My Son/Daughter Hates Math

What came first, the chicken or the egg. Do students hate math because they have found little success with it, or do they find little success because they hate it? I think the lack of success brings about the negative feelings, which then lead to more failures. Whatever the reason, it becomes a vicious cycle of struggle, failure, and disdain for math.

Almost 20 years ago, I accepted my first mentoring job when a friend told me her son was failing algebra. Algebra was my favorite subject in school, so I started working with this young man. I hoped my  enthusiasm and encouragement would replace I can't with I can in his mind. He did start believing in his ability to master the subject and finished the course successfully. He now works with numbers daily as an actuary.

This week I had a similar experience, and I am anxious to begin the challenge of helping a young lady improve her math skills and her attitude about math. This time I have the internet to help me. Technology has made available unlimited tutorials, videos, examples, and practice problems. It also provides numerous ways for us to communicate remotely. I am sure one of my favorites will be to simultaneously edit a Google Doc. I am excited to put these new tools to work!