It's okay to admit it.
Maths is a bit scary
5:30pm.
A child bent over his books, beads of sweat pooling on his face, threatening to make an entrance onto the already roughened pages. Mummy is seated inches away, daddy's leather belt tucked in one of her palm, the other free. You can literally feel the tension in the air, thick enough to cut through with a knife.
Yep! You guessed right; it's a Mathematics assignment.
The only subject that causes a tremor when mummy says ‘go bring your homework’, because the help isn't just coming alone, but with shouts, beatings, and glares that could make even an adult piss themselves.
I think some of us are familiar with this scenario.
The thing is, your 7-year old isn't the only one that hates Maths. Infact, I used to do as well. “Oh, Maths?...it's very simple.” was something that could never come out of my mouth. Many children grow up carrying this same feeling about Mathematics. It follows them from childhood into adulthood, even when they manage to pass the subject.
Most times, it’s not really your child’s ability but the way Mathematics is being taught in the four walls of the classroom and for many children, the struggle begins early.
When foundations are weak, as they move forward; the topics seem harder and impossible to comprehend. Math builds step by step, and once a path is skipped, bigger concepts later on begin to feel confusing because everything is connected.
In some classrooms, teaching methods make things worse. Where punishments and beatings are the order of the day, corrections are made harshly, and the focus is on getting the correct answer instead of ensuring understanding takes place, Math class begins to feel dreadful.
Over time, the fear of making mistakes creeps in. When it's all about getting the answer right, learning starts to look like a competition—an open battlefield. Children stop asking questions to avoid mockery. Anxiety builds, and fear quietly blocks their ability to think.
Another challenge comes from how abstract mathematics is often taught. With lessons that revolve only around symbols and formulas without real-life examples, materials, or visual explanations to back them up, children struggle to understand. Eventually, they resort to memorising — or better put, cramming.
One other commonly overlooked reason is negative labelling. Statements like “Math is hard,” “This topic is really complex,” or “You are not good at it” may seem harmless, but they slowly build fear and chip away at a child’s confidence and motivation.
Looking closely, it becomes clear that success in Mathematics cannot rest on the child alone. It requires the combined effort of teachers and parents.
How so?
Teachers must focus on building strong foundations, teaching for understanding, and creating classrooms where mistakes are part of learning, not something to avoid.
Parents, on the other hand, should encourage positive attitudes toward Math, exercise patience during lessons, and relate concepts to everyday activities. When Mathematics is taught calmly, connected to real life, and with understanding at the centre, it begins to feel less threatening.
In the end, children do not struggle with Mathematics because they cannot learn but because they are not always given proper support. With the right approach, every child can understand Math, succeed in it, and even enjoy it.
Math is not a talent reserved for few, anybody can ace it.At Scholars Do, we make activity-based learning the only option.
~Esdi,
Scholars Do Solutions.