Much A Fuss About Maths
Have been busy helping my tutees with their all important EOY exams. I was helping most of them with their weakest subject – Maths. Most of them have either failed or scored borderline marks for the subject. Having done reasonably well for their other subjects, I found it hard to understand why they would fumble at Maths. Their common complaint was that they didn't understand the questions and were thus unable to solve them. Based on my experience, I have identified two areas of concern. The first is the understanding of the mathematical concepts and the other is the application of these concepts. Mathematical concepts could be learnt and be committed to memory while the application part could only be mastered through regular practise. Students who memorise formulae and concepts blindly will have no problem answering questions which only require the recall of these formulae and concepts. But when they have to tackle more challenging problems, they will be stuck. They just didn't know how to apply what they have memorised into solving the sums.
In fact, Maths used to be my weakest subject too. The remark 'Weak in Maths' was a common comment that my teacher would write in my report book. That was when I was in primary school - a period when I was spending more time in front of the toggle box rather than at my study desk staring at the uninviting formulae. Due to my shaky foundation, I struggled to cross the passing mark when I was in secondary one. Once, my younger brother, who was in primary 3 then, asked me to help him with a challenging Maths sum. Imagined the embarrassment when I realised that I wasn't able to offer much help. For the first time in my life, I suddenly realised the importance of the subject. I tried in vain for an hour to crack the nut. I felt so helpless and useless. Being the eldest and a proud brother, I couldn't bear the thoughts of losing the respect my younger siblings have for me. Then, believe it or not, I actually dreamt about the question and woke up in the middle of the night with the solution. The sense of achievement that I experienced made me feel so good that it changed my attitude towards the subject.
I began to see the subject in a different light and went on to develop a genuine interest in it. Gradually, I found that it was not as difficult to understand as I had always thought it was. I soon got the hang of it and my grade for the subject improved so much that I even emerged as the top scorer of my class - an achievement that not only surprised me but also my teachers and classmates.
It was reported in a recent news article that some students, including top students, had left the exam hall in tears after sitting for the PSLE Maths Paper. They claimed that some of the questions were too tricky and unsolvable. Three of the questions were being reproduced and two top PSLE students from previous years and a retired teacher were asked to work out the sums. The two gifted students had no problem solving what they considered as 'straightforward' questions. The ex-teacher, who had taught P6 Maths for four decades, took almost 20 minutes to solve the questions using a calculator. I have a go at the same questions and it took me about 5 minutes without any aid. I'm not trying to make a mockery out of anybody nor am I trying to show off my ability. I'm just trying to highlight the fact that Maths is a subject where constant exposure is needed for one to stay in touch.
I'm no genius nor am I talented in any way. I'm just a persistent worker who wouldn't give up without a fight. Many a time, when I come across a difficult question I would challenge myself to come out with a solution. I would go through the solving process over and over again until I arrived at the correct answer. Of course, there were times when I would end up with an incorrect answer. I would then seek help and learn from my mistakes. In fact, the more mistakes I make, the better I get. I would also surf the Net for new methods of problem solving and would even crack my head tackling non-routine questions. It's kind of hard to describe the sense of satisfaction that I derived from each successful conquest. I guess, it's a sentiment that can only be experienced by someone who shares my passion for the subject.
As the saying goes, 'Practise Makes Perfect' and for all those looking for an easy way out to solving tough Maths questions, my advice is:
Stop Dreaming And Start Drilling.
Have been busy helping my tutees with their all important EOY exams. I was helping most of them with their weakest subject – Maths. Most of them have either failed or scored borderline marks for the subject. Having done reasonably well for their other subjects, I found it hard to understand why they would fumble at Maths. Their common complaint was that they didn't understand the questions and were thus unable to solve them. Based on my experience, I have identified two areas of concern. The first is the understanding of the mathematical concepts and the other is the application of these concepts. Mathematical concepts could be learnt and be committed to memory while the application part could only be mastered through regular practise. Students who memorise formulae and concepts blindly will have no problem answering questions which only require the recall of these formulae and concepts. But when they have to tackle more challenging problems, they will be stuck. They just didn't know how to apply what they have memorised into solving the sums.
In fact, Maths used to be my weakest subject too. The remark 'Weak in Maths' was a common comment that my teacher would write in my report book. That was when I was in primary school - a period when I was spending more time in front of the toggle box rather than at my study desk staring at the uninviting formulae. Due to my shaky foundation, I struggled to cross the passing mark when I was in secondary one. Once, my younger brother, who was in primary 3 then, asked me to help him with a challenging Maths sum. Imagined the embarrassment when I realised that I wasn't able to offer much help. For the first time in my life, I suddenly realised the importance of the subject. I tried in vain for an hour to crack the nut. I felt so helpless and useless. Being the eldest and a proud brother, I couldn't bear the thoughts of losing the respect my younger siblings have for me. Then, believe it or not, I actually dreamt about the question and woke up in the middle of the night with the solution. The sense of achievement that I experienced made me feel so good that it changed my attitude towards the subject.
I began to see the subject in a different light and went on to develop a genuine interest in it. Gradually, I found that it was not as difficult to understand as I had always thought it was. I soon got the hang of it and my grade for the subject improved so much that I even emerged as the top scorer of my class - an achievement that not only surprised me but also my teachers and classmates.
It was reported in a recent news article that some students, including top students, had left the exam hall in tears after sitting for the PSLE Maths Paper. They claimed that some of the questions were too tricky and unsolvable. Three of the questions were being reproduced and two top PSLE students from previous years and a retired teacher were asked to work out the sums. The two gifted students had no problem solving what they considered as 'straightforward' questions. The ex-teacher, who had taught P6 Maths for four decades, took almost 20 minutes to solve the questions using a calculator. I have a go at the same questions and it took me about 5 minutes without any aid. I'm not trying to make a mockery out of anybody nor am I trying to show off my ability. I'm just trying to highlight the fact that Maths is a subject where constant exposure is needed for one to stay in touch.
I'm no genius nor am I talented in any way. I'm just a persistent worker who wouldn't give up without a fight. Many a time, when I come across a difficult question I would challenge myself to come out with a solution. I would go through the solving process over and over again until I arrived at the correct answer. Of course, there were times when I would end up with an incorrect answer. I would then seek help and learn from my mistakes. In fact, the more mistakes I make, the better I get. I would also surf the Net for new methods of problem solving and would even crack my head tackling non-routine questions. It's kind of hard to describe the sense of satisfaction that I derived from each successful conquest. I guess, it's a sentiment that can only be experienced by someone who shares my passion for the subject.
As the saying goes, 'Practise Makes Perfect' and for all those looking for an easy way out to solving tough Maths questions, my advice is:
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