Strategies For Math Help To Motivate Students

Students need to be motivated for solving mathematics. Effective teachers need to focus and provide math help to those students who are less interested in maths. Motivation can be extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation is giving any reward once the student gets control over the mathematics problems; this is one kind of math help. This could be any token of appreciation in terms of economic reward for good performance and appraisal. Also, there are students who demonstrate intrinsic kind of goals and attitude towards understanding any topic or concept which could be ego-related or social related. There are strategies that are useful to increasing motivation of the student towards math help.

Geometry

·         Call the attention of the student towards the null side of the knowledge. This technique makes the student aware about the null or negated side in the knowledge and thus creates a desire in them to learn more about that topic.

·         One can also show sequential achievement. In this, the students need to understand and appreciate a logical sequence of any concept. In this strategy, there is a desire of the student to increase its incomplete knowledge about any concept.

·         One should focus to discover a pattern in learning. The students find it fascinating to find a kind of pattern in learning and thus are motivated in learning and then getting a credit for the idea and thus become the owner of the idea created for easy learning.

·         One can also present a challenge for solving any mathematics problems. Any student when challenged intellectually, react with enthusiasm. The problem selected for a challenge should lead in learning and should be within reach of the ability of the student.

·         In order to create belief in probability, the most effective strategy is class discussion of the Birthday Problem which is a famous concept, which provides unexpectedly high probability but in small groups.

·         One should always indicate and explain the usefulness and importance of the topic. This will lead in creating genuine interest among the students at the beginning of the lesson itself. However, the applications that are chosen should be brief and uncomplicated which is used in motivating the students rather than detracting from the topic.

·         One can use recreational mathematics for math help for students. The recreational motivation items that can be used are puzzles, paradoxes, games, or any other facilities. However, these items or devices should be brief and simple ti understand and as per the capability of the students, thus helping students to understand the topic and help them to learn the topic and complete the recreation problem without much difficulty and effort.

·         One can even tell a pertinent story to make the student understand the mathematics concept. Any story related to the historical event or any kind of contrived situation can be told to motivate students to learn mathematics. However, the teacher should tell story slowly and let students get involved in the story. The hurried presentation of the story will minimize the potential motivation among the students.

·         One should let students involved in justifying the mathematical curiosities, by making them comfortable and familiar with the concept before challenging them to defend it.