Sunday, January 9, 2011

How to Study Math and Have Fun in Learning it

Learning math should be no different than learning another subject or another language, or should be perceived as such. It can be just as easy or as hard as any other subject based on how you approach it. Putting a mental block about any subject will make it very hard to learn and comprehend; however, removing that mental block and believing in your ability to master the subject will dramatically change the way your brain will start processing mathematical instructions. You shouldn’t think of it as a challenge, rather, as a fun to learn activity.  True the subject can be hard at first, but will progressively get easier.
Math concepts are interconnected with each other. You must master the prior concept to understand the one after it. Going back to the very basic concepts, you will never be good at division or multiplication if you haven’t mastered addition and subtraction. If you’re never comfortable with multiplication and division, you will never make it through Algebra, and so on. So tackle all the basic concepts first, spend some time reviewing easier material, making sure you’re not missing anything, or have forgotten how to do certain things, and have fun learning it. If you find yourself lost or frustrated, you shouldn’t panic, it is Ok to be frustrated at some point, its part of the learning process, just don’t give up. Just remember that once you get over the first few hurdles and continue to follow the instructions, it will turn into a fun learning activity.
The way I like to look at mathematics is that it is fundamentally built on addition and subtraction, a skill that students should become good in second grade. So if you build up your addition skills so that you are able to mentally add two digits fairly quickly, you should be able to master multiplication and division. Beyond that, it is just learning about different approaches to solve different problems utilizing a set of procedures that you just need to pay a little attention to. I believe that if you approach mathematics in this manner, you shouldn’t have a problem advancing into higher levels. Actually, I feel you would have a lot of fun learning math from then on that is if you don’t mind putting some time and effort to study and practice.
What to do to become good in math and start having fun learning it?
To become good in math you need to do a significant amount of work. Math is not a passive activity that you can learn by reading text books or watching a lecture. You need to actively get involved in the subject, do a great deal of exercises, and a lot of practice, and don’t forget to have lots fun with the learning process. It is like learning any other skill. When we learn a new skill, we first follow basic (step by step) guidelines. With practice, we start getting better at it, and with more effort our performance improves. You can think of it like any sport activity, you cannot become a good athlete by watching and reading about other athletes, you have to get in the field and practice what you learn till you become naturally good at it. At that point, it will progressively become a fun to learn activity that you enjoy doing. In addition, habitual practice will keep math less challenging and more fun and enjoyable. 

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