| Are You Dealing With A Math Problem? | | | | like magic, in that the once confused, |
| Copyright by Lisa Harp In the past few years | | | | unorganized student can now function in a |
| there have been more and more students | | | | logical, organized manner. The language of |
| needing special help with math. Not too long | | | | math makes sense. Computations can be |
| ago most of the help was given to students | | | | performed accurately. The fear and anxiety |
| with reading problems. But now, math is | | | | can go away. Success can be found. In |
| taking over. And, it's no longer just boys | | | | addition to brain balancing exercises, the |
| who need help in math or reading. Five years | | | | student can benefit from perceptual, spatial, |
| ago most of the students who needed help in | | | | and visual memory activities. Memorizing |
| school were boys, but now girls are appearing | | | | facts can often be a big chore for students, |
| as frequently as boys. Math seems to be a | | | | even though these very students are extremely |
| much more difficult fix than reading. In part | | | | intelligent. If a student has not mastered |
| this is due to the increased standards that | | | | basic math facts, then higher level |
| are being imposed on students who are just | | | | mathematics is nearly impossible. As the |
| not developmentally ready. But there is also | | | | student stops to figure out a multiplication |
| a definite processing problem as far as math | | | | problem, he will lose his place in the entire |
| goes. Students can't seem to understand the | | | | process and get lost. Once this happens, not |
| language of mathematics. Here are the basic | | | | only has a lot of time been spent, but it is |
| problems that are occurring in math: 1. | | | | difficult for the student to find the correct |
| Students can't process more than one piece of | | | | answer. In addition, math is a developmental |
| information at a time. 2. Students are unable | | | | process. When a student is ready to |
| to process information sequentially. 3. | | | | understand a mathematical concept, it is |
| Students can't switch gears during multi-step | | | | easy. It clicks. But when a student is not |
| problems. 4. Students lack a basic working | | | | ready to understand a concept, it really |
| knowledge of addition, subtraction, and | | | | doesn't matter what you do to try to help the |
| multiplication facts. 5. Students are not | | | | student. He simply is not yet ready for this |
| able to "think" through story problems. 6. | | | | concept. The new, highly difficult standards |
| Students make a large number of computational | | | | imposed by No Child Left Behind do not take |
| errors. 7. Students are unable to neatly | | | | this into consideration. All it takes is a |
| organize a paper so that the correct answer | | | | review lesson of Piaget's levels of |
| can be achieved - for instance - lining up | | | | development to understand this simple |
| columns or spacing problems out on a page. 8. | | | | concept. If you leave this same kid alone for |
| Students develop an actual fear of | | | | a few months and revisit the same skill, more |
| mathematics and freeze up when asked to | | | | times than not, the skill can easily be |
| perform math problems. Math is a sequential, | | | | learned. In math, there are no points for |
| logical activity. The student must be able to | | | | almost right. In reading a student can muddle |
| access the left hemisphere of the brain in | | | | through some words and still understand the |
| order to accurately perform math computations | | | | basic concept. But math is black and white, |
| and problems. The right brain dominant | | | | right or wrong. There is no in between. |
| student is at a severe disadvantage as far as | | | | Students need help to succeed in math. If you |
| math goes, but there are brain exercises that | | | | know of a student who is suffering from math |
| will show the student how to access the left | | | | problems, there are many things that can be |
| hemisphere of the brain. These exercises are | | | | done to help. |