Math challenges and how to counter them

I have been teaching Mathematics for more than a decade now. Back when I was a student myself, Math was not also my favorite subject, if not the very least subject that I’m interested in.

I can’t even figure out how I landed to be a Math teacher and now I’m faced with the reality that students have stigma in knowing mathematical concepts and solving problems.

Math challenges among students can stem from various factors ranging from internal to external.

The first and fundamental challenge is understanding concepts. Many students struggle with grasping basic concepts, leading to difficulties with more advanced topics.

As a subject, math is organized from easy to moderate to difficult from the onset of students learning the subject. Previous lessons become prerequisites to learning new concepts and ideas; thus, students have to be knowledgeable on prior concepts before jumping to another much complex concept.

Arithmetic becomes foundation to learning almost anything if not everything about math.

Mastering integers will lead to knowing how functions are solved.

Another factor that hinders students from learning Math is anxiety.

This can hinder performance and participation, making students hesitant to engage with the subject. The stigma and the perception that students create and grow in their minds about how difficult math is makes the subject much more difficult to grasp and understand.

Mind conditioning is real as students deliberately feed in their thoughts that they could not make it through in learning and understanding math concepts. And that blocks them from learning even if the rest of the factors around are favorable.

Moreover, insufficient practice can result in weak problem-solving skills and a lack of confidence.

Students should have more practice depending on their level of understanding. Some students are quick to learn while others need more exposures to practice and examples.

Variety of examples provides learners with reinforcement and this will fortify their understanding about a specific concept, rule, formula, operation, and function.

One very important factor to be considered as well is the students’ diverse learning style.

Students have different learning preferences; some may benefit from visual aids, while others might prefer hands-on activities.

Differentiated instruction is of great importance once you handle heterogenous group of learners. Catering to their individual needs and learning styles may not be an easy task but this would generate worthy results once they learned in their own pace and their own style.

Lastly, especially in a highly competitive group, competition among peers can create a stressful environment, discouraging collaboration and open communication.

When emotions break the bridge of a healthy classroom learning, learners who were not able to catch up tend to withdraw deliberately while others try to advance at the expense of others.

To reverse the challenges mentioned above and to foster academic improvement in math, there are several solutions and tips that a math teacher can use or do intentionally.

We’ll start with interactive learning.

Teachers may incorporate games, group work, and technology to make learning more engaging and enjoyable.

With the 21st century learning, teaching-learning process has never been as interactive as it is now. These are opportunities for students to discover and learn math concepts right at their finger tips.

On the other hand, one effective strategy is tutoring and support. Providing additional support through tutoring programs can help students who are struggling.

Some students may lag behind their peers and it is just but right to keep them on track at the same pacing with others.

Teacher’s added support to these kids are as important as teaching in the whole group approach. Equally important as well is encouraging a growth mindset.

Mastery takes time so teach students that mistakes are a part of learning. Encourage them to view challenges as opportunities for growth.

To counter lack of practice, you can provide regular assessments. Use formative assessments to gauge understanding and provide timely feedback to help students improve.

Students who are founded with the right amount of practice are better learners as they navigate their learning in different ways possible.

Finally, as student learning is considered to be a collaborative effort, you can tap on parental involvement.

Engage parents in their children’s learning process to foster a supportive home environment. Learners will feel that their learning is a serious business once they know that others have put on their shoulders the weight of their responsibility and accountability.

Through countering these challenges with the specific measures and strategies, mathematics learning will be as enjoyable and engaging as other subjects. Having students in the right mindset in learning math will help them achieve their overall academic goals.

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