It’s time to dispel those common math myths. Everyone can be successful in math!
True or False: There is one way to solve a problem.
False: There are a variety of ways to solve math problems. Think of the process you use when you try to determine how many pieces of pizza 5 people will get with 2 and a half 6 slice pizzas. Some of you will visualize the pizzas, some will add the total number of slices and divide by 5. Does anyone actually write the algorithm? Not likely! There are a variety of ways to arrive at the solution, and everyone uses their own learning style when solving the problem.
True or False: You need a ‘math gene’ or dominance of your left brain to be successful at math.
False: Like reading, the majority of people are born with the ability to do math. Children and adults need to maintain a positive attitude and the belief that they can do math. Math must be nurtured with a supportive learning environment that promotes risk taking and creativity, one that focuses on problem solving.
True or False: You need to memorize a lot of facts, rules and formulas to be good at math.
False: There’s more than one way to solve a problem. Memorizing procedures is not as effective as conceptually understanding concepts. For instance, memorizing the fact 9×9 is not as important as understanding that 9×9 is 9 groups of 9. Applying thinking skills and creative thought leads to a better understanding of math. Signs of understanding include those “Aha” moments! The most important aspect to learning math is understanding. Ask yourself after solving a math problem: are you applying a series of memorized steps/procedures, or do you really ‘understand’ how and why the procedure works.
The above text is excerpted and adapted from:
http://math.about.com/cs/mathreform/a/myths.htm