How on earth can I improve at mathematics?
LikeAs a tutor for maths, when I talk to my students, the one goal they have is to BE BETTER AT MATHS.
This is a goal that for many may seem unattainable, after all maths is a subject you do most days in school, in every year, so if you've not improved now, why would that change?
My response - maths is a skill and it takes practice.
You wouldn't walk on to a tennis court expecting to play tennis like Andy Murray if you've not played before?
You wouldn't expect to be fluent in Spanish without putting in the work.
And this is the same for maths, you can't expect to be brilliant at maths, and specifically mental maths, without practicing.
This is why most schools teach maths in a spiral curriculum – what this means is that you touch on the same topics each year (algebra, shapes, number, probability etc) but each time you go into a little but more depth. This in theory means that as long as you practice you will always be able to improve the more you learn and the more you do. However in reality, what can happen is that we forget the maths skills that we learnt last year about algebra, so we aren’t able to successfully apply the new skills.
This is why it is so important to keep practicing and developing your skills in maths, as there’s nothing more frustrating than knowing that you ‘know’ how to answer a question, you just can’t access the information or steps to do it.
So why not try it, test yourself on remembering a timetable (the 7's and 8's are particularly tricky!), practice memorising your prime or square numbers, and watch your basic maths skills increase no end!
How can I practise maths at home?
You may be wondering how exactly you can practise and improve your maths skills at home. Below is a list of some suggestions:
- Use flashcards. You can use flashcards to write out certain sums or equations. Use them to test yourself and your knowledge, practise them as much as you can, and watch how you become faster and more accurate with your answers.
- Apps. Nowadays there are tonnes of phone apps you can download which can help with maths at any level. For children, there are a number of interactive games and quizzes that can help with mental maths or learning the times tables.
- Revision websites. Websites like BBC Bitesize allow for maths revision in a way which is fun and interactive. You can find activities for all levels and ages, including GCSE and A-Level.
If you want personalised lessons to help you improve with maths, I am a private maths tutor. Please get in touch with me for more information or in order to arrange a first maths lesson.