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5 Ways to Easily Improve Your Math Grades in Ontario
April 28, 2025
Let’s be real: Math class can feel like walking around in the dark, or learning a magic spell. You’re juggling equations, deciphering word problems, and praying the teacher doesn’t call on you.
But here’s the secret: math isn’t about being “naturally gifted”, it’s about strategy. Whether you’re tackling Grade 9 algebra or Grade 12 calculus, these five methods can help you navigate Ontario’s math curriculum with less stress and better results.
1. Know the Ontario Math Curriculum Inside Out
Why It Works: Ontario’s math curriculum isn’t random; it’s an academic roadmap. Each grade builds on the last, so gaps in understanding snowball quickly. For example, if you skimmed over linear equations in Grade 9, quadratic functions in Grade 10 will feel like a foreign language, or the magic spells from earlier.
How to Do It:
- Check the Ministry Guides: The Ontario government publishes curriculum outlines for each grade. Match your class syllabus to these guides to identify key focus areas (e.g., algebraic modeling in Grade 11 Functions).
- Ask Your Teachers for “Learning Goals”: Most Ontario teachers base lessons on specific curriculum expectations. Knowing these helps you target your studying.
- Use EQAO Practice Tests: These past assessments (available online) mirror curriculum priorities and question styles.
2. Master the Basics Before Chasing Complex Math Problems
Math is cumulative. Trying to solve advanced problems without the basics is like building a house on sand; sure, it’ll look like you’re doing great, until a wave comes and your sand house collapses.
Fractions, exponents, and order of operations (BEDMAS) are the bedrock of high school math.
Here’s how you can go about it:
- Figure Out Your Weak Spots: Use online tools like Khan Academy’s Ontario-aligned quizzes to find gaps.
- Study the Fundamentals Daily: Spend 10 minutes a day reviewing the basics. For example, if decimals hold you back, practice converting fractions to decimals while waiting for the bus.
- Connect the Basics to Bigger Concepts: When learning slope in Grade 9, revisit how it relates to rate of change in Grade 10 finance units.
Pro Tip: Apps like Photomath let you scan problems and see step-by-step solutions, perfect for untangling where you got stuck.
3. Practice with Real-World Scenarios (Not Just Textbook Problems)
Ontario’s curriculum emphasizes “real-world applications”, but most textbooks stick to abstract, boring problems.
If you want to make math stick, apply it to everyday life.
If you’re wondering where or how to start, try using linear equations to track spending vs. savings. You could also try using geometry and ratios to play Minecraft.
Here’s a trick challenge: Try to figure out how you can use Geometry to wow your friends at Minecraft.
4. Build a Study Routine That Actually Fits Your Life
Cramming doesn’t work for math; it’s a skill, not a trivia. Being consistent will always beat last-minute preparations.
Try
- doing short, frequent sessions to prevent burnout. Studying 20 minutes daily is better than studying 2 hours weekly.
- alternate between problem sets, video tutorials (like YouTube’s Ontario Math Focus), and teaching concepts to a friend. Mix different practice methods together so you don’t get bored easily.
- Using the “Pomodoro Method”; study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break.
Pro Tip: Schedule math homework right after school when your brain is still in “class mode”. Postponing it until midnight rarely ends well, trust us, we know.
5. Ask for Help Before Things Get Too Difficult
Waiting until you’re lost guarantees stress. Ontario teachers and tutors can explain concepts in new ways, but you have to reach out and let them know you’re stuck.
Most teachers offer extra help weekly. Bring specific questions, like “Can we review factoring polynomials?”
You can also join (or start) a peer study group where you take turns teaching topics.
If you have social anxiety, then you can join and post questions on online forums like Brainly or r/MathHelp.
Roots to Routes Academy Turns These Strategies into Results
Even with strategies in place, you may need support systems. It’s not very easy to stay disciplined or consistent.
That’s why systems like Roots to Routes Academy exist.
They design their math courses around the very strategies above. See how:
- Curriculum Masters: Our tutors break down Ontario’s math expectations into bite-sized goals, so students keep up without feeling lost.
- Real-World Math Applications: Our Students apply algebra to budgeting or use geometry to design, making abstract concepts click.
- Structured Routines: With small classes (capped at 25), our teachers track your progress so you’re not left behind.
Here at Roots to Routes Academy, asking for help is normal.
Math Isn’t Magic, It’s Methodical
Improving your math grades isn’t about overnight miracles. It’s about using the right strategies, staying consistent, and knowing where to find help.
Programs like Roots to Routes Academy prove that with the right tools, anyone can turn math from a maze into a roadmap.
Are you ready to improve your math grades and make your parents proud? Join our summer school and take those grades sky high. What are you waiting for? Enrol now!
