When you ask most students what subject they dislike the most in schools, many will name maths as the one that is giving them a hard time. In some, the dislike is so strong that it creates a phenomenon known as mathematical anxiety (or math phobia), a feeling of tension that interferes with the solving of mathematical problems both in daily life and in academic situations. In some cases, it can become so extreme that the person pointedly dislikes and attempts to avoid all tasks related to math. For many students math can also seem like nothing more than busy work that they don’t see any sense too.
Those who fall behind often feel like there’s no way to ever catch up to their peers who aren’t experiencing the same issues. And since many are already struggling from a young age, they can become entirely unmotivated to keep on trying. If a child doesn’t perform well in math one year, the odds are that they’re not going to enjoy the subject more in the upcoming year because each year depends on skills that need to have been developed previously. And since it’s better to start off on a positive note rather than try to correct a strong dislike for mathematics later on, here are some ways to make your children love the subject.
Make it fun
One of the best ways to make children love a subject is to make it fun and engaging for them. Children are curious and keen on learning new things, but if the information they receive is presented in a dull way, most of them will lose interest. You should teach them to love math the same way you’d teach them to love reading by providing them with interactive games and making math an enjoyable, puzzle-solving experience. “Math Blaster!” is a classic that has helped many generations of children over the decades, and your kids are likely to appreciate it just as much.
You can search for books that offer interesting math problems for your children to solve. Having their first interactions with math be positive and relaxing can change their entire outlook and allow them to be more resilient in the future when they happen to bump into issues when studying math in school. There are also many online resources that you can access, and it would be a pity if you didn’t make the most of them.
Daily activities
Integrating math into daily activities will demystify the subject and make it harmless and interesting instead of potentially frightening and intimidating. For instance, if your child is recovering from the flu or an allergic reaction that you had to read a guide on personal injury claims in UK for, you will want them to stay entertained and lift their spirits during the recovery process. Talking about prices, sports scores, and even the time will help your child make a concrete connection to math.
Since most children dislike math because it feels like a purely abstract subject, doing so will help make it seem real and grounded in reality. Games such as Snakes and Ladders and Candy Land can assist with subitising (the process through which kids recognise quantities without needing to count every individual element), as well as decompose numbers.
Change of attitude
While some individuals feel motivated to work harder when they make a mistake in order to cover the areas that are still outside of their reach, constant negative feedback can actually alienate children from math. For some, it can be enough to make one big mistake and swear off maths forever. It’s essential to teach resilience and self-esteem to avoid this scenario. Explain that getting things wrong sometimes is normal, that everyone does it sometimes, and that it isn’t a mark of lower intelligence.
To really send this message across, you should allow your children to correct or challenge you as well. Instead of reprimanding them, thank them for pointing it out for you. Seeing that you don’t make a big deal out of it will also help them be more emotionally resilient and approach mistakes in a neutral manner instead of seeing them as an indication that they’re bad at math. If they say they don’t like math, challenge them and ask them what exactly they dislike about it.
If they say they can’t do it, encourage them by telling them that they definitely can.
Social media
Social media can seem counterproductive when you’re trying to teach children to like math, but it can actually be an incredible source of interactive content. Many educators use social media platforms and contribute to the Talking Math with Your Kids initiative, which seeks to support children’s early mathematical development so that they don’t struggle later in life. If you’re not a fan of mathematics yourself or are not sure that the way you explain concepts will be easy to understand for kids, these pages can be actual lifesavers.
The ones made by teachers introduce and explain the concepts in a way that is easy for children to understand. You can also find targeted content that addresses things your children might not have fully grasped yet, as well as worksheets that will expand theoretical knowledge with practical problems.
Maths Enrichment
Maths enrichment programs are extension classes for students who are either talented or who want to expand their skills and improve their knowledge. If your children express enthusiasm for an arrangement such as this, you should enroll them in classes. But don’t try to force them if they don’t feel ready for it. It is always much better to wait and give them the chance to choose for themselves.
Enrichment material follows concepts not covered by the standard curriculum and, in many cases, can be used as a reference throughout the school years.
If you want your children to not fear mathematics at all but to find it interesting and engaging instead, it may seem that you’ve got an incredibly intimidating task ahead of you. But as with all things that have to do with education, patience and perseverance remain key.
