Many parents and students ask for help with maths. But why does it perplex so many of us and how much difference can private tuition make?
A good understanding of maths is essential, not just for entry into higher education and to get a good job, but also to be able to live life successfully and understand the world around us. Yet far too many children and adults suffer “maths anxiety that causes a “brain freeze” when confronted by calculations. The good news maths difficulties can be overcome with support from an experienced tutor.
How maths understanding is built
Maths is everywhere. And our understanding of maths is built up gradually, over many years, concept on concept.
Learning maths is like building with blocks. If you watch a child carefully building up a tower with bricks, unless there is a strong foundation, it tumbles. A strong tower can only be built on a strong foundation. And if we don’t understand a key point in maths, it becomes difficult to build further knowledge. There always will be a weakness, a gap in understanding, which affects progress.
Children and young people do best in school if their learning environment is “high challenge, low stress.” If a young person feels behind or “lost” with a subject like maths, it becomes stressful and learning is not as effective. In some cases, the young person can switch off from the subject completely. This is why we hear pupils saying they “can’t do maths” or “don’t like maths.” What they probably mean is they haven’t grasped some of the key concepts and feel stuck, frustrated – even frightened – by maths.
Even a few days of illness and missed school can mean a pupil misses the opportunity to understand some basic concepts, and feels left behind.
One-to-one learning builds a stronger understanding
Targeted individual maths tuition can identify any gaps in understanding and rectify them, building a strong base for further learning.
At Home School Tutoring we regularly have parents tell us their children now enjoy maths because a tutor has made them realise they can actually do it! As their confidence increases, so does their enjoyment of the subject. Home-School Tutoring Hampshire West & Central received this email from a parent:
“Fabulous! Fabulous! Fabulous! In such a small time my daughter has gone from hating maths to finally loving it, her words not mine. Katie (the tutor) has been amazing. My daughter’s class teacher has seen a massive improvement in her class work and confidence and this is all down to Katie. I cannot thank you enough!”
Sharing the enthusiasm and appreciation for maths
Maths does have many practical applications in everyday life and when pupils grasp this (rather than feeling maths is a string of abstract concepts), they usually begin enjoying it much more. When students know that maths can be meaningful and relevant the subject begins to make sense.
Maths is all around us! There are shapes and patterns and numbers everywhere for our enjoyment! Our maths tutors are enthusiastic about the subject they teach and work hard to inspire enthusiasm in their pupils.
Individual maths tuition is an effective way of supporting the concepts pupils are being taught in schools and colleges. It can dramatically boost confidence and has a clear impact when pupils are preparing for maths examinations at any age or level.
Maths to stretch more able pupils
At Home-School Tutoring, we are also sometimes asked about maths tuition for more-able pupils. These pupils like to be stretched. Personal tuition in maths for a gifted student can provide great benefits: it is challenging and helps keep a gifted pupil engaged with the subject instead of feeling bored and demoralised if they find something too easy.
Contact your Area Advisor for local maths tuition
Your Home School Tutoring (HST) Advisor for your area will be delighted to talk to you further about the benefits of maths tuition for any level, and for any age. They will consider your individual requirements and help you find the right local maths tutor who will make a real difference. Visit our Locations page to find contact details for your local HST Area Advisor.
At Home School Tutoring we believe that time spent understanding and learning how to apply maths is an investment which will carry an individual through life.