“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas”
-Albert Einstein
Maths – a subject that few love and most children are scared of. The reason being, scoring in maths is not easy. Continuous poor score in maths, tests the patience of students who finally give up considering, maths is not their cup of tea. Teachers and parents try their best to make maths easy for the children but finally the conclusion is not always very happy. Neither giving up on maths is a healthy idea.
Maths is such a subject that a minimal knowledge of it is required at any stream of higher education. Hence all children necessarily need to learn the basics of maths. To ensure students learn maths with complete interest, there is only one pre-requisite – a strategic approach of maths learning.
If either parents or teachers can ensure that the knowledge of maths is imparted on students strategically and systematically, then children will not only grow interest in maths but also begin to perform well in the subject.
Here is UrbanPro Maths Teacher Community, highlighting some simple yet smart ways of changing your child’s maths learning, so that they master maths easier and faster:
Practice, practice, and practice
Maths is not a theory. As Einstein has stated, it’s a series of operations that needs to be executed logically. Hence, students should not attempt to mug up maths. Students should practice so that they know all probable kinds of questions from a specific maths chapter and also, how to answer them. Teachers and parents can go strictly to ensure, students spend ample time in solving different types of maths questions.
Boost the basics
It’s very important that the basics of maths is clear for every student. Until the basics are clear, students cannot move forward in learning maths. The basics of maths is taught in primary classes when it’s important that students are guided by the right set of tutors who ensure a healthy maths learning process. The basics of maths cannot be altered in higher classes.
Go chapter wise
While learning maths, it’s important that students go chapterwise in order. Every maths based operation in linked to the next chapter. So skipping chapters or topics in between can make the next chapter tougher for students. It’s highly recommended that students learn every maths chapter one after the other.
Use of flashcards
To make maths interactive for students, flash cards is a new kind of stationery that teachers are relying on. On the flashcards, important formulas or mathematical operations can be written in block letters and preserved for future use of students. Before beginning to practice maths, students can refer to these flash cards for a revision of important formulas and operations.
Books and references
There are so many books to refer to when it comes to maths learning. It’s better, students practice the same maths chapter from different books. This will open them to varied kind of maths problems and also, help them learn in-depth maths operations.
Reading in maths
Many students are not taught about the importance of reading in maths. Maths is not only a to-do subject. Many maths problems that initially students conclude as tough can be solved if they focus and read attentively. Hence, during maths classes teachers should ensure that students read every problem with concentration and then attempt to solve the problem.
Devices and their use in maths
During maths classes, students should not be permitted to use calculators or cell phones. The growing dependency to solve maths with the help of electronic devices can affect a child’s calculative abilities. At school level, maths should only be a pen and paper subject for students.
Focus on formulas
At intermediate school level, maths includes the use of formulas. Students are usually made to mug up the mathematical formulas and apply them when required. This is a very wrong way of teaching maths. Teachers should explain mathematical formulas to students with examples and also, teach them when and where to use which mathematical formula.
Difficult chapters in maths
There is no one chapter that can be called difficult in maths. It depends on the students that which part of maths they find difficult. It’s also on the part of teachers and parents to cross check, which part of maths is tough for students and ensure more time is spent on those areas.
Real life examples
To make maths interesting for students, the best way is to introduce real life instance for every problem. Students find it easy to understand the problem and solve it, once real life examples are stated. Alone book based knowledge of maths can make it very boring for students.
