Are You Dealing With A Math Problem?

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