“Math problems are really hard”. “I don’t know how to solve it”. “I don’t like math”. These statements are quite familiarly heard when students are asked about their homework or exam. They seem to be struggling with their lessons in math especially on problem-solving. This often happens to students who have not acquired the basic skills needed in mathematics. A lack of sufficient mathematical skill and understanding could affect student’s ability to make important education, life, and career decisions. The importance of this subject is often neglected by many because they think of it as too complicated but in reality it just needs more attention, understanding and analysis from students who are not really gifted with mathematical skills.
Students fall below their expected level of mathematics achievement for some reasons. Some think that they could not use their lessons in math in their daily lives so they continue to ignore this and eventually would not even try to understand.Others are more focused in other subjects and would rather hate math or complain about it instead to exert more effort in analysing it. When asked why they were not as successful in learning mathematics, many people would say that they “never understood math,” or “never liked it because it was too abstract and did not relate to them.” These reasons and others can be categorized, in general, as environmental or personal, individualized factors.
Mathematics teaching and learning are very significant. This is for both individual and the country at large. However, some students really hate it and are not willing to study the subject. If teaching and learning process is not equally effective for all students, the difficulties in acquiring mathematic skills by the students could get worsen. Understanding students’ difficulties in mathematics skills needed in problem solving is one of the ways to assist this group of students.
Math teachers often do not inspire their students with an appreciation for the beauty of mathematics, instead teach by rote memorization. This is why students feel like math is a foreign language in which they can’t orient themselves since math is cumulative, and they forgot something they learned a while ago and now becomes totally lost. Moreover, when students fail to progress in a math class they may feel stupid and avoid math as much as possible in the future.Many people do not believe mathematics is essential to living a modern life and resent being forced to study an abstract science. Students nowadays just need a little more motivation and lesser pressure, because math is everywhere, it is always there; it can’t be avoided nor removed, but it can be conquered.
By: Mr.Ernani Mañalac | Math Teacher | St. John Academy | Dinalupihan, Bataan
