in students. Because of homework, it becomes an instinct for students to approach any problem logically and tackle it well. When you encounter a problem with your chemistry homework and cannot solve it in any manner, step away for five minutes from the room. You will find that after returning you will have new set of ideas to tackle it well. Moreover, if you cannot solve it immediately, leave it for later and move on to the next. Or you can even refer to the examples given in the textbook to solve them.
Use the three questions rule
If you are trying to instil confidence by doing homework, the best way to do so is by using the three question rule. This ensures that you solve the problem in little amount of time and also allows them to figure out what exactly does the assignment asks out of them. You can frame the three questions in any manner; however, it should answer your problem and help solve your homework problem.
Use effective tools
Employ the use of certain tools to help your study methods so that you can efficiently complete your homework in time which will boost your confidence. Studies have shown that the use of index cards, reading out loud, etc. help the students to retain what they have studied better. Moreover, for science subjects like chemistry, you can always highlight the important equations and definitions to understand and retain what you have studied.
Go for help
If by any chance you are failing to comprehend anything in class, or your confidence is failing you, it is better to ask for help. You can ask your teachers or your parent to help you out with your homework. Once your confidence starts to build, try and do it on your own and figure out exactly where you are going wrong to handle the subject better. You can also look for an online tutor or any homework help site to solve these problems.
‘Self-trust is the first secret of success.’
These study techniques will certainly help your confidence build up and will make you understand chemistry better. However, if you have a fear of the subject, it is essential to figure out why and then proceed.