Mathnasium of Greensboro: Building Math Confidence One Step at a Time 🧮✨

Q1: What is one thing students can do to build stronger math habits during the school year?

A1: Quickly, but consistently, reviewing the topic later in the day for just a few minutes will help solidify the learning. Students can do this by explaining the process of what they did to a parent, guardian, tutor, or even a sibling. This consistent review will also promote active recall and strengthen retention and mastery.

Q2: What can students do when they come across a math problem they don't understand?

A2: There are several ways to attack a problem that students don't understand. They can start by identifying what they know and what they don't know, and what is provided and what is being asked in the problem. Sometimes, sketching a diagram or simple picture helps them see the problem better. Simply reading the problem aloud can help them determine how to work the problem or identify where they get stuck. And sometimes taking a brief break and coming back to it later allows the brain to work on the problem in the background!

Q3: How can understanding math concepts help students feel more confident?

A3: Understanding shifts a student's knowledge from passive memorization to active mastery. This mastery replaces fear of more complex problems with problem-solving skills rather than a reliance on memorized rules or formulas. It fosters long-term retention. When a student focuses on understanding, mistakes become learning opportunities where they can use errors as feedback and occasions to review their process and pinpoint where their process broke down.

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