HOW TO LOVE MATH?: A CONCERN TO STUDENTS’ CONDITION

CHRISTIAN S. OCAMPO

Have you ever wondered why students are fast computing money values but afraid to compute mathematical situations or equations? Or simply, why most students are poorly performing in Mathematics?

You will definitely agree that students, in terms of money in cash kind, are great mathematician. And you will surely appraise them because they can compute manually thousands and an even higher value. They can compute mentally how much will they receive, will be deducted, and will be left after. They will probably not give up computing till they arrive to the correct answer. This way, they love math. They see math as significant as air to breathe in.

Nevertheless, it is a common classroom scenario, even before and much today, that much students find any math-related subjects problematic or something terrifying. They treat it like a monster always ready to devour them or at least tear them into pieces. They are afraid of numbers – dealing with numbers along the mathematical operations and letters structured as equation. They truly hate math in this way. They curse math badly like a thief or any misfortune.

Well, math is always exact in answer. As long as you memorized the formulas, there is a sure hope. If you are good in analyzing, things will go well. Plus, there is calculator nowadays. Not just simple calculators, but scientific and programmable calculators specially made for great ease. Yet, going back to the students’hatred of math, this is probably brought by factors like personal, social, and teacher-related factor.

As a personal observation, among the personal factors that can be linked to the poor performance of students in math course is possibly due to lack of interest, lack of selfmotivation and discovery, low level of exposure, poor analytical and mathematical skills and poor study habit. To be great on a particular thing, it should start with oneself. Same with having good performance in math, students themselves should possess this strong sense of passion to learn it. They have to find within themselves their desire to learn it no matter how complicated as it may seem. In addition, they should establish a sound study habit as it is the foundation and secret of all successful learners.

Moreover, for social aspect, peer influence, family condition and background, parents’ active participation, early engagement to relationship, and community support are among factors contributing to low math performance. When a student is bounded with friends of good nature and strong love to learn math, surely, he will adapt that kind of learning attitude. As the learning theory of Albert Bandura Social Learning asserts that an individual learns through imitation, it is good enough when students are accompanied with their classmates who can attract them towards pursuing to be at least better in math. Also, family, especially the parents, plays big role on the learning development of students. If the parents draw strong concern on the studies of their children probably they will even push the limit of their children or think of good scaffolds like giving rewards or punishments which is supported by the theory of B.F. Skinner Operant Conditioning. Relatively, the role of community is also significant to the learning of student in such a way that if they will give assistance to students who are awarded as best in math or are able to compete math regional and national level will be given financial assistance and acknowledgement. Such actions will more likely increase and develop the mathematical skills of students.

Furthermore, among the teacher-related factors are the strategies, materials, attitude and knowledge of a teacher are seen having great influence to the likelihood of students to perform well. If the teacher was able to innovate various strategies on how to teach math and not being settled to the casual way of teaching it through chalk and board, definitely math will be a fun filled subject. Students will enjoy learning it. Also, the attitude of teacher has great effect so better that he/she must be approachable anytime and is willing to entertain students queries at all time especially, those with obvious difficulty. As teachers are expected to be the second parent of the students, a teacher should be considerate, passionate and strategic.

So, upon figuring out the possible reasons why students have low interest to math, may this be considered by anyone to develop students love and eagerness to learn the su bj ect .

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The author is SST I at San Pablo 2nd National High School