I'm just not good at math!

Did your kid ever say that while struggling with some tricky math problem? Is this something you are surprised to hear from them, or do you reply “I understand, dear, I’ve never been good at math either. Math is hard.”?

My own mom told me many times that while she considered us both to be quite smart, math was not something she liked or understood, and she didn’t expect me to get it either. She is not alone in believing that math beyond a basic level is not for "normal" people. It’s seen as unnecessary in everyday life, just a hard and boring school subject. Only rare, naturally predisposed individuals can master it. Even my teacher in university said: "You don’t need math, you are girls and will be married in a year or two!" This attitude discourages learning and instills the belief that we just don’t belong in the math world. Do you happen to feel the same way?

It doesn’t have to be like this, neither for you, nor for your kids. Mastering math is not only possible; it can be fascinating, rewarding, and there is joy and pride in learning it!  Most of us can become “math people”, because math is not an innate talent, it’s a skill. The skill is integral in many professional fields, it’s literally everywhere from engineering, technology and biology to music, art and even professional sports. It opens doors to life and career opportunities!

Here are the biggest obstacles in learning math, and what can be done to overcome those:

Knowledge gaps

Math is cumulative. Each new concept builds on previous ones. If a child didn't fully grasp addition before moving to multiplication, or never mastered multiplication facts before tackling fractions, then they'll always be playing catch-up.

When starting a new subject, begin with a quick review to verify the background knowledge. If the problems from previous years still present a challenge, take your time to work on the lower level skills and understanding.

Math anxiety and low confidence
“Fear is the mind-killer” (Frank Herbert). When we are worried and anxious, the part of the brain needed for problem solving may literally shut down. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. “I knew I’m not good at math!” - and the next time we give up before even trying.

To help with confidence, use affirmative language, praise and encourage rather than critique, and try to end the lesson at the moment of success.

Difficulty grasping abstract concepts
Did you do imaginative play as a child such as pretending that a stick is a shiny sword and a pebble is a treasure? Then you have the ability to operate abstract concepts. In our game of math, we pretend that number 5 represents five objects and “+” means we add them together. With variables, we pretend that x is a number, that’s all. We already have that ability, we just need to learn how to apply it!

Playing games, using manipulatives, drawing pictures and diagrams, use our fingers to count - all this helps to see how abstract is relevant to the real world, making it tangible and easier to understand. 

Attention and focus difficulties
Many children (and adults) have a difficult time concentrating on math problems. It’s very normal. We all get easily distracted with movements, colors, sounds, and even smells!

What you can do to help focusing is create a quiet environment, do some calming exercises before practice (slow breathing and counting is great), keep the sessions short enough and switch between different activities to prevent fatigue and burn-out.

With time, a methodical approach, and the right attitude, anyone can improve their math skills!

This summer we invite all kids ages 7-13 to join our Math Club to keep their skills alive, prepare for the next school year, learn new things and most importantly, have fun! 

In our classes we aim to bridge learning gaps, reduce math anxiety, and build kids’ confidence. We assess their level, create individualized work plans, and reserve ample time for games and fun group activities!

There are still spots available this July and August, please reserve your spot here: https://propermath.com/summer