Many people feel like they can’t do maths, or that they feel weak in their math skills. Maths is a fundamental part of everyday life, so having this kind of feeling can have a huge impact on self-esteem and confidence. In this article, we look at why some people feel weak in maths and how they can overcome this feeling and start to recognise the huge potential they have with the subject.
### Outline 1: Understanding Maths Maths is so important and beneficial, but it can also be something that we don’t always feel comfortable with or understand. It’s important to take the time to understand the mathematical concepts and how to use them in different situations.
To better understand maths, it is important to try and work out problems step by step and to ask questions along the way. Breaking down problems into pieces can help great deal, yet sometimes this isn’t enough. Having a good understanding of mathematical concepts means being able to think in abstract and being able to form links between different topics.
In mathematics, the ability to see relationships between topics and remember how to use them can be vital. Doing regular mathematical activities and challenging one’s self to use their theoretical understanding by working out problems in exams are great ways to learn important mathematical skills.
It’s also important to consider that attitudes towards maths can also have an impact. Having a positive attitude and believing in oneself is essential when studying maths. People who don’t have a positive attitude can find that it becomes more difficult to learn, as they’re not as motivated or don’t feel as confident.
Taking the time to consider why people feel a certain way towards maths, can help to start forming positive attitudes and help to encourage learning. ### Outline 2: Factors That may contribute to Weak MathsThere are many factors that could be contributing to one’s feeling of weakness in maths.
These could include not having adequate support to learn maths, or not having enough resources or access to materials. People who feel that they don’t have the right background knowledge or experience can also struggle to keep up and feel overwhelmed by maths. Not asking for help when needed or struggling to understand what is being said or explained, can all lead to feelings of weakness in maths. Having low confidence in maths or not believing in one’s ability to understand maths, can make it even harder to overcome and become more confident. Beating yourself up over small errors or not understanding a concept the first time can be more detrimental than helpful. It’s important to believe in your own ability to learn and understand mathematics, even when finding it difficult. We all learn in different ways and at different speeds, so it’s important to take the time to explore different methods of learning and find one that works for you. ### Outline 3: Tutoring Tutoring can be a great help for improving one’s maths skills, yet it isn’t always viable. Private tuition costs a lot of money and some of the best tutors can be expensive. If seeking private tuition isn’t an option, taking the time to self-teach or look up resources online can help. The internet is a great resource and there are multiple YouTube channels, websites and articles that can help explain and go through problems step by step. There are also a lot of Maths textbooks and guides out there, with textbooks that give a detailed overview of all the different topics and their application. Working through problems with a partner can also be useful, as they can help talk through ideas and give different perspectives. Peer-teaching can also be helpful; as adults, siblings or friends that might be better at maths can help teach someone else. They can use exercises and example problems and help to clear up confusion. ### Outline 4: Creating a Schedule Creating a structured schedule to practice maths can be really helpful for development. This can help concentrate work into a specific time slot and help to break down large chunks of work into more manageable pieces. Having a break between studying can also help to keep concentration levels up and help to improve the quality of practice. Having a timeline of when certain topics need to be covered and mastered over the course of the academic year, is an incredibly useful way of keeping track of one’s goals. This type of schedule is especially useful when a lot of topics need to be covered in a short amount of time, such as when leading up to an exam. ### Outline 5: Making Use of TechnologyTechnology has revolutionised the way we learn math, yet not everyone has access to the same resources. There are so many great apps now available to help with mathematics, such as Khan Academy and Maths Mania. With these types of apps, users can select the skill gap they want to target, or create a mathematics quiz for themselves that targets specific areas that need to be improved on. Using technology can also be great for visual learners, as with many apps, graphs and diagrams can help to illustrate mathematical concepts. There are also apps to help with essentials such as understanding how to read and record data or doing financial calculations. ### Outline 6: Setting GoalsSetting specific goals within one’s maths practice can also be really helpful, such as aiming to complete a certain task within a set time, or aiming to master a concept or topic within an allotted amount of time. Breaking down study goals into smaller chunks, by focusing on developing and mastering one problem at a time, can help to make maths manageable and more attainable. Setting goals and tracking progress in mathematics over time can also help to keep motivation and confidence up. ### Outline 7: Keeping Track of Progress It is important to keep records of what is learnt and how it can be applied in various situations. This can be done through keeping a study diary, which will also help to track progress over a certain period of time. Taking the time to celebrate small successes and achievements can be a great way to stay positive and motivated. For those studying for an exam, it is really helpful to use past papers and create simulations of timed exam conditions to get a better understanding of what the exam will be like and how much revision needs to be done. This will help ensure that everything is covered and that the best revision techniques are used. ### Outline 8: Learning from MistakesMistakes can be really beneficial when it comes to learning to do math. It is important to take the time to understand why a mistake was made and how to fix it. People often don’t take the time when making mistakes, which can lead to more problems in the future. It is important to take the time to figure out why mistakes were made, but it is also important to not be too hard on oneself. Mistakes are part of the learning process and can often help to understand the concept better. Taking the time to learn from mistakes and understanding the importance of mistakes can help to improve overall mathematical knowledge and confidence. ### Outline 9: Rewarding Oneself Rewarding oneself for hard work and success can be a great way to stay motivated and achieve more. For instance, breaking down topics into smaller goals and rewarding oneself for completing the goal or for how well it was done, can be really helpful. Other rewards can include taking a break before or after studying or taking the time to enjoy a hobby or activity. Taking care of one’s mental and physical wellbeing can really contribute to better maths ability and help to keep energy levels up while studying. ### Outline 10: The Benefits Studying maths has a huge amount of benefits; Being able to have confidence in maths skills can have a lot of positive impacts on one’s life. It could lead to more job prospects and better job performance. Good maths skills can also be beneficial when discussing financial or business matters and also when making decisions about investments, mortgages or other financial matters. Having good maths skills can also be really beneficial when budgeting or working out prices and calculations of probability or likelihood can be really useful when making decisions. Understanding the concept of risk is also important when making decisions with money or important matters. ### Outline 11:Ways of Motivating OneselfWhen feeling unmotivated to do maths, it can be really helpful to take the time to read about it. Reading about mathematical concepts or history of mathematics can be really fascinating and make them even more interesting to study. Maths is used in a large range of careers and subjects, so being interested in maths can open up various opportunities. It can also be really useful to picture maths as an adventure, a problem that needs to be solved. Having an interesting and challenging mindset can help to enjoy the process and help to find better solutions to problems. Listening to music or motivational quotes can also help to stay motivated. ### Outline 12: Be Persistent It’s important to keep trying, whether it’s understanding a concept or trying to solve a problem. Different approaches work for different people, and taking the time to experiment and find the best way of learning can really help when it comes to mathematics. It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to be great at maths in order to be successful. Although having good mathematics skills can be beneficial, it’s not the only area of one’s life where success can be found. ###Outline 13:Conclusion
Conclusion
Maths can be really challenging and weak, yet with the right motivation and resources, it is possible to gain more confidence and understanding of mathematics. It’s important to be patient, kind and in tune with one’s own learning process.
Having a supportive group of people or mentors can help to achieve this, yet it’s also incredibly important to have belief in oneself and have the right attitude. Learning through mistakes and taking the time to celebrate successes and achievements, can help to stay motivated and achieve goals when studying mathematics.