Roadmap to Being Good at Math

A recent study found that while natural ability does help some students to grasp mathematic concepts faster, it only gets you through the first three grades. What that means is that everyone can be good at math. The good news is that, no matter how much you may struggle with math, if you are patient and determined, you can get great grades.

Imagine not dreading your math homework, imagine feeling confident about your upcoming exams. If you have always struggled to do well in math, then this is your guide to improving your math grades.

It’s all in the attitude

In a study by Patricia Linehan for Purdue University, she found that people have two attitudes to learning. One in which they believe that studying and effort will improve their abilities and one in which they believe that they either can or can’t do something and no amount of practice will help. This unfortunate attitude is called entity orientation.

When we have an entity orientation attitude towards math, we believe that we will never be good at math, no matter how much we practice or how hard we work. When you have this attitude towards math, you will find it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as you aren’t motivated to try.

Studies have found that anyone who practices math with a positive attitude will see an improvement. Since natural talent plays such a small part when it comes to math, it means that a change in attitude is the first step to success.

Ask yourself what your attitude is and work at changing it. You can improve, and you will improve if you work hard and persevere.

How are your building blocks?

Math is a subject that requires strong foundations. If there are gaps in your knowledge from previous grades, you will find it increasingly difficult to grasp more developed concepts. You may need help with the building blocks of your knowledge.

The best thing to do here is to get a tutor. A math tutor will be able to examine your knowledge base and identify the gaps which are causing you to fall behind in class. Once you have filled in the gaps, you will be amazed at how much more sense new concepts make to you. You will find it easier to understand math and won’t have trouble keeping up with the class.

You only need a tutor to help build a solid foundation for you and get you up to speed so that you are at the same level as the rest of your class, then you should be able to keep up on your own.

Practice makes perfect

Once you have your building blocks in place, the key to math success is practice. You should set aside some time every day to work on your math problems. Try working for twenty minutes and then taking a five minute break. Studies show that twenty minutes is a small enough increment to not seem too daunting a task, but its long enough to work through a couple of sums.

Telltale signs that your student is being Bullied

Being the recipient of bullying or showing aggressive behavior towards others is becoming an increasingly predominant experience among students. The cyber space has opened up a whole new avenue for bullying to take place and parents and educators need to be aware of the potential for online bullying. As parents and educators, you are instrumental in preventing bullying and helping students who are both the recipients and aggressors. There are many signs to alert you to students who are being bullied or who may be displaying aggressive behavior towards others.

Emotional and behavioral signs that your student is being bullied

You know your student better than anyone else and changes in behavior are more noticeable to you. Even if you have always enjoyed a close relationship with your student, they may not feel comfortable telling you when they are being bullied. This may be due to fear of reprisals or that you will take action which will embarrass them further. Signs that your student is being bullied include:

• Fear of going to school or engaging in after school activities
• Low self-esteem and negative comments about themselves
• Displaying anxiety or fear
• Isolating themselves from their group of friends or peers
• Sudden unexplained illnesses that are recurring like headaches or stomach aches
• Losing money, lunch and other items
• Irritability and unhappiness or depression
• Disturbed sleep patterns

If your child is the aggressor, there are some signs that they may be bullying other students which include:

• Student may have trouble resisting peer pressure
• They are bossy and manipulative
• They lack empathy
• They are quick to anger and resort to aggression to solve problems rather than reason and discussion
• They have money or things that you didn’t buy them
• They are secretive and uncommunicative

Of course the behaviors above can be attributed to other phases or challenges that all teenagers have to go through, but it’s best to act if you suspect that there is a problem. Speak to your student about their behavior in a loving and caring way. You can also consult with your student’s teacher and friends to get a better idea of what’s going on during school hours.

Most schools have strict bullying regulations and can help you to deal with bullying in a way that is constructive for both the aggressor and the victim. Be sure to include your student in any discussions about what action is to be taken when dealing with situations that directly affect them.

Even if your child isn’t a victim of bullying, speaking with them about it will help them to recognize the signs and not support the practice of bullying and assist students who are in difficult situations to come forward and get help.