Maths is an important academic subject for students. From elementary classes to secondary classes, it is a compulsory academic subject to study, whereas, for higher learning, students get a choice. From students of all ages we often hear them finding maths difficult. Maths fear and maths anxiety is a common problems among learners. However, by following the right learning methods, this can be overcome. Let us discuss some effective tips that students can follow to overcome maths anxiety, understand better, and achieve success in maths learning.
What develops maths anxiety?
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Facing difficulties in understanding
Maths is an applicative subject. With many applications, concepts, facts, and word problems to solve, understanding becomes difficult for students. When they face difficulty in understanding the maths lessons, students feel confused and stressed. This leads to maths anxiety. Irregularity in the classes, inappropriate teaching, lack focus, etc can be a few reasons behind students facing understanding issues.
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Believing false assumptions
If maths is difficult for one person or if another person is facing maths troubles, others also believe that they won’t be able to do it too. Also, listening assumptions like maths lessons are rigid, nobody can do it, etc make students develop maths anxiety.
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Not studying and practicing regularly
Maths is a subject that demands regular practice and consistency. When students don’t practice every day, they pile up huge chunks of lessons that become difficult to do together. This makes students feel confused, pressured, and anxious.
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Mistakes, calculation errors, and lack of patience
With today’s kids, lack of patience is a common and unhealthy habit. They run away from trying. When students face calculation errors and make mistakes often, they get frustrated. They also start self-doubting and think of giving up. This is also a reason for maths anxiety and fear.
How to deal with maths anxiety: tips for students
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Stay regular to the classes
Classroom learning plays an important role to attain effective maths understanding. When students stay irregular to the classes, they not only miss the topics being taught on that particular day but also their understanding of further concepts is also affected as concepts are interlinked. A lack of understanding leads to confusion and anxiety.
To avoid this happening with you, all students must make sure to attend the classes regularly. With the teacher’s help and explanations, students understand better. Therefore whether learning via an online class or in conventional classrooms, stay regular. Solving along with teachers in the classroom, making notes, and being a part of other learning activities help students in this regard.
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Ask your doubts
Maths is an applicative subject and facing difficulty in understanding such concepts is common with students. Also, word problems and simplifications are doubtful for many students too. Many students keep getting anxious because of this and fear asking doubts. They feel that by asking doubts, they might be judged or scolded. But this is a wrong assumption, teachers are there to help you out only. Therefore ask your doubts from the teachers. With proper doubt resolution and guidance, your maths skills and understanding will be improved.
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Practice every day
Practice makes a man perfect and this quote is highly applicable here. To reduce your maths anxiety and foster maths skills, practice every day. With consistency and everyday practice, students will command the maths concepts. Read the topics and solve as many questions as possible. Start from the basic ones and gradually move to the complex questions. Make formula charts, notes on basic concepts like odd numbers, rational irrational numbers, etc. Keep revising these and use the chart while solving the maths problems.
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Have patience and stay positive
Mathematics is an application-based subject. There are many word problems and geometrical tricky questions and finding them difficult to solve is common with many students. Many students who don’t get accurate answers quickly, lose their patience, get frustrated, feel discouraged and develop anxiety issues.
But this is the wrong method for maths studies. Making mistakes initially is fine. Don’t lose hope and patience. Keep trying, put in the effort, and practice as much as possible. With patience, you will be able to understand more, learn from your mistakes, and foster your mathematical skills.
Conclusion
Maths anxiety is a common problem among many students. We discussed a few reasons behind this issue. However, with the right learning strategies, this problem can be resolved too. By following the above-mentioned tips that are being regular to the classes, getting doubts resolved, practicing every day, staying positive, and having patience, students can foster their maths skills and understanding.