We all know that mathematics plays a crucial role in our education and daily lives, so parents and teachers emphasize the importance of understanding it and doing well in it as a crucial step towards higher education and a successful career. But unfortunately, additional stress can often deter some students from connecting with mathematics.
Instilling an interest and affinity for math through a friendly and simplified approach is crucial. The mere fact that our universe consists of mathematical and geometrical concepts present in all things natural around us can become a very intriguing point of beginning an interest in the much-misunderstood subject.
The top schools in Ahmedabad understand this and are now using innovative methods to teach maths to their students. Someone has specially designed the methods to befit varied learning styles and understandings, which differ from student to student.
Let us look at simple methods for befriending maths and improving your math skills. The top 10 CBSE schools in Ahmedabad have tried and tested these methods.
Understanding the basic concept
Math is a logical subject based on facts, and the facts build upon each other at every turn. It is, therefore, important to understand every step before moving on to the next. Basic concepts of maths are:
- Addition
- Subtraction
- Multiplication
- Division
- Percentages
- Decimals & fractions
- Spatial reasoning
Methods of learning
- Improvise: It is essential to understand the basic concepts clearly. Different children have different ways of approaching a concept. Try introducing toys or crayons to help your child understand the basic concepts. The playful approach involving familiar objects will make the subject more approachable and lessons lighter and more straightforward.
- Game-play: You can convert the maths lesson into a game to keep the interest alive and build upon it with every class. Buy maths-based board games or improvise by developing games of your own. The biggest hurdle for children in understanding maths is the apprehension built up around the subject. The learning based on games will help break down the anxiety, and the child will begin looking forward to these fun lessons.
- Make math a part of everyday life: Remember how you tell stories that help your child sleep or eat their meals? Use a similar method to familiarise them with maths and understand it. When you are out in the park, you can count the birds or point at your speedometer to see how fast you are going—counting the number of apples in a kilo while you are out shopping. Introduce the concept of measurements while measuring their height – how 12 inches are the same as a foot. The concepts should be built up in their minds in a fun and inconspicuous manner.
- Practice: Once understanding the concepts begins, the concepts need to take root. Repeating the concepts every day and making them learn and practice their maths work can become a task if the child is averse to or weak in math. Here again, the game-based method for practice will work well. There are many maths-based toys or activity sets available, go shopping with your child. Their involvement in the selection will make them want to play with it. As mentioned in the previous point, you can also repeat the concepts on the go. The top ten schools in Ahmedabad employ playful methods to teach maths to the students including providing the facility of a Maths lab where students have fun experimenting with a wide variety of Maths toys.
- Demystifying word problems: Understanding word problems can be problematic and confusing. Simplify them by using sketches or, if possible real-life objects. For example, Ravi has 6 apples and gives 2 apples to Payal, so how many apples remain with Ravi? You can use both apples or their sketches to explain, and it becomes simple for the child to figure out the answer by bringing the concept home.
Lastly, make the subject approachable by removing all the apprehension and fear. Patience and compassion are the skills that will help create that space for the child. Setting realistic goals, going step-by-step, and letting the child discover at their own pace instead of hurrying them on to keep up with their peers will make them like the subject. Each child has their own pace and way of learning.
