| The path to mastering maths is long and marked | | | | Parental involvement is one answer. With all the |
| with obstacles. To have good result, it has to | | | | changes in school learning, what is constant is the |
| progress with increasing complexity after | | | | parent. Sincere and dedicated parent involvement |
| achieveing an acceptable level of understanding | | | | in the child's learning will not change or not as |
| and problem-solving skill. At times, it may be | | | | drastic as in the school. Parent understands their |
| tough while other times it may be smooth sailing. | | | | child best. The interaction method between parent |
| Many factors come into the picture in the process | | | | and child will not change drastically with growing |
| of learning maths. Teacher's personality, teaching | | | | years. The maths learners will find it more |
| style, individual learning style, peer pressure, | | | | comfortable being trained or guided by someone |
| complexity of lessons and past experience in | | | | familiar to them. When parent gets constantly |
| maths learning are some examples of factors | | | | involve with their kids learning, they can see the |
| affecting the mastery of maths. Maths is brought | | | | problem better in their understanding of maths |
| into this context, compared to other subject, as | | | | topics as they are fully aware of their kids |
| maths learning is more unique in term of its | | | | strength and weakness or past maths learning |
| progressive nature and its symbolic presentation. | | | | experience. They will be better placed to rectify |
| In a classroom setting, learning maths is | | | | or explain the issues faced in their learning or |
| challenging, having to face many variables along | | | | what is taught in school. This is hardly achievable |
| the way. One have to adapt to different teaching | | | | from the new teacher's perspective. With |
| style when one progresses from one level to | | | | somebody familiar guiding them, maths learners |
| another with a change of teacher. The ways of | | | | will be more confidence in handling higher level of |
| lesson delivery may also change and may not suit | | | | maths learning as they know there are avenues |
| one's learning style. Interaction and rapport with | | | | where they can get their maths obstacles |
| teacher has to be rebuilt. It becomes worst when | | | | resolved. This reduces the stress they have when |
| learning partners changes also. This may be due | | | | faced with the many challenges in their quest for |
| to a change in class placement. With all these | | | | knowledge. It removes obstacles for them to |
| changes and adaptations, which directly or | | | | improve on their maths studies. |
| indirectly affects maths learning, one is still | | | | However, it should be noted that parental |
| expected to steadfastly master maths which | | | | involvement has to be dealt with carefully. It |
| gets tougher through the levels. Emotionally, one | | | | should be emphasised constantly by the parent |
| has to be strong. Maths anxiety will sets in when | | | | that learning is still individual and self-learning is still |
| one is not able to manage this transition which is | | | | the ultimate regardless of who is teaching. For |
| very much part of the maths learning journey in | | | | young learners, guidance by parent should focus |
| conventional school. Negative escalating results | | | | not on the content proper, but on the learning |
| appear when it is not handled properly. Although | | | | habit and style that fits them and which is |
| changes are inevitable, can we reduce this | | | | comfortable to them. The parental involvement |
| complication and minimise the disruption to the | | | | lends support to their psychological well-being and |
| learning minds of the learners? | | | | acts as a pillar in times of adversity. |