Many students suffer from anxiety. Math anxiety is a condition in which students are unable or unwilling to understand math and have low self-confidence. It is important to tackle math anxiety early on so that it does not develop into adulthood.
Positive reinforcement and other methods, such as investing in math tutoring, are key to preventing math anxiety. It’s also important to make math fun. Students will associate a subject with fun and engagement, and their confidence levels will rise when they discover they understand it.
Many young students tend to have negative feelings towards math lessons. Whenever it’s time to learn some mathematics, it is common to hear, “It’s boring” or even “I hate math.”
However, students and families that learn how to make math easy and fun can make lessons more exciting and dispel any negative thoughts/feelings associated with math.
Suppose you want to achieve this feat. In that case, you can begin by understanding why math is boring. Afterward, you can devise tailor-made solutions that will help you make math fun, enjoyable, and engaging. Here is a complete guide to assist you on this educational journey.
Why Learners Find Math Lessons Boring and Unenjoyable
Math is associated with fear, confusion, and boredom, but why is this the case? Here are the three leading reasons why math is boring to some students
1. Students consider math to be too abstract.
The most common answer to why students find math classes boring is that they consider these classes irrelevant and too abstract. Learners may see no concrete/ physical aspect of learning and applying math. As a result, these students may think it is boring because it doesn’t relate to their everyday experiences.
While simple math concepts like subtraction and counting make sense in the real world, students often struggle to understand higher mathematics processes such as trigonometry or algebra. The approach is what matters, however. One teacher proved that math can be made more accessible to learners and more connected to the real world by telling stories.
2. Students tend to struggle when learning math.
Students who have difficulty understanding math concepts can quickly become disjointed or discouraged when learning math. When this struggle occurs for an extended period, the students will associate math with boredom.
3. Some students lack interest in mathematics.
Different students have different interests. Some love science and math-related studies, whereas others prefer languages, arts, and philosophy. Suppose a student has more interest in subjects other than math. In that case, they may end up focusing more on what they love and becoming uninterested in learning mathematics.
How to Make Math Fun and Easy in 10 Straightforward Ways
When it comes to teaching math and making the sessions less dull and miserable, you’ll need to think out of the box and develop tailor-made solutions to help your students learn to love math. Here are ten creative ways to make math concepts fun and easy to grasp.
1. Find ways to diversify your math study sessions.
Some students are not comfortable enough to ask questions during math classes. However, students who are more introverted may benefit from learning in a group setting where they can discuss problems.
Other students learn differently from their peers. Therefore, it is important to provide diverse lesson plans for students (especially when teaching math).
Students grasp concepts differently, and it would be best to use various tactics to help your students and ensure they can easily understand math concepts.
For instance, you can include flashcards and worksheets when learning mathematics. Using this combination, you can bridge learning gaps and make math fun and exciting.
2. Add math games into your study sessions.
Math games help to create excitement and fun for your students when they’re studying while also alleviating the boredom associated with repetitive math lessons. Nowadays, you can find online or physical games to improve engagement in math sessions.
For example, your students can try out Simon says “Geometry” to learn more about types of lines and angles. This game makes learning fun while also providing some physical exercise that breaks the monotony of learning math for your students and improving their math skills.
3. Use reward based-learning.
Rewarding or incentivizing students as they study math can help them develop a better attitude towards this subject. Rewards help motivate students to try harder when learning new concepts and doing practice tests.
As a parent, you can motivate your child to learn math by offering them a fun activity or extra screen time after they finish studying. You can also reward yourself with snacks or food between or after study sessions if you are a student.
4. Get a professional tutor.
Some students study best through doing, while others learn better by watching. Each student is unique and classrooms cannot cater to them all. Some may struggle while others succeed. If a student is struggling with a subject, individual attention is crucial to their success.
Many classrooms lack the ability to meet with students one-on-one to help them understand the curriculum. Students can get one-on-one attention from a math tutor to help them understand math problems and ask any questions that they may have.
If a struggling student feels embarrassed asking questions, it could be because he or she seems to be the only one who is not understanding. They can ask as many questions as they want without being embarrassed before their classmates or the whole class. The tutoring process is not rushed. Students will be given explanations that fit their learning style and won’t feel pressured.
Hiring a professional tutor can help make your math lessons more fun. Tutors know how to create customized math lessons that ensure you gain valuable mathematical knowledge while also enjoying the study sessions. Nowadays, you can find the best local tutors by signing up with Erudite Tuition.
5. Incorporate technology into your math studies.
You can use modern technological tools like the CK-12 app to make math fun for students. The CK-12 app offers various workbooks, practice tests, and quizzes that interactively teach students math.
You can also download other apps such as the Geometry Pad to learn math and geometry in a fun and enthralling way.
6. Make math lessons a group/family affair.
Conducting group studies with your friends or family members such as siblings can help you gain interest and confidence in learning math. Group studies give you new insights into math while also enabling you to learn more quickly and fill in learning gaps. This way, math studies will be more enjoyable and easier to understand.
7. Use real-life objects to reduce the abstract nature of math.
You can use various real-life items to develop physical learning tools for different math concepts. Since math can be boring due to its abstract nature, you can use pebbles, buttons, and base ten blocks to make math fun, concrete, and lively for your students. Shapes such as spheres and play money can also make concepts such as geometry, addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication easier for your students.
8. Integrate other subjects.
Mixing your math lessons with other subjects you love, such as arts, science, or social studies, can help bring relevance and excitement to your studies. You will also learn about the bigger picture of how things work and develop a more profound love for math.
Teachers can use certain techniques to integrate arts into math in many different ways. For example, they could ask students to draw lines and shapes to understand geometry, paint a wall clock to understand time, or even learn ratios by mixing paint.
9. Use personal interests to make math fun.
Incorporating students’ interests in math problems and equations is one of the best ways to get them excited about math. Talking probability? Choose their favourite team. Teaching money? Ask students to calculate how much money they will need each week to buy the latest toy or piece of technology they want.
Making math word problems more interesting by including the names of your students can help. Make it funny if you are unsure. Students are more likely to recall a math concept with a humorous acronym or word problem about polka-dotted elephants. So let’s have some fun in math class!
You can pique your interest in math by incorporating personal interests into your study lessons or practice tests. For instance, you can use your favourite sports team to see their chances of winning a season or a competition when learning about probability. Also, adding your name to math word problems can make lessons interesting and enjoyable.
10. Take a musical approach.
Music and songs help break the writing and reading monotony associated with math lessons and solving math problems. Nowadays, you can find numerous math songs teaching about common denominators, mean, median, range, distance formula, and other math concepts.
Conclusion
Sometimes, all it takes to make math interesting and to get students excited about learning is some creativity. Many students find math lessons offered by the curriculum are boring. Therefore, it is essential to develop custom strategies and teachings that make mathematics more fun and enjoyable for the student. Erudite tuition offers flexible and fun tutoring for students who want to improve their math and other subjects. So if you wish to learn math in a competent yet enjoyable manner, kindly consider getting in touch today.
