What do you do if you cant understand a topic you were taught?

Question

What do you do if you cant understand a topic you were taught?

I was taught a certain history topic by a teacher-in-training and her lessons were mostly informative all the time and i did not pay much attention. Now, my teacher has returned and she skipped that chapter because the trainee taught it but the exams are coming and i realise that i cannot understand that chapter ... i thought of asking my teacher to go through it again, but she's kind of scary and she's like "Do you understand?" and like yeahhh....i'm a bit slow when it comes to this subject- history, and yes there are books, but there's nothing better than being taught, is there? So are there any suggestions?

Answer 1

What you do is read the chapter assigned that you ignored in the first place. If you have questions, ask your parents or a friend that does understand the topic.

This isn't rocket science but you will have to R-E-A-D!!  

Answer 2

Here is the thing - we all learn differently. Some of us learn by hearing, some by seeing, some by doing - many of us are a combination of these. As a teacher, I always present topics in the various ways - and I always check for understanding, etc.

Talk to your teacher and ask for help.  It is available and if your teacher won't help - find someone who will. It is not that you can't understand it - it is that you need it presented in a different way than it originally was.

I spent my whole school career pretending to get stuff that I did not - if someone says things too fast - I just don't get it - but would say I did.  Now, as I have been teaching for 25 years and am much older - I have not problem saying, "Wait a minute - I don't get it - can you please explain again?"  Because guess what - if YOU don't get it - I GUARANTEE there is someone else sitting there who doesn't either!  Seriously - you are not alone in this.

Not only do I have see it - I have to physically write it. I can, for instance, write down an entire week of lesson plans, and never have to look at them again. Because it went from my brain out through my body and now it sticks. That is one thing I would do when studying - write notes on what you are reading - it may help....

Good luck - you can do it - you just need to advocate for the help you need !!!!!!

Answer 3

You retain less if you just read it.  Statistically, people retain more when they use more of their 5 senses.

You can't touch, smell, or hear history but try you imagine you are.  If you do this, you will remember more.  

Answer 4

Pretend you are the teacher when reviewing the material and teach yourself.

ADDITIONAL: There are two people involved in the teaching process; the teacher and the student. The student needs to be actively involved in order to learn what is being taught, they can't expect the teacher to do it all. So, as the student, you need to place yourself in a position to learn what you are being taught. You need to motivate yourself to approach the subject in a manner in which you will learn it.

Answer 5

try to find someone with good notes during the time that you weren't paying much attention.

Answer 6

If you have been trying to read the text and still don't understand it (which is different from saying that you didn't really read the text and don't remember what the teacher said), this is what you say to your teacher:

"I've been studying for exams, and I'm having trouble understanding some things in this chapter."

That does a few things.  First of all, it tells the teacher that you have been studying, which is always a good thing!  If you just go and tell her you don't understand, her first reaction may be to tell you to study.

Secondly, you need to be very specific about the things you don't understand.  You are expected to have read the book, and it seems unlikely that you wouldn't understand anything in that chapter, so pick out the things which are unclear to you.  Again, it will suggest that you have been putting in the effort, and need help on getting the last few pieces.  That is different from suggesting, as you do in your last few sentences, that you are too lazy to do the reading yourself and want the teacher to process it for you.

Answer 7

According to you, the lessons were good but you were not paying attention. That is not the same as not understanding the topic. Take some responsibility for your actions, sit down and read the material. No one is going to spoon feed you out in the real world. Maybe next time you will pay attention in class.

Answer 8

what i do is let my teacher no i didn't understand and she will usually explain . the best t time to ask is after school in your own time approach her and say miss i was listening but i didn't understand the topic so is there any chance you can go over it with me please .