Ask an expert: Why do students think math is hard?

October 9, 2000
Web posted at: 12:25 PM EDT (1625 GMT)

By Henry F. Olds

Question: Why do you think that so many students find math is so difficult?

Answer: Some students get this belief from those who teach the subject. Many elementary school teachers say that math is their hardest subject. It's no surprise then that students get this feeling or belief in school.

All teachers should learn enough math so they understand that it's not hard to learn (if you enjoy exercising your mind) and it's even beautiful and fun. If they can't get to that place, they should not teach math to children. This would unfortunately remove from the teaching profession many who were convinced when they were young that they could not learn math beyond basic computational skills.

Many students, however, like math and don't consider it hard. They have been fortunate to have teachers and parents who take pleasure in sharing math with them and have helped them to appreciate how exciting it can be to use math to extend the power of their minds.

Watching young people learning to make sense of their world through math under the guidance of a dedicated teacher is a beautiful experience. My 9-year-old daughter had such a teacher last year, and she delights in doing math of all kinds.

Riverdeep Interactive Learning

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