Most students have a particular subject that they dislike. Mathematics has a record of being one of the most disliked subjects. Chances are that you probably didn’t like math too while growing up.

Did you know that a lot of students dislike mathematics not because of its difficulty but because of the notion that it is a very difficult subject to learn? This false notion puts so much fear in students and forces them to dislike math. Funny how in the end, most students come to realize that math is not that difficult after all. We know this because several of our students who used to hate math now enjoy it.

If you have a child who dislikes math, just give him a little more time as you work towards helping him. I’d be sharing 3 tips that you could practice to help your child overcome his/her fear of math.

1. Motivation and encouragement:

Switch it up! Instead of scolding your child for not performing up to standard in his math tests and exams, you should encourage him so he can do better next time. Rather than comparing and asking, “does John have two heads?” You should always surround your child with words of motivation that remind him that he is capable of anything he sets his mind to. Math is not too difficult to crack. Help him to believe this.

2. Reduce distractions and increase study time:

Take your time to do a quick analysis. Is there something that distracts your child? Perhaps something that takes away his time and prevents him from studying as much as he ought to. It could be anything – the TV, a video game, a device, et cetera. Once you’re able to discover what the distraction is, ensure you reduce the time your child spends with that thing. If you really want your child to overcome his fear of math, then he must face it. Rather than spending time on other things, make him spend more time studying math.

3. Get extra help from a private tutor:

A lot of students find it difficult to get help from their school teachers because of the way most classrooms are structured. Some students could be too shy to ask questions or engage in class activities. Some others just have different learning styles that are not being practiced in the classroom. This even makes the fear of math compound.

At this point, a private tutor becomes very important. A private tutor spends some time trying to understand what kind of learner his/her tutee is. When he discovers this, he goes on to deploy the best learning style to suit the needs of that particular child. As opposed to sitting in a wider classroom, a child is able to engage his/her tutor freely and without any fear. With constant tutorials and practice, you would soon realize that your child would begin to develop an interest in mathematics.

Daniel, one of our students says:

“My grades didn’t use to be encouraging at all. Maths even became my worst subject. But after I got a tutor from GATE Academy, my grades began to improve. I’ve become so good that there is hardly a math problem that I can’t solve. I’m glad!”

If you’d love to get help from one of our expert math tutors to help your child overcome the fear of math, you can click here to book a tutor right now.

Fear of math is common among students. However, conscious efforts has to be made to take that fear away. This is because no child can succeed at a subject that he dreads. Once your child can defeat his fear of math, then success because much more attainable. I believe that as you practice the few tips above, you will be able to help your child overcome his/her fear of math.

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