“Mum, must I really practice Math?” Does this sound familiar to you? When was the last time that you heard this? Over the past few decades, the world has changed beyond recognition. But there are some things that haven’t changed. Among these unchanging aspects is the ‘fear of math’ that has been passed on from generation to generation. Well, it isn’t a surprise then that maths tuition is something that is eagerly sought after by parents and students.
But why is it that at times students are unable to improve their performance in math even after they take on tuition classes? Well, you might be missing one important ingredient – practice!
The Golden Rule of Practice
How many times have we been told about the importance of practice? Countless! Yet on how many occasions have we actually been able to put in the required practice? Guilty as we may be, the inertia to put down our pens to paper is great, and this a value that we must attempt to possess in order to get that A* for our PSLE!
Math is a subject where most students have no other recipe for success, but to put in the extra hours of practice. You need to familiarise yourself with the concepts, formula and techniques used in the subject. It goes without saying that this familiarity rarely comes without practising maths problems on a regular basis.
Testing conceptual clarity
So how do you assess if your child has understood a mathematical concept fully, and not memorised the steps taken to answer the question? The best way to do this is through practice. When a student is faced with an actual math problem, he will need to draw on his reserve of conceptual clarity to get to the answer. If he has not understood the concept in a proper manner, then this becomes evident while he sits down to practice.
What is the moral of this story? It means that practice helps you self-evaluate your progress in learning at regular intervals. Well, that’s another reason why we should stress on the importance of practice.
Learn with a Practical Connect
Be it problems related to Time & Work, Area & Volume or Percentages, it is important for children to learn and practice the different math concepts in a practical way. If it’s a problem to find the volume of a cylinder, hand them a cylindrical object and ask them to visualise the problem and the mentioned parameters. This helps children understand the question better and also solve it easily. Once this technique is practised well, they will be able to visualise the question in their mind and answer questions easily. But, this doesn’t happen over a single night. It needs weeks and weeks of practice to master the art of solving math problems easily with mere visualisation.
But shouldn’t tuition take care of all that?
Tuition can help cement conceptual clarity. It can dispel any doubts about the subject that may remain in the minds of students even after they attend their classes at school. But should the sole responsibility of practising questions fall on the shoulders of the tutors? Yes and no.
Tutors should devote a considerable amount of time towards making the students practice math problems. The more practice that the tutor can give in an efficient manner, the better it is for the student.
Tutors can also give the students a few practice problems as homework. Well, you’ve got to ensure that the kids do not run out of problems for practice, right?
Things to keep in mind
There are a few don’ts to keep in mind while practising. What are these? Well, most importantly ensure that you do not spend too much of time stuck on one particular section of the syllabus. Practice questions from all areas of the syllabus. At the same time, spend a bit more time on the sections that you find a bit more difficult.
Do not be irregular. It’s best to make a daily practice plan. Well, you could also chart a plan which incorporates routine practice every two days. Once you’ve got your plan ready, make sure that you stick to it. Execute your plan to perfection.
There is another thing to keep in mind. What happens when your child gets too many answers wrong during practice? This can be a result of a weak understanding of the concepts. Most importantly, the constant appearing of crosses can take a toll on the confidence of the students. How do you help students to overcome this?
Parents and tutors must be extra cautious in their support shown towards students. They must be able to boost their morale and remind them that with a better understanding of the concepts, they will be able to face the problems with ease.
That’s a long blog on practice, right? Well, you simply cannot understate the role of practice, especially when it comes to Math. So, get your practice boots on and make the most out of your Maths tuition!
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