When you hear math, what comes to your mind? The internal groan that surfaces in the minds of most people is a testament to how difficult this subject is. Even though this is one of the most important subjects, very few people stand to share the glory that comes with it. This comes from the existence of an underlying consensus that some of us are not math people.
If we are to take a closer look at this proposition, one thing that stands out is the reality that we all do math. As human beings, we carry within us the latent capacity to calculate and arrive at decisions. For this reason, it is accurate to state that we are all math people because we are human. This ability kicks in when you use money, drive a car, or even tell time. It also surfaces when you are not sure what to do about a presenting challenge or a problem. With this in mind, it is right to say that math always works for us. What we need to learn is how to go about making the most of it.
So where do we start?
The fear of math is one of the leading problems associated with poor performance in this area. This fear hinges on the misconception that one’s ability to perform well in math depends on their intelligence, which is genetic. Studies conducted by various psychologists reveal that we all have a certain amount of intelligence, which at times favors us towards excelling in this area. However, this does not negate our individual capacities to excel. What is of utter importance are the abilities and choices we make towards enhancing our individual capacity to thrive in this area.
As a parent or teacher, knowing what you need to do to enhance and improve the condition of children under your care will always come in handy. The most important approach to consider is helping the young ones to create a positive attitude towards this subject. This entails assisting them to identify and deal with math anxiety or any other form of anxiety that can deter them from achieving or realizing their goals.
Secondly, if you are a teacher, ensure that your approaches are in line with outlined teaching objectives. In this case, teaching math is not just about passing. Rather, it is a holistic approach aimed at helping the child develop coping strategies in life. This makes it easy for a child to appreciate what math can do compared to the problems that math presents.
Lastly, consider math tutoring. If you have a child who is seemingly not getting it right, then consider hiring a math tutor to help out. The good thing about hiring a math tutor is that they can help in identifying some of the difficult areas and moments that require attention. In addition, math tutoring professionals create a system that complements what goes on in class thereby making it easy for the child to deal with the math problem no matter where they are. In the end, children will start to develop the right approaches, appreciate the beauty of numbers, and understand the role they play in their life.