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bluebells1
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Hi, I was thinking back to GCSE Maths days and how everyone used to complain about maths and how hard it was, but once the teacher gave a step by step guide into answering common questions, we suddenly found it so much easier. I went from a 3 to a 7 in the end.
I genuinely think the reason people find Maths hard isn't down to the content, but to the wording of questions. For example, up until GCSE years the wording of questions was fairly basic, and then suddenly it switches to unfamiliar terminology, long 5 markers, and you're 'expressing in terms of...'
We were never introduced properly to the wording of questions until year 11 due to bad teachers but once we understood what the questions were looking for we suddenly all could attempt those last pages of questions we dreaded and managed to scrape more marks
So many people fall down in maths simply by looking at the question itself and immediately saying it's too hard and they can't do it. Chances are teachers just arearen't explaining the wording used or the formula they give.
Has anyone else ever had something similar? Of course maths was still.horrendously hard for us and I was so glad to drop it, but did anyone fin their marks shot up once they knew what the question was asking for? I think it's something teachers need to really focus on.
Unless my maths classes just got really bad teachers..
I genuinely think the reason people find Maths hard isn't down to the content, but to the wording of questions. For example, up until GCSE years the wording of questions was fairly basic, and then suddenly it switches to unfamiliar terminology, long 5 markers, and you're 'expressing in terms of...'
We were never introduced properly to the wording of questions until year 11 due to bad teachers but once we understood what the questions were looking for we suddenly all could attempt those last pages of questions we dreaded and managed to scrape more marks
So many people fall down in maths simply by looking at the question itself and immediately saying it's too hard and they can't do it. Chances are teachers just arearen't explaining the wording used or the formula they give.
Has anyone else ever had something similar? Of course maths was still.horrendously hard for us and I was so glad to drop it, but did anyone fin their marks shot up once they knew what the question was asking for? I think it's something teachers need to really focus on.
Unless my maths classes just got really bad teachers..
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04MR17
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#2
Understanding question terminology is quite an important thing I agree, and even though I'm the last person to blame teachers, this is one of the trickiest things to learn independently in my view.
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Prasiortle
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#3
(Original post by bluebells1)
Hi, I was thinking back to GCSE Maths days and how everyone used to complain about maths and how hard it was, but once the teacher gave a step by step guide into answering common questions, we suddenly found it so much easier. I went from a 3 to a 7 in the end.
I genuinely think the reason people find Maths hard isn't down to the content, but to the wording of questions. For example, up until GCSE years the wording of questions was fairly basic, and then suddenly it switches to unfamiliar terminology, long 5 markers, and you're 'expressing in terms of...'
We were never introduced properly to the wording of questions until year 11 due to bad teachers but once we understood what the questions were looking for we suddenly all could attempt those last pages of questions we dreaded and managed to scrape more marks
So many people fall down in maths simply by looking at the question itself and immediately saying it's too hard and they can't do it. Chances are teachers just arearen't explaining the wording used or the formula they give.
Has anyone else ever had something similar? Of course maths was still.horrendously hard for us and I was so glad to drop it, but did anyone fin their marks shot up once they knew what the question was asking for? I think it's something teachers need to really focus on.
Unless my maths classes just got really bad teachers..
Hi, I was thinking back to GCSE Maths days and how everyone used to complain about maths and how hard it was, but once the teacher gave a step by step guide into answering common questions, we suddenly found it so much easier. I went from a 3 to a 7 in the end.
I genuinely think the reason people find Maths hard isn't down to the content, but to the wording of questions. For example, up until GCSE years the wording of questions was fairly basic, and then suddenly it switches to unfamiliar terminology, long 5 markers, and you're 'expressing in terms of...'
We were never introduced properly to the wording of questions until year 11 due to bad teachers but once we understood what the questions were looking for we suddenly all could attempt those last pages of questions we dreaded and managed to scrape more marks
So many people fall down in maths simply by looking at the question itself and immediately saying it's too hard and they can't do it. Chances are teachers just arearen't explaining the wording used or the formula they give.
Has anyone else ever had something similar? Of course maths was still.horrendously hard for us and I was so glad to drop it, but did anyone fin their marks shot up once they knew what the question was asking for? I think it's something teachers need to really focus on.
Unless my maths classes just got really bad teachers..
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ErwinRommel
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(Original post by Prasiortle)
Maths isn't about following step-by-step procedures, nor is it about memorising what to do in response to particular words and phrases, like a robot. If you actually understand what is going on (which means understanding the proofs of everything, and not just accepting results as true because your teacher says so), then you will be able to solve problems however they are expressed, regardless of the wording or terminology used.
Maths isn't about following step-by-step procedures, nor is it about memorising what to do in response to particular words and phrases, like a robot. If you actually understand what is going on (which means understanding the proofs of everything, and not just accepting results as true because your teacher says so), then you will be able to solve problems however they are expressed, regardless of the wording or terminology used.
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Prasiortle
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(Original post by ErwinRommel)
but the very nature of GCSE just being a vehicle to further education whats the point of caring about the theory if you just need a 5 or a 7?
but the very nature of GCSE just being a vehicle to further education whats the point of caring about the theory if you just need a 5 or a 7?
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