Maths Anxiety is Common and How Tutoring Can Help
I arrived to teach at my first job, and on my first day, 13-year-old Trevor informed me that he couldn’t do Maths. A missed week of school in year 4, and he hadn’t been good at Maths since. I was in disbelief. Since then, I have seen the same attitude over and over.
When children take time off school, their peers continue learning. Regardless of the reason for the absence, whether illness or a June holiday for the farming family annual holiday, the effect is the same. The child returns to school, the class has learned something new, and now they have moved onto another topic.
Math Anxiety Can Start With a Single Missed Lesson
Even if the child has a quick catchup lesson, they don’t get the same time to process the new learning as their classmates did, and it becomes a weak point. Unlike other subjects, Maths requires solid foundation blocks, a bit like building a pyramid. If you’re missing a topic, then that foundation block isn’t there to support the new learning on top.
While everyone else seems to understand what’s going on, the child begins to feel anxious. Once they feel anxious, it is difficult to learn more, and then Maths anxiety starts. A downward spiral begins, with the anxiety making learning difficult, which makes the child more and more certain that they are stupid and can’t do Maths.
We Can Help Your Child Regain Their Lost Confidence
At In2Learning, we assess each student so that any gaps in their learning are uncovered. Their individualised programme is created for them, to target their gaps, build those foundation stones, and rebuild their confidence. They don’t follow a set programme, and the teacher adjusts the programme as they go to suit the changing needs of your child. Math anxiety CAN be overcome and your child CAN succeed at school.