Uncategorized
Math Anxiety is Real!
On June 20, 2020 by adminHave you ever avoided math becasue you think you can’t do it? So many of my adult education students (many of whom have been out of the classroom for a long while) underestimate their abilty to learn math.
Please know that not only can you learn, but that you come to the classroom with a lot of math-based life experience that will help you move along.
For example, if you cook, work construction, follow a budget, estimate costs at the store, read price tags, have a bank account, make sure your paycheck is correct or apply for federal aid you are doing math!
Many students find that once they start reviewing the basics, they remember a lot.
Dive in and give it a try. You might surprise yourself!
Dorothy: You really hit on something that resonates deeply with me in this post! When I see effective learning happen, it’s usually (always?) in the contexts where learners are engaged in topics. A lot of times math can seem pretty far removed from people’s daily lives. The more math can be embedded in learning experiences that are about real-world situations, the more relevant and engaging it can become, especially at the beginning levels where a lack of engagement can foreclose further study, not only in math, but in general (eg, those gateway math courses that block getting a first certificate or degree).
For another POV, a great teacher of mine used to say that math was taught backwards. We have learners focus on all the most boring stuff first (like arithmetic and algebra) and only get to the exciting parts after years of slogging through practices and skills. This teacher suggested we focus on the interesting and exciting advanced conceptual parts of math first (eg, calculus and beyond), and only bring learners into the skills to engage those concepts via equations/etc later when they have built up a motivation to go further.