Myths Related to the Study of Math

Math anxiety has been the concern of most students.more options in your mind, the lesser the possibility to
Staring at blank papers, constant head scratching, andhave math anxiety. Remember that there are other
shaky hands - these are the usual scenarios in apossibilities to be explored rather the memorizing the
person that is having problems with math. It has beenformula.
the mission of math educators to present math in theAverage people = a hopeless case. This is idea has
easiest way possible. Aside from the usually tediouslong pestered and discouraged the minds of the
"teaching method," more and more techniques andstudents. They believe that those who are
modes are being presented to students for them tomathematically-inclined are the only ones who are
like math. However, not everybody bites in the mathdestined for math excellence. While there are students
reel. No matter how math educator present thewho were born to be mathematically "gifted," still, most
subject, mathematical concepts just wont sink in to thepeople who have acquired mathematical fame brag
minds of the students. So where does the problemnot on genes but on hard work and perseverance.
reside? In the lousy student who, no matter how youPeople who constantly feel inferior because of math
teach math, seems to stare at you aimlessly. Maybe,inadequacy also suffer social anxiety. This is
it's the complicated formula, that no matter how peoplecharacterized to be the fear socializing or being
try to simplify it, the problem itself is intricately difficult.evaluated by peers. In this light, instead of pressing on -
Or maybe, we can blame the incompetent instructorsthey contend themselves on being average.
who, instead presenting math to be a breeze, confuseMath = Males. This sexist notion has been the tradition
the students with the way they present the subject.to many. This tells us that while female students excel
Our mind is the math anxiety battleground, therefore,in English subjects, male students dominates the math
as according to studies, we should first uproot theworld. No matter on what angle we look at it, and
clutters called "math myths." These are concepts thatconsidering the present scenario, this myth is no longer
are inculcated in the minds of the students that fuelapplicable as female students have already proven
their skepticism and inhibits proactive actions towardstheir worth in math-related subjects.
trouncing the fear over math.Math anxiety, is a real problem that has long pestered
1 problem = 1 solution. Students are accustomed thatthe minds of the students. And with the addition of
to answer math problems, they must memorize thebeing compared to math "geniuses," a form a social
formula. This is not entirely true. Though we mustanxiety; this further complicates the problem. That is
answer the problem using the formula as the guide,why it is always wiser to overcome it first, before
math educators encourage students not only totrying any other "math-promoting" formula, to tame the
memorize the problem but more so, understand themind and get rid of myths that will not help us in
problem. In understanding the problem, you can easilyovercoming the math phobia. As what they always
derive an alternative formula that you can use asidesay, all of those mathematical myths - are "all in the
from what your math professor teaches you. Withmind.