Dialogue Between a Teacher and a Student

A student asks why his mathematics marks are poor and the teacher diagnoses a timing problem.

A dialogue between Student and Teacher

Student: May I come in, sir?

Teacher: Yes, come in. You wanted to talk about your test paper?

Student: Yes, sir. I did badly in mathematics again and I do not understand why.

Teacher: Let me look. Your working is correct in most places, but you have run out of time.

Student: That is true. I could not finish the last two questions at all.

Teacher: How do you decide which question to attempt first?

Student: I start from the first and go in order.

Teacher: That is where the difficulty is. Read the whole paper first and begin with the questions you are sure of.

Student: I never thought of that. But will I not lose time reading everything?

Teacher: Two minutes of reading saves twenty minutes of struggling with a hard question while easy marks sit untouched.

Student: I understand, sir. Is there anything else I should change?

Teacher: Yes. Practise with a clock beside you. Speed comes from repetition, not from knowing more.

Student: I will start today. Should I show you my practice papers?

Teacher: Bring one every Thursday and we will look at your timing together.

Student: Thank you very much, sir. I feel much better about it now.