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