When it comes to doing math homework, making math simple is the key to getting the work done.
A US poll showed that teenagers name math as the course they find most challenging in school.
source.
No wonder getting started on the math homework is far down on teens’ lists of after-school activities.
Math Can Cause Frustration & Anxiety
Math homework helps students practice and perfect the equations, formulas, and rules that they learned in class. It’s not always that simple, however, as math homework is known to cause frustration and can sometimes lead to math anxiety. Finding ways to simplify math homework makes it less intimidating and more manageable.
Five methods to simplify math homework:
Answer the Hard Questions First.
When tackling a math assignment, most students will start with the most straightforward task. Choosing to tackle the more manageable tasks may seem appealing initially; however, it can decrease energy and productivity. Beginning with the more challenging tasks first feels good and keeps the motivation to continue going strong. The more straightforward questions require less mental attention and less effort to complete, so save the easy questions for last.
Ditch The Distractions.
Homework can take a lot of time to complete, especially if every few minutes students are checking TikTok. Every time a student is distracted, it takes energy to focus back on their homework. Distractions cost students time that they could have spent completing equations and solving problems. A Consumer Research study found that even having a phone in the room was distracting to students. So leave the devices elsewhere and ask not to be distracted while working on math homework.
Work With Others
When students are stuck and unable to solve specific math homework problems, it can be easy to get frustrated and give up. But rather than getting frustrated, ask for help. Start by writing down what part of the question is causing the problem and then getting help from others. Working in a group for math homework can help students can improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Sometimes having a peer explain the solution might trigger a better understanding of the process to reach the solution.
Spot the Error.
One small math mistake can ruin an entire calculation. That’s why students must review math work and identify where they made an error. The three most common math mistakes include careless errors, computational, and conceptual errors. Making mistakes is part of the learning process and so is learning how to rectify them.
Ask for Help.
Many students struggle with math, even with helpful tips. Professional math tutoring offers personalized math programs to help students build cognitive and academic skills. Most of the difficulty with math stems from math anxiety or frustration. Math tutoring is an effective solution to engage students in an educational and fun way. When proper math comprehension foundations are in place, math can become manageable.
GradePower Learning helps students use cognitive and academic skills to problem-solve and master math with ease. Just remember to dedicate time and patience to master math skills and beat math anxiety and frustration for good.
