Poll results: What is your Biggest Challenge in Learning Math?

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A poll on "What is your Biggest Challenging in Learning Math?" is created 6 months ago and I think it is time to review the poll results as shown in the pie chart (One of the E-Math topics syllabus) below:

Out of 142 votes, 41% cite their biggest challenge in learning math to be "No Time to Practice /Lazy to be consistent"

"Cannot see & cannot understand" , "too complicated & confusing concepts" received 21% of the votes respectively.

This poll results are very much inline with my experience as a Math Trainer. No time to practice / Lazy to be consistent is indeed a challenge faced by many students. In fact, Consistency (not said by me only, but also through the mouth of my students) is one of the keys to be successful in any subject or area of your life! The question now is how to be consistent, how to have time to practice.

Before I answer these questions, it is important that you got to understand the reason(s) for being consistent and scheduling time for practice. ( I'm not asking you to practice for hours to face those numbers questions, a mere 15 minutes daily is sufficiently recommended on top of your homework time that is)

Why is there a need to be consistent? I have been doing my school work already.

Give yourself a pat on your shoulder if you have been doing your school work diligently! You should be on your way to achieving what you deserve. But to further build up your confidence on Math, especially new concepts that you have been learning, a little extra effort goes a long way. As mentioned, it is not the quantity of time or questions that really matter. It is the quality. Schedule 15 minutes daily to work on and review on current topics or even previous topics will not only expose yourself to more questions but also build up your skill set. More importantly, you are cultivating a habit of consistency. Just like scoring is a habit, it can be and must be built up. It will not happen overnight.

"Extraordinary people are ordinary people who do extra more than the majority"

Advantages for being consistent

• You can have time to do what you like during exam period and yet feel prepared for exams while the rest of the world is doing last minute work. Isn't it a good feeling? After all, you have been preparing bit by bit daily.
• Consistent review and actions pay off handsomely for you when you do not allow doubts to pile up.
• You feel good daily and great sense of achievement!

How to be consistent (even if you do not like Math) ?

• Bit by bit daily; start small but keep up the momentum
• Start now! Have a reminder system to remind yourself about your 15 minutes daily (Handphone alarm perhaps)
• Reward yourself when you keep up with the habit
• Have a chart to mark your consistency habit, something you can see daily.

Take actions now! And see for yourself how your consistency habit pays off!

Let me hear from you on how you tackle your challenge in learning Math. Leave your recommendations in the comment section below.

PS: My future post will be discussing about what should be done when you cannot see and understand Math. There is a really simple way which starts with A.