What is your favourite subject in the school curriculum studies? If you had to choose three out of seven subjects to study for the final exam at the end of four years in secondary, university, which subjects would you pick on? Not many students would choose Mathematics over English, Geography or Biology. Why is mathematics a dreaded subject?
You would rather sit in Geography lesson the whole day than stare at a blank ceiling to kill time in mathematics class. You’re at home gaining knowledge in English Literature than Physics. You turn out page upon page of class notes in Biology, yet twiddle your thumbs bored stiff solving simple maths problems. What makes the difference? Three factors contribute to fear of failure which falters math learning.
Beliefs form the foundation of character. Character determines personality. Personality drives change of attitude. If you jump on mathematics band wagon as a hard subject, you put a lid over your potential to excel in the subject.
Believe in the potential inherent within you. Make time, practice solving mathematics problems. If that doesn’t work, join a study group for support to gain confidence in the subject. Your efforts to take on mathematics will pay off at the end of the study period.
Thinking is hard work. Mathematics subject requires you think critically. In addition to your undivided attention, there is only one correct answer in solving mathematics problems. The rest are wrong. There is no close answer to 7 x 8 = 56. 54 is close but not correct. This kind of definitive answer causes anxiety. All the hard work you put in the exercise goes down the drain. You get no reward for the effort, however close your answer is to the correct one.
No matter what you believe, how anxious you’re, failure is the flipside of success. Negative belief that Mathematics is hard to crack will blur your vision of a brighter future.
You have witnessed athletes running in pouring rain in high altitudes to make the team selection. The price money is great. But the prestige and pride of the individual to lift the coveted trop1hy is greater.
You can bore a hole through steel with heat from the sun by concentrating the sun’s rays on one spot. Your concentration in mathematics increases your competence on the subject. Competence cultivates capability and capability yields desired outcome. No subject is boring except as you perceive it. You can make mathematics beneficial, if you concentrate to instill confidence in the subject.
Imagine your life ten, twenty years from now. How different will your life be? Focus on that picture as you study mathematics and in writing term papers in other subjects. If you’ve a clear vision of what you want achieve in life, you will not fret and tremble at the mention of mathematics subject. Failure will not be an option. This is the only picture that is worth hanging on the wall of your heart as you pursue academic studies in subjects in the curriculum.
Featured Image: Freedom to teach – Collins
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