It may be the first week into the start of the new academic year, and we can all agree that the pressure is piling on.

 

It is normal to feel slightly overwhelmed and unsure of how to approach the new year and new subjects, but don’t let that daunt you. Mastering critical mathematical and numeracy skills can be challenging, and sometimes, it’s not just about getting your child that sought-after ‘A’, but also nurturing a love for, and feeding your child’s natural curiosity about the subject.

 

Build Confidence

It is extremely important to build a child’s confidence when it comes to Mathematics. People gravitate towards and develop a greater interest in subjects they have confidence in, and a lot of students give up and shut off when faced with goals or subjects that seem unattainable. As parents, we should do our best to encourage questioning and make space for curiosity, thereby paving the way for our children to succeed.

 

Emphasise Conceptual Understanding

Instead of drilling your child over and over on memorising formulas and approaching mathematics from a procedural perspective, focus instead on conceptual understanding. Look for programmes that emphasise this approach instead, to ensure that your child gets the basics right and builds a rock-steady foundation in the subject. Our focus at Cognitus Academy is to develop precisely that solid foundation for your child to build up on.

 

Identify Weak Spots

It also helps if your child understands exactly what he is weak at, and is able to tackle that obstacle in an efficient and effective manner. Present him or her with different variations of the same problem, and find ways to motivate them to think in a different way to solve it.

Practice can help develop fluency and heighten your child’s awareness when being faced with questions in the PSLE or ‘O’ Levels, as well as gain a deeper insight into improving their ability in the subject. Practice will also reduce the probability of error and careless mistakes, which will result in the unnecessary loss of marks.

 

Understand also that all this take time, so give your child the space he or she needs to grow and learn from their mistakes. Every child is special, and some might be more inclined to soar in certain areas while others excel in something else. Allow them to make mistakes, and offer them support and guidance as they learn.

 

We want to encourage children to think critically and be confident, and at Cognitus Academy, your child gets access to and is trained to approach Mathematics in an effective and heuristic manner through our critically acclaimed DEPTH Framework. Through this framework, your child’s current ability is constantly being evaluated, and doubts are addressed and subsequently cleared, which enables your child to score for examinations. Learn more about our approach here or call us at 8321 8252 if you prefer a chat with us.

 

We hold your child’s natural curiosity and love for learning close to the heart, so come nurture your child’s love for Mathematics with us.