Math is a topic that can often be intimidating and difficult for many students. When people think of math, the stress and anxiety that come with the subject often come to mind.
Struggling with math is common among students, yet there is still no established cause of why it is so difficult. This article will be discussing the many possible explanations and causes of why math is so difficult for so many and will be offering advice on how to deal with the struggles of math.
1: Genetics
Genetics is a possible factor as to why people may be struggling with math. Everyone is born with different talents, and math may not be something that someone is talented in like art, music, or athletics.
Genetics can determine the type of math reasoning someone is born with, which could mean being more talented in area such as geometry or equations rather than abstract problem solving or number sense. Although there is a certain genetic component to success is math, other factors such as environment can also play an important role in someone’s math performance.
2: Environmental Factors
Environment has a significant impact on how well someone will do in math. People come from different backgrounds with different types of support at home. Someone who grows up not being motivated to learn math or being surrounded by negative experiences while learning math will be less likely to achieve in the subject.
This can lead to a downward spiral of stress, frustration, and low self esteem when it comes to math, resulting in people avoiding the subject and not having success when engaging in math.
3: Fear of Failure and Low Self Confidence
One of the biggest reasons for why people struggle with math is the fear of failure and low self-confidence. When someone does not have confidence in their abilities, it can be extremely difficult to compose themselves and focus on the task at hand. Anxiety can be overwhelming and paralyzing, leading to more mistakes and frustrations when it comes to math.
In addition, a fear of failure can be a huge hurdle when striving for success. Not feeling like they are capable of doing math can lead to a person giving up and not attempting or succeeding in math.
4: Lack of Understanding the Basics
Math can be a challenge for many students because they simply do not understand the basics. People often try to jump directly into calculations and problem solving without having a solid understanding of the basic concepts.
For example, jumping into trigonometry without knowing algebra and geometry will be near impossible and very difficult to do without the foundational understanding necessary. This can be extremely discouraging for someone and lead to more difficulties understanding the more complicated topics.
5: Teaching Math in Schools
Teaching techniques can also have a negative effect on students understanding and success in math. Although not all classrooms are the same and there are some amazing teachers that make math interesting and fun to learn, there are many cases where the curriculum is not clearly defined and students are left in a position of understanding only what is being taught in that particular class.
If the foundation is weak and not thoroughly understood, jumping into the more difficult topics will not be successful.
6: A Different Type of Significant the Learning
Some people might struggle with math because they do not learn in the same way as other people. Different approaches to teaching can be extremely beneficial in the long run, however, not everyone is in schools setting where they can learn that way.
Having classes that are tailored to each individual student’s learning style can be instrumental towards achieving success in math.
7: Not Having Access to a Tutor
Not having access to a tutor is another reason why people struggle with math. Although schools offer math classes, the pace of the classes may be too overwhelming for some students and they may need more individualized attention that only a tutor can provide.
Tutors can provide a more customized approach to teaching which can help someone understand certain topics more easily.
8: Core Math Skills
Core math skills are something that students need in order to succeed in math. When learning math, it is important to recognize the core skills such as problem solving, arithmetic, and algebra. If someone does not have a solid understanding of the fundamentals, it makes understanding the more complicated topics even more difficult to grasp.
9: Memory & Retention
Memory and retention can also play a huge role in why someone struggles with math. Math requires memorizing formulas, equations, and problem solving.
If someone cannot recall all of that information, math becomes a much more daunting task. Memory and retention are skills that some people do not have naturally and memorizing concepts can be difficult.
10: Stress
Stress is another major factor that plays into why people struggle with math. Stress can be paralyzing and lead to immense frustration when it comes to math.
When someone is overwhelmed and feeling the pressure of having to learn and understand complicated topics, it can be difficult for them to remain focused and collected, leading to more difficulties in the subject.
11: Time & Patience
Time and patience are two things that are required when striving to succeed in math. Math takes a lot of time, focus, and patience and it is important to pace yourself when attempting to learn certain concepts. Trying to learn too much at once can be extremely overwhelming and can lead to more frustration and difficulties understanding difficult concepts.
12: A Combination of Many Things
Many people suffer with math difficulties because it is a combination of many aspects such as genetics, environment, fear of failure, lack of understanding the basics, teaching techniques, learning styles, access to tutors, core math skills, memory and retention, and stress. Every student is different, and some require more time and effort and different techniques to learn math. What works for some students, may not work for others.
13: Overcoming the Struggles
Despite all of the difficulties and obstacles, it is still possible to overcome the struggles that come with math. There are many resources available to help struggling students understand and learn the necessary topics. It is important to take advantage of those resources and take it one step at a time.
With the right motivation, patience, and perseverance, anything is possible and success in math can be achieved.
Conclusion
Math can be hard and difficult to understand, however, that does not mean that people should give up hope. With the proper motivation and dedication, people can overcome all of the struggles that come with math and achieve success in the subject.
Everyone has different abilities and different needs when it comes to learning, and it is important to recognize that, take it slow, and make use of the many resources available.