While not all students need to take trigonometry and calculus, most are at least required to take algebra and geometry. The following suggestions will be useful regardless of your or your high school aged child's skill level:

Participate in Class

First, make a constant effort to be an active participant in your math class. Students are often hesitant to ask questions about difficult material because of a fear of embarrassment. However, even though it might feel like you are the only person having trouble and asking questions, chances are good that everyone else has the same problems and fears. Classroom participation ensures that you can learn at your own pace, providing valuable feedback to teachers about how material should be covered. However, telling your teacher that you do not understand is not enough; ask questions about specific concepts and request additional examples so that your teacher can help you as much as possible.

Get Connected

If you are still having trouble, make use of the additional resources available. Set up some time outside of class to meet with your teacher and go over problem areas. Ask a friend to help with your homework; often a different perspective can provide the breakthrough in understanding that you are looking for.

If these steps do not get you caught up, seek additional help. There are many tutoring services available where you can receive help from teachers and outside experts.

Keep Up!

Once you have caught up and taken care of your math issues, it is important to stay ahead and try to prevent further problems before they come up. Continued participation in class and diligence with your homework are a good first step. When you have a good understanding of the material being covered, help your classmates who are having trouble. Not only will this increase the chance that they will help you when you are having trouble, but putting yourself in the role of a teacher cements and increases your depth of understanding about the material.

Finally, take care of math issues before they become critical. Ask questions, then seek help as soon as you have trouble rather than waiting until the night before the test to discover that there is too much stress and not enough time to allow you to learn effectively.