Helping Child to Overcome Fear of Math

Fear of Math can be easily handled with exercises that deal with numbers or calculations. Find out how to help your child overcome the fear of Math.The fear of Math is a phenomenon that is known as Math Phobia in clinical terms. Kids and adults alike may develop this fear, where anxiety breeds tension and a sort of serious fear, which directly affects the performance in Math. All these in turn results in the build up of a negative attitude towards Math and a desire to avoid it completely. We are aware that the formal education is incomplete without the Math. It is an integral part of education in schools. Besides, the knowledge of Math is indispensable in our regular lives, be it due to the profession that we will choose in the future, or the mere necessity of numbers and calculation in our day to day lives. So steps need to be taken to reduce this fear and in fact do away with it, as early as possible. In this articleAvoiding Math is Not the Way OutHow to Help Child with MathAcknowledge ItMaking Math SimpleLearning From MistakesAvoiding Math is Not the Way Out Many kids feel and unfortunately some of the parents as well, that if the kid is afraid of numbers then it is perhaps better to let him avoid the subject altogether. This is a very impractical conclusion and if you keep the kid away from Math, they might be very happy, but then, since the subject cannot be done away with in their schools, they need to come back to the subject at some point of time. Then you will find that irregular practice has enhanced their fear in multitudes and then combine it with the tension of exams, it is almost a dead end for the little one. How to Help Child with Math Here are some ways which you can follow to help your child overcome the fear of Math. Acknowledge It Like all other fears, the first step to outgrow the fear is to acknowledge it. So when you find that the kid is afraid of the subject, take the first step by asking him to write down the reasons, which are actually making him afraid. There are studies that show that writing down worries before exams basically helps in the performance during the exam, the reason being, the cause of worry is already identified. Making Math Simple Make an effort to make the numbers relatable to your kid. The objective is to make it simple and a part of everyday life. So, take up small but meaningful exercises that deal with numbers or calculations, so that the kid no longer feels unacquainted with the basic concept of calculations. Once this is in place, the fear will also gradually subside. For instance, ask the kid to cut the pizza into equal piece, so that the fractions are easily understood, or get them a wrist watch to follow. For kids, count objects while handing them over like, say “here are 1, 2, 3 …10 nuts in my hand, now I’m giving you 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, so how many are left in my hands?” these are simple but effective ways to allay the fear of numbers. Learning From Mistakes Help the kid learn from their mistakes. Never reproach your child when they make an error. Help your kid understand the mistake. Be patient as you explain. You may have to repeat yourself several times, but remember, these multiple times explanation will help the kid understand the basics in a much better manner and will keep him in good stead in future Math classes. Finally, practice is the best and most effective way to do away with the fear of Math and also improve in the subject. There are innumerable instances that show that practicing Math help the kids to improve their performance and at the same time also develop a genuine interest in the subject, so much so, some kids even end up deciding that this the subject that they wish to take up in their high school and college. But at the onset, make sure that you do not dump the exercise of practicing Math drudgery. Make the exercise interesting, engaging and rewarding. Appreciate correct answers and do not reproach mistakes.

Fear of Math can be easily handled with exercises that deal with numbers or calculations. Find out how to help your child overcome the fear of Math.

The fear of Math is a phenomenon that is known as Math Phobia in clinical terms. Kids and adults alike may develop this fear, where anxiety breeds tension and a sort of serious fear, which directly affects the performance in Math. All these in turn results in the build up of a negative attitude towards Math and a desire to avoid it completely.

We are aware that the formal education is incomplete without the Math. It is an integral part of education in schools. Besides, the knowledge of Math is indispensable in our regular lives, be it due to the profession that we will choose in the future, or the mere necessity of numbers and calculation in our day to day lives. So steps need to be taken to reduce this fear and in fact do away with it, as early as possible.

Avoiding Math is Not the Way Out

Many kids feel and unfortunately some of the parents as well, that if the kid is afraid of numbers then it is perhaps better to let him avoid the subject altogether. This is a very impractical conclusion and if you keep the kid away from Math, they might be very happy, but then, since the subject cannot be done away with in their schools, they need to come back to the subject at some point of time. Then you will find that irregular practice has enhanced their fear in multitudes and then combine it with the tension of exams, it is almost a dead end for the little one.

How to Help Child with Math

Here are some ways which you can follow to help your child overcome the fear of Math.

Acknowledge It

Like all other fears, the first step to outgrow the fear is to acknowledge it. So when you find that the kid is afraid of the subject, take the first step by asking him to write down the reasons, which are actually making him afraid. There are studies that show that writing down worries before exams basically helps in the performance during the exam, the reason being, the cause of worry is already identified.

Making Math Simple

Make an effort to make the numbers relatable to your kid. The objective is to make it simple and a part of everyday life. So, take up small but meaningful exercises that deal with numbers or calculations, so that the kid no longer feels unacquainted with the basic concept of calculations. Once this is in place, the fear will also gradually subside. For instance, ask the kid to cut the pizza into equal piece, so that the fractions are easily understood, or get them a wrist watch to follow. For kids, count objects while handing them over like, say “here are 1, 2, 3 …10 nuts in my hand, now I’m giving you 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, so how many are left in my hands?” these are simple but effective ways to allay the fear of numbers.

Learning From Mistakes

Help the kid learn from their mistakes. Never reproach your child when they make an error. Help your kid understand the mistake. Be patient as you explain. You may have to repeat yourself several times, but remember, these multiple times explanation will help the kid understand the basics in a much better manner and will keep him in good stead in future Math classes.

Finally, practice is the best and most effective way to do away with the fear of Math and also improve in the subject. There are innumerable instances that show that practicing Math help the kids to improve their performance and at the same time also develop a genuine interest in the subject, so much so, some kids even end up deciding that this the subject that they wish to take up in their high school and college. But at the onset, make sure that you do not dump the exercise of practicing Math drudgery. Make the exercise interesting, engaging and rewarding. Appreciate correct answers and do not reproach mistakes.