Studies show that a good percentage of kids fear mathematics. To reduce this number, various education experts have tried to come up with effective ways of making children love this crucial subject. One of the methods that have been designed to achieve this goal is individualized math tutoring. Personalized lessons on mathematics can make the child improve their performance on this subject and help them solve simple calculations with ease. The method also focuses on changing the attitude of kids regarding math.
The Journal of Neuroscience published a study which documented the most effective treatment that can get rid of the anxiety of math among children. Once the kids become less anxious, their overall performance in the subject will automatically rise steadily. The lead author of the study Vinod Menon who is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences approved the findings of the study. He approved this method of teaching and noted that it could cause some revolutionary changes among kids.
There are children who are extremely good at math. However, their prowess does not spare them from the anxiety of solving the arithmetic problems. They fear the calculations even though many parents and even teachers assume that the fear will fade away over the years. This is usually not the case, the anxiety may persist the rest of the child’s life. If the phobia sticks, the person may end up avoiding courses and careers that require deep knowledge of math. This problem could have been avoided if the anxiety of mathematics was eliminated during the early stages of life.
A research associate of the study agrees that the fear of math has been in the spotlight of key players in the education sector. However, he says that the problem won’t just disappear on its own. He says that appropriate measures are not taken; children will continue fearing the subject.
Measuring the anxiety of maths
To reduce the stress of math, new research was conducted. This research was based on the principle of exposure-based therapy. Psychiatrists usually use this type of treatment to treat other types of phobia such as the phobia of insects. In this method, the subject at hand is exposed to the phobia but within a safe environment.
In the study, children in the third grade sat for a test which was meant to determine their level of math anxiety. The children also underwent neuropsychological to determine the capability of their brain when solving simple mathematics questions. While the children were undergoing assessments, their brains were scanned by Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For the children who were anxious about the subject, their brain circuits were activated.
After the first MRI had been conducted, the sample undertook an eight-week tutoring program which involved solving simple maths problems such as addition and subtraction. During the lessons, the tutors dealt with each child individually. After the tutoring, an MRI test was carried out again.
All the children who took part in the tutoring program recorded impressive performance on the tests. Those who began the program with high levels of math anxiety recorded low levels. Those who started with low math anxiety did not record any significant change. The result is proof of the effectiveness of math tutoring on the fear circuits in kids. The researchers were also amazed by how exposure to the problem can be a permanent solution to a common problem that affects millions of kids.
The research also took note of the fact that many children are using high-tech devices to learn math. This has prompted the researchers to plan tests on whether customized computerized learning can cause circuit changes in the brain just like personalized learning.
Another factor that one-on-one tutoring considers is how to take care of a kid who is stuck on one concept. In such circumstances, the tutor can help the child to get out of such situations and even empower them to solve more complex problems in the future. Although there are some standard codes and protocols on how the tutoring should be done, it can be personalized to meet the needs of an individual student.
For the purposes of child development, the researchers laid plans to investigate whether the effects of this tutoring will affect children as they advance in their education. Will the techniques equip them with the right mental-power to solve complex arithmetic problems?
We shall see! But the implications look good.
