Test Score Anxiety.

I felt relatively good with the test as I was leaving on Friday. It wasn't too hard. I know that I didn't know anything about one question but that was a relatively small point amount of 8 when there are other questions worth 17. I wasn't too scared to have missed one question. In class today I think that most people have test score anxiety. Luckily we only have to wait a weekend where in other classes I have waited a week or more. So the class was asked how the test was and people who I consider smart said "horrible" and "really bad" where in my head I was thinking "not great but not too bad either". We always get a 5 minute break because the class is 1.5 hours and that is hard on students and the teachers are nice. During the break on Mondays the teacher usually goes up to find out what the average score is. Much to my shigrin...it was projected to be a 64 +/-. Since I didn't really have any berrings on what I should get nervousness set in. It was another hour before I would get my test score. Plus I am always one of the last people to get my test when they are handed out.

I get to my discussion where the exams are handed back and I ask the question that everyone wants to know..."What is the average?" His answer...56. The worst average that the class has gotten on a test yet. Yet another wave of anxiety comes over me. My TA has a way of kind of announcing the people who have done well. With this set of scores, if you get above a 70, you get a "good job" If you get above an 80 you get a "great job" + a handshake. If you get above a 90 you geta "you housed, great job" + a handshake. Mostly handing out the tests he was silent. More anxiety. He says my name and it takes him forever to find me. I ended up clicking my finger at him to get his attention. He comes to me and says "great job" and gives me a handshake. My response, "It is SO good to hear that." I look down at my exam and I see an 83. 27 points above average!! Those were the best words to hear. I am so excited that I was able to get that good of a grade. I know that 83 to me 3 years ago would have been horrible but this is my highest exam score of the semester where the average was the lowest.

My reasonings why this exam was much lower than the average...we had a substitute teacher the entire week. He usually teaches the regular semesters so he is used to having much more time to teach so he didn't cover things as effectively as someone who is used to the summer schedule. He also didn't have access to the exam so he couldn't be text question specific in review with concepts where my other teacher does that to an extent. Also, he teaches like a physicist. Science minds do not equal the best ways to teach students learning the stuff for the first time (like me). I did well because I struggled over homework and learned the concepts in my own way and just listened to the conceptual stuff in class. He isn't a bad teacher per se, but he doesn't understand how students learn. If any student had to work, or took his class as all the knowledge you need, you didn't do well on the test. If you don't work and tried to learn the stuff your way (and have a really good notecard) you understand the stuff better. With this teacher much of the understanding the stuff is placed directly on the student.

I am happy. Now I need to study for the final this Friday. We are also learning 3 chapters in 3 days to cover on the final as well. It is going to be a really busy week, but I have to say this is a great start to it. The stuff I am learning isn't too hard. I got a great grade on the last exam. I shouldn't spend the regular 5+ hours a day on homework. Last week I was doing homework for an average of 6+ hours a day. This class is a job. 8:00-11:30 with 5 hours homework. 8.5 hours a day just on class. It is totally worth it to get it done.