You might be one of those individuals who’ve grown up hating mathematics. Many students say with great disdain that they hate math or conclude that the subject is really hard. Even you might’ve said something like this when you were a kid in school. Mathematics is one of the subjects that has gained the reputation of a hated subject.
It has made so many students struggle with some tricky concepts and complex problems. At some point, you might’ve wondered where does all this hatred come from. As you must’ve gone through similar struggles, you might already know some of the answers. However, we’ve tried to present some of the reasons that might still be unknown to you.
1. Mathematics requires memorization of certain concepts
There are many equations and rules in mathematics that must be memorized in order to solve difficult mathematical problems. For many, this requirement of memorization can be a source of great anxiety. Most of them might be the ones who find it difficult to remember a certain date.
As a result, such students end up thinking that math is not for them. In reality, memorization is only one aspect of learning mathematics and not a goal in itself. More than memorizing, the students must focus on understanding the concept. There is no particular age to develop mathematical abilities.
2. Many find math useless and boring
Students often find it easier to invest time and energy in learning languages or history. A major reason for this is the link with reality that they see in these subjects. Most of the students think that the mathematical concepts and formulas have nothing to do with reality. The subject seems irrelevant, abstract, and quite difficult to understand. This is far from being true.
As a matter of fact, math is very much relevant to our daily lives. You’ll certainly realize this while calculating a budget for shopping or keeping a tab on your expenses. The younger lot must know how important mathematics can be when it comes to pursuing a rewarding career. Even carpenters and salesmen need mathematics to do well in their profession.
3. Mathematics appears to be a rigid subject
For a student to learn mathematics, reasoning and understanding mathematical logic are extremely necessary. It may also happen that a student understands a concept and makes an error in calculation. Such students end up arriving at a wrong answer, which becomes a reason for getting a bad grade.
There’s only a right and a wrong in this subject. Many learners get really anxious in their quest to get the right answer from their teachers. There are cases where teachers are a bit harsh and enforce their bit of discipline. This leads to a feeling of discomfort among students during their math sessions.
In such a situation, a caring atmosphere is absolutely essential. The teachers must try to make their students understand the concepts in a gentle way. They must also focus on developing the required mathematical reflexes in them.
4. Learning mathematics involves making mistakes
In mathematics, students have to practice their math exercises to make improvements and progress. They must face their challenges again and again in order to achieve mastery. Often, the exercises require students to follow the same reasoning, but the data is different.
This can frustrate and discourage many of them. In the end, some of them might never want to study mathematics. Despite all of these troubles, they must embrace their mistakes as a part of the learning process.