How to build math fundamentals and banish the fear of numbers among children

Math anxiety is for real. Making learning fun can help students overcome fear of numbers. (Image: Unsplash)

Note to readers: HowTo is a series designed to give our readers an edge in matters of competitiveness, upskilling and knowledge gathering. Essayed in a lucid, snackable format, the series acts as a tutorial. In this feature, we offer simple steps to build solid math fundamentals and develop tools to thrive in the subject at a later stage. This is the first article in a two-part series.

“In a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, our children’s jobs will require more analytical skills than ever before. And letting our children out into the world without those skills is letting our children down.”

—Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister in his first speech of 2023

Get youngsters to pursue mathematics until the age of 18. That is Sunak’s mantra for skilling UK’s youngsters and helping them enter the workforce. For decades, we have harboured the notion that mathematics is not everyone’s cup of tea. The theory was that mathematics was only for the gifted and many of us believed that. Let’s examine this in detail.

Math is integral to life

Whether you like math or not its relevance is unquestionable. Monthly budgeting, banking, insurance and personal finance require some basic knowledge of numbers. The problem is many students tend to develop math anxiety early in their life.

As early as the third grade, a child can develop a fear for the subject, as it challenges them to explore. The result is not a given and mistakes can happen. Some children don’t react to that risk favourably.

Many times, parents pass their math anxiety to their children. Remember not to penalise the students for making mistakes. Instead, encourage them to discover where they have gone wrong.

Getting the fundamentals right

Building strong math fundamentals and learning new concepts is a continuous process.

“The trick is to adopt a conceptual and intuitive learning approach including visuals, real-life examples, and relatable concepts, focused on building aptitude and reasoning,” says Manan Khurma, founder and chairman of Cuemath, a Google-backed math learning platform.

“This will encourage students to understand the 'why' behind the questions and develop a logical problem-solving approach.”

Parents can chip in by making children see the relevance of math in day-to-day life in the following ways -

● Involve them in everyday calculations at home or outside — make them verify bills

● Encourage them to interact with shopkeepers, vendors and fruit sellers and let them do the transaction

● Let them track time on devices while playing games, sports, etc.

“From hexagonal beehives to fractals in a tree, we find innumerable examples of math in nature. That’s why each student must learn math from an early age,” says Namrata Manglani, a senior mathematics tutor. “To do so, children need to be taught math through a structured and consistent curriculum that addresses their learning needs on a personal level,” she says.

Also read: How to deconstruct math keeping in mind different paces of learning

The importance of ‘why’

To strengthen the student’s foundation, teachers should emphasise the “why” while teaching the concepts. The “why” is more important than the “what”.

For example, while teaching commutative and associative properties like multiplication, teachers need to allow the students to discover the “why” behind 12x4 = 48 and how the same problem can also be written as 4x12 = 48.

“Math requires the discovery of concepts and students need to be cued towards that,” says Khurma. “Just as you can't learn swimming by watching a bunch of YouTube videos, similarly, math can't be learned by watching your teacher solve problems.”

“I firmly believe that math should be taught visually because it naturally inspires students to see the "why". That way math concepts remain with them forever,” says Khurma. This visual and kinesthetic approach allows students to reason out the solutions and apply them in the proper context.

For better impact, teachers can also use objects to help the students understand how multiplication is nothing but repeated addition.

Build the skills consistently

To improve numeracy and mathematical skills and achieve math mastery, one needs to focus on the subject. Here are a few key tips and tricks that can help you ace the subject:

● Regular practice: Constant practice is essential and is the key to improving your mathematical skills. You will ingrain the concepts well if you constantly practice.

● Avoid calculating devices: Calculations always take time and you may get frustrated and want to use a calculator but don’t give in and stick to using a pen and paper.

● Support students: At the learning stage, educators need to ensure that students feel comfortable and are supported at every stage. Offer encouragement when they do well and be patient—everyone has different learning abilities and a different learning curve.

● Tricks and strategies: There are various tricks to help improve your mathematical skills such as mental calculations, which involve building techniques for specific problems rather than memorising the answers. Use tools such as flashcards, online videos, math puzzles, etc to develop these abilities.

● Apply concepts in real-life situations: Math is a core subject that is used in almost every aspect of our daily lives. We can make math easier for students by helping them develop the habit of comparing the equations and visualising them with real-life examples of things they are familiar with.

● Start on fingers: Investigate various methods for mental mathematics. As students start calculating with a pen and paper and get quicker, they should shift to calculating with their fingers and must eventually develop the habit of performing mental calculations.

“Outcomes of children who learn in a meticulous math environment are outstanding and the effects are also seen in their professional achievements,” says math teacher Manglani. "Mathematics is the cradle of all creations. It is more than a subject taught in the classroom rather it is a skill and a journey that never ends.”