The Math Test
Joachim laughed off his brother’s concern. Believing that studying was pointless, he shrugged. “I’d get low grades anyway.”
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.” — Proverbs 12:1 (NIV)
The recent Math test results were out. Joachim didn’t fail — he barely passed with a 76.
“I’m not good with numbers,” he told his older brother, Isaac. “As long as I pass, I’m fine.”
“Your grade doesn’t solely depend on test scores,” Isaac argued. “You failed an exam this quarter. Quarterly marks also factor in exercises and recitations. Miss Morales mentioned to me that you’re not attentive in her class. Your mind seems to be somewhere else. So when you’re called on to recite, you don’t have an answer. Worse, you don’t even try to solve the exercises she gives.”
Joachim stayed quiet.
“Do you think you’ll still pass?” Isaac asked him. “Spend some time studying Math.”
Joachim laughed off brother’s concern. Believing that studying was pointless, he shrugged. “I’d get low grades anyway.”
“You need to tell Mom and Dad,” Isaac insisted. “You only share your good grades with them. They can help. Plus, you don’t want your teacher calling them in.”
“Okay, okay, I will,” Joachim grumbled.
“And pay attention in your Math class,” Isaac added. “Listening helps you understand.”
Get Once Upon A Verse’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
The next day, Miss Morales, the Math teacher, pulled Joachim aside. “There’s another test next Friday. Study well. If you get another low grade, you’ll be in trouble.”
Now worried, Joachim knew he had to follow his brother’s advice. That evening, he talked to his parents about his struggles in Math.
Joachim’s mother was an accountant. “Lucky you! Your mother’s a Math wizard,” his father joked.
“I’m no wizard,” his mother laughed. “But I can help you, Joachim.” She added that he could have told them his problem sooner so they could have worked out a solution.
Joachim opened his notebook. His mother patiently taught him how to break down and analyze the problems. Though it took effort, the concepts slowly began to make sense.
The following day, Joachim actually listened to Miss Morales in class. To his surprise, following her explanations made a big difference.
For the rest of the week, Joachim and his mother studied together every night. With her guidance and his newfound focus in class, Joachim improved. He even started solving problems correctly on his own.
Usually, their parents allowed them to watch TV or stream their favorite show online for an hour before dinner. But that Thursday afternoon, Joachim skipped it, choosing to study more for Friday’s test.
Friday arrived. Joachim’s hands shook as Miss Morales passed out the test papers. He took a deep breath, murmured a short prayer, and began. To his relief, the number sentences weren’t nearly as intimidating as before. When he reached the problem-solving section, he smiled. He knew how to solve them all. Unfortunately, time ran out before he could finish the final two problems.
He handed in his paper. Miss Morales glanced at it and gave him an encouraging smile before sliding it into her folder.
For the first time, Joachim knew he was getting a good grade. He couldn’t wait to go home and share the news with his Mom, Dad, and Isaac. Most importantly, he promised himself he would start putting as much effort into Math as he did into all his other subjects. ❤
Think about it
At first, Joachim dismissed his brother’s concern about his low Math grade. He even laughed off his struggles, saying that studying wouldn’t make a difference because he wasn’t good with numbers.
But when he realized he was in trouble, he stopped making excuses, accepted advice, and asked for help. Once he understood his predicament and took action, he set himself on the path to improvement.
