One of the most stressful parts of taking an algebra class is trying to get help when you don’t understand what you’re doing. Even if you aren’t completely lost, you have a lot of pressure on you because you know that if you don’t get help quickly, you’re going to get way behind. What we’re going to do here for people that need help with algebra is give you a miniature checklist to follow that will help to make sure you get caught up in the course.
The first thing you need to do when looking for Algebra 1 help is to figure out exactly what it is that you don’t know. You can’t just throw your hands up and exclaim, “I don’t understand any of it!” This might make you feel some certain kind of way, but it’s not going to help you to learn the material. Instead, work backwards from the point where you realized you were stuck and start to piece together what you get and what you don’t get. Once you have a better idea of what it is that you don’t understand, then you can move on to the next step.
Once you have an idea of what it is that you don’t understand, the next thing you need to do is find the appropriate section in your notes or textbook. While you might not be able to solve your problems on your own, pin-pointing exactly where your notes and textbook cover the material can give you a very valuable starting point when you start to explore other resources. Any teacher, instructor, professor or tutor that you talk with will be able to help you very quickly if you can point out exactly what part of your notes or textbook is unclear to you.
Finally, if your notes and textbook by themselves aren’t helping, and you have put some real time and effort into trying to learn on your own, then it’s time to consult with someone else. Generally your instructor will be available to help you, especially if you’re taking Algebra 1 in high school. However, many people that need help with algebra don’t have a formal instructor, and these people will need to consult a tutor or mentor of some sort to get algebra help in these types of situations