Dealing with maths phobia and overcoming it.
One of the most dreaded subjects in school is reportedly mathematics. Fear of numbers for some, is so intense, that it seems hard for them to grasp concepts. Most children are aware of difficulties they have in the subject and report disliking the subject entirely. This may be what we now call maths phobia.
Fear of maths, or maths phobia can induce anxiety in your child which can further lead to poor performance. Low grades can have an adverse effect on your child’s emotional and psychological well-being as it is a big blow to their self-esteem and confidence. The difficulty level of the subject progresses with each passing year and they struggle, with basic concepts becoming harder and harder to understand.
There are many reasons why a child may struggle with the subject: lack of confidence stemming from early experience of failure to grasp the subject, difficulty in understanding concepts and applying them, different learning style of the child, lack of interest, difference in aptitude, learning experience, frustration associated with the outcomes of time spent on learning, faulty learning pattern, learning difficulties that the child might have, and finally, constant negative feedback (low grades or class performance).
Some issues can be tackled through discussion, counselling and even with practice. There are a couple of exercises which can be done regularly to improve performance in maths so that the child doesn’t panic as soon as he/she sees the question paper, or lose confidence and go blank.
Prepare your child emotionally: If you see your child feeling anxious or avoiding the subject, try and speak about what they feel about it. Help them to overcome the challenges they feel.
Practice: The best way to learn maths is by practice. Help your child to practise in a systematic manner. Identify enjoyable ways of learning the subject.
Cooperative Groups: Involve them in cooperative groups during which children will act as a help to each other in solving a solution. Peer learning is very effective and aids in boosting confidence.
Communicate and Encourage: Communicate to the child how much he/she enjoyed the maths session today and what he/she will be doing tomorrow.
Start from the basics: Start from the point where your child finds maths easy and confident of getting it right; build up progressively from there.
Professional interference?
If the aforementioned exercises do not work and you still observe your child toiling hard to get through his practice tests, it is time you thought about alternative options to help him/her improve his/her concentration.
Here are signs you should look for when you are thinking of reaching out to a professional for help: if you see you child constantly struggling and despite all efforts nothing seems to change, if you see that your child gets anxious or tries to avoid studying maths, if he/she has a repeated foul mood associated with the subject, and has a constant need for reassurance while solving sums.
Professional help from clinical psychologists, psychologists, and counsellors can do wonders for children going through mathematics phobia. Your child would probably also need the help of a special educator to establish a systematic method of learning.
REFERENCE:
March 26, 2017.Is there really a problem?.The Hindu.retrieved from
http://www.thehindu.com/education/is-there-really-a-problem/article17663517.ece
