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Math Myths
Dispelling the Math Myths
Math Anxiety Be Gone
by
You Can Do Math!
We've
probably all been at a restaurant with a group of people who want to pay
individually, but only one bill arrives.
You then find yourself in the
position of trying to determine how much each person owes. What happens?
You
look over the bill with a slight wave of panic at having to figure out your
total, but instead, you say, "I'm no
good at math" and you proceed to pass it to the next person who
immediately responds the same way you did.
Eventually and usually with
some hesitancy, one person takes ownership over the bill and calculates the
individual costs or divides the total by the number of people at the table.
Did you notice how quickly
people say that they were no good at math? Did anyone say, I'm no good at
reading? or I can't read?
When and why is it acceptable
in our society to say we're no good at math?
We'd be embarrassed to
declare that we're no good at reading yet it's quite acceptable in our society
to say that we can't do math!
In today's information age,
mathematics is needed more than it ever was before - we need math!
Problem-solving skills are highly prized by employers today.
There
is an increasing need for math and the first step needed is a change in our
attitudes and beliefs about math.
Attitudes and Misconceptions
Do
your experiences in math cause you anxiety? Have you been left with the
impression that math is difficult and only some people are 'good' at math?
Are you one of those people
who believe that you 'can't do math', that you're missing that 'math gene'?
Do you have the dreaded
disease called Math Anxiety? Read on, sometimes our school experiences leave us
with the wrong impression about math.
There are many misconceptions
that lead one to believe that only some individuals can do math. It's time to
dispel those common myths.
Everyone can be successful in
math when presented with opportunities to succeed, an open mind and a belief
that one can do math.
True or False: There is one way to
solve a problem.
False: There are a variety of ways to
solve math problems and a variety of tools to assist with the process.
Think of the process you use
when you try to determine how many pieces of pizza will 5 people will get with
2 and a half 6 slice pizzas.
Some of you will visualize
the pizzas, some will add the total number of slices and divide by 5. Does
anyone actually write the algorithm? Not likely!
There are a variety of ways
to arrive at the solution, and everyone uses their own learning style when
solving the problem.
True
or False: You need a 'math gene' or dominance of your left brain to
be successful at math.
False: Like
reading, the majority of people are born with the ability to do math. Children
and adults need to maintain a positive attitude and the belief that they can do
math. Math must be nurtured with a supportive learning environment that
promotes risk-taking and creativity, one that focuses on problem-solving.
True
or False: Children don't learn the basics anymore because of a
reliance on calculators and computers.
False: Research
at this time indicates that calculators do not have a negative impact on
achievement. The calculator is a powerful teaching tool when used appropriately.
Most teachers focus on the effective use of a calculator. Students are still
required to know what they need to key into the calculator to solve the
problem.
True
or False: You need to memorize a lot of facts, rules, and formulas
to be good at math.
False False!
As stated earlier, there's more than one way to solve a problem. Memorizing
procedures is not as effective as conceptually understanding concepts.
For instance, memorizing the
fact 9x9 is not as important as understanding that 9x9 is 9 groups of 9.
Applying thinking skills and creative thought lead to a better understanding of
math.
Signs of understanding include those
"Aha" moments! The most important aspect of learning math is
understanding.
Ask yourself after solving a math problem:
are you applying a series of memorized steps/procedures, or do you really
'understand' how and why the procedure works.
Answer
the questions: How do you know it's right? Is there more than one way to solve
this problem? When questions like this are answered, you're on your way to
becoming a better math problem solver.
True or False: Keep
giving more drill and repetition questions until children get it!
False False,
find another way to teach or explain the concept. All too often, children
receive worksheets with drill and repetition, this only leads to overkill and
negative math attitudes!
When a concept isn't
understood, it's time to find another method of teaching it. No new learning
has ever occurred as a result of repetition and drill. Negative attitudes
toward math are usually the result of overuse of worksheets.
In summary:
Positive
attitudes towards math are the first step to success. When does the most
powerful learning usually occur? When one makes a mistake!
If you take the time to
analyze where you go wrong, you can't help but learn. Never feel badly about
making mistakes in mathematics.
Societal
needs have changed, thus math has changed. We are now in an information age
with technology paving the way.
It is no longer enough to do
computations; that's what calculators and computers are for. Math today
requires decisions about which keys to punch in and which graph to use, not how
to construct them!
Math requires creative
problem solving techniques. Today's math requires real-life problems to solve,
a skill highly prized by employers today.
Math requires knowing when
and how to use the tools to assist in the problem solving process. This happens
as early as pre-kindergarten when children seek counters, an abacus, blocks and
a variety of other manipulatives.
Family involvement is also
critical in nurting a positive and risk-taking attitudes in math. The sooner
this begins, the sooner one will become more successful in math.
Math
has never been more important, technology demands that we work smarter and have
stronger problem solving skills.
Experts suggest that in the
next 5-7 years there will be twice as much math as there is today. There are
many reasons to learn math and it's never too late to start!
Another
terrific strategy is to Learn From Your Mistakes Sometimes the most
powerful learning stems from the mistakes you make.
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