Most students who struggle in math do not have a broad math problem — they have one or two specific gaps that compound over time. The fastest way to raise a grade is to find those gaps precisely, fill them directly, and then rebuild the test-taking habits that the gaps have undermined. Students who take this targeted approach regularly see significant grade improvement within a single semester.
A dropping math grade is usually not a sign that a student is “bad at math.” It is almost always a sign that something specific went unresolved — a concept, a procedure, a unit — and then everything that built on top of it started to wobble. The good news is that math gaps can be fixed. The key is finding the right one to fix first.
Find the Actual Problem First
Before anything else, look at the student’s recent tests and ask: where are the marks going? Is it algebra errors on otherwise-correct setups? Is it not knowing how to start a problem type? Is it running out of time? Is it consistently losing marks on one specific unit?
Most parents and students jump straight to “do more practice,” but practicing the wrong thing or practicing at the wrong level achieves very little. If a student is losing marks because they do not understand exponential functions, drilling polynomial factoring will not help their grade. Identify the concept gap first.
A useful exercise: have the student redo a recent test without time pressure. If they can now do the problems correctly with unlimited time, the issue is speed and exam habits. If they still cannot do the problems, the issue is concept understanding. These have different fixes.
How to Fill a Concept Gap
Once you know the specific gap, the fix is usually faster than families expect. A student who never truly understood exponent rules can work through the core concepts in 3 to 5 hours of focused review. A student who is shaky on trigonometry can rebuild the foundation in a week with targeted practice.
The key is to work at the level where the student can actually succeed, not at the level of the current course. If a Grade 11 student is struggling with quadratics because they never fully understood factoring in Grade 10, go back to Grade 10 factoring first. Trying to learn the harder thing without the simpler thing is frustrating and ineffective.
Once the gap is filled, do 15 to 20 practice problems on that specific concept until it feels automatic, then reconnect it to the current coursework. This usually takes one to two focused weeks per major gap.
Study Habits That Move Grades
Review mistakes the same day as a test. Students who look at their marked test within 24 hours and understand why each answer was wrong retain that learning. Students who file the test away and move on repeat the same errors on the next test.
Do practice problems before asking for help. Attempting a problem first — even incorrectly — makes the explanation more meaningful. Students who go straight to looking at solutions do not build the problem-solving instincts the exam tests.
Work through homework problems completely. Leaving problems unfinished because they are hard is exactly how gaps form. A student who writes “I don’t know how to do this” and then asks a teacher or tutor the next day learns far more than one who just skips it.
When to Get Outside Help
A tutor adds the most value when: (1) the student has a specific gap that is not being addressed in class because the class has moved on, (2) the student’s confidence has taken a hit and they need one-on-one attention to re-engage, or (3) the class pace is too fast for the student to process new material and review old gaps simultaneously.
Tutoring is less effective when the student is not doing their own work between sessions. A two-hour weekly tutoring session will not compensate for a student who does not attempt homework or review session material during the week.
A Realistic Semester Timeline
- Week 1: Identify the gap. Look at past tests and mark the specific concepts costing points.
- Weeks 2-4: Fill the gap. Work through the underlying concept with targeted practice until it is solid.
- Weeks 5-8: Apply the fixed foundation to current coursework. Homework completion and test review are non-negotiable.
- Weeks 9-12: Build speed. Practice under light time pressure to prepare for exam conditions.
- Final weeks: Focused review on high-frequency exam topics and any remaining weak spots.
Most students who follow this process see a 10 to 20 percentage point improvement by the end of the semester. The ones who see less improvement are usually the ones who skip the gap-identification step and just “do more math.”
Exploring Scholar works with students in Toronto to identify exactly what is holding their math grade back and build a targeted plan to fix it. If your child’s grade has been dropping, visit our programs page to learn how we work.
Frequently Asked Questions
My child’s teacher says they are “behind.” What does that actually mean?
Being “behind” in math almost always means there is a specific concept from earlier in the course (or an earlier course) that has not clicked yet, and the current material builds on it. Ask the teacher to identify which specific concept is the sticking point. That is where to start.
How much time per week does a struggling math student need to spend on math?
For a student who is behind, 45 to 60 minutes per day — five days a week — is the minimum for visible progress within a semester. This includes homework, reviewing tests, and targeted gap-filling practice. Students who only do the assigned homework without additional review rarely catch up when they are significantly behind.
Should I hire a tutor or use online resources?
Online resources work well for students who are self-motivated and know what to look for. For students who are disengaged or who do not know which concepts they are missing, a tutor who can diagnose the problem and give immediate feedback is usually more effective. The two approaches are complementary, not competing.
My child gets good marks on homework but fails tests. What is happening?
This is a very common pattern and it almost always means the student is relying on notes, examples, or help while doing homework — then encountering the problems cold in an exam. The fix is to practice under closed-book, timed conditions regularly, not just during exam week.
Is it possible to raise a math grade from 60 to 80 in one semester?
Yes, for many students this is achievable — especially if the grade drop is recent and the underlying gap is identifiable. We have seen students make this jump when the root cause is a single concept gap that, once fixed, unlocks the current course material. It requires consistent effort from the student, not just from the tutor.
Is Your Child’s Math Grade Slipping?
We help Toronto students identify what is holding them back and build a concrete plan to fix it. One conversation with our team can clarify a lot.