This is how it works:
Step 1: Research into causes – where does math fear come from anyway?
Other subjects are often perceived as more creative by children. You have the feeling that math has to be stubbornly memorized, with no variety in the tasks. The mountain of tasks therefore seems almost insurmountable. Math has many creative facets. You can discover shapes in geometry, invent math stories, play arithmetic games, or sing multiplication tables. If creative facets are used correctly, it is easier to understand math.
Many students have an “innate” negative attitude towards mathematics. We often address the fact that math is a difficult and unpopular subject and thus increasingly turn it into a fearful subject.
Why do girls often have a harder time doing math?
Here, too, our distorted attitude towards mathematics comes into play. For generations, the role model has been passed on that math (and science) is not a women’s domain. Girls take this attitude of relatives, friends, and even teachers on – with the result that they are actually not so easy to understand math. This attitude is already consolidated in elementary school.
The fear of math is particularly strong among girls during the transition from elementary school to secondary school. The schools urgently need to work better together here. On the threshold from primary to secondary school, many factors affect children. For example, they have to get used to new surroundings, new teachers, and classmates, they may worry about losing sight of old friends, and the onset of puberty comes into play. One thing above all helps now: Strengthen self-confidence!
Step 2: Targeted Action – What Helps When a Child Is Afraid of Math?
Talk to the child and try to figure out what the difficulties are with them.
To do this, seek a conversation with the teacher. The teacher knows the child very well and can assess whether the problems might resolve on their own or whether other support measures should be taken. It is also possible to make individual arrangements for your child, for example temporarily reduced homework requirements. In this way, a sense of achievement can be created and self-confidence can be strengthened.
Because in order to break the vicious circle of failure and demotivation, children need a sense of achievement. If the kids notice that learning math is worthwhile and they master challenges, they also develop (again) fun and understand math more easily.
If you need to get a math tutor to help your child, you can check out the tuition rates first on any tuition agency’s website.