Interest And Recognition Can Help A Student Become A ‘Math Person’

In a new study published in the journal Child Development, Florida International University Professor Zahra Hazari found that interest and recognition can help a student become a "math person" and pursue a STEM career.

Math isn't exactly every student's favorite subject, but those who have an affinity for it aren't necessarily born a "math person," as one might think.

"Much of becoming a 'math person' and pursuing a related STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) career has to do with being recognized and becoming interested - not just being able to do it," said Hazari, who specializes in STEM Education at FIU's College of Education and STEM Transformation Institute, according to the NEA blog. "This is important for promoting math education for everyone since it is not just about confidence and performance."

Hazari, who worked with colleagues Jennifer D. Cribbs from Western Kentucky University, and Philip M. Sadler and Gerhard Sonnert, both from Harvard University suggests that interest and recognition are key factors that can help students develop math skills.

The study, "Establishing an Explanatory Model for Mathematics Identity," suggests that students who feel confident in the subject won't necessarily become engaged in it, as previous studies have suggested.

The team surveyed more than 9,000 college calculus students from across the country. They found that students in the high-level course wanted to pursue math mainly because they'd received recognition for their abilities and also found it interesting.

In the survey, students were asked if they thought parents, friends, relatives, and math teachers saw them as a "math person."

Those who responded "yes" were classified as feeling recognized.

In other words, what motivates a student to pursue a career in STEM and encourages them to continue along this path is interest, recognition, and engagement.

"It is surprising that a student who becomes confident in his math abilities will not necessarily develop a math identity," Hazari said. "We really have to engage students in more meaningful ways through their own interests and help them overcome challenges and recognize them for doing so. If we want to empower students and provide access to STEM careers, it can't just be about confidence and performance. Attitudes and personal motivation matters immensely."
Source: http://www.ischoolguide.com/articles/15754/20150624/study-help-student-math-stem-career.htm
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Developing effective habits for effective study

We know that success in study requires good study skills. Effective habits are necessary to develop effective study. Here are the 8 habits;

• Take responsibility for yourself
  Recognize that in order to succeed you need to make decisions about your priorities, your time, and your resources
• Center yourself around your values and principles
  Don't let friends and acquaintances dictate what you consider important
• Put first things first
  Follow up on the priorities you have set for yourself, and don't let others, or other interests, distract you from your goals
• Discover your key productivity periods and places
  Morning, afternoon, or evening?
  Find spaces where you can be the most focused and productive.
  Prioritize these for your most difficult study challenges
• Consider yourself in a win-win situation
  When you contribute your best to a class, you, your fellow students,
  and even your teacher will benefit.
  Your grade can then be one additional check on your performance
• First understand others, then attempt to be understood
  When you have an issue with an instructor (a questionable grade, an assignment deadline, etc.) put yourself in the instructor's place.
  Now ask yourself how you can best make your argument given his/her situation
• Look for better solutions to problems
  For example, if you don't understand the course material, don't just re-read it.
  Try something else! Consult with the professor, a tutor, an academic advisor, a classmate, a study group, or your school's study skills center
• Look to continually challenge yourself

            Source: Effective habits for effective study at www.sudygs.net  

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Learning to learn

Learning to learn involves different techniques. These techniques apply in any subject whether it's math, science. languages, social study. etc. In this blog I am going to show a process of leaning that one can use before starting to learn a subject. To learn effectively you have to:

• Know yourself
• Know your capacity to learn
• The process used successfully in the past
• Your interest and knowledge in the subject you want to learn

The process involves four steps and there are questions in each one that someone can answer. The answers can be used to plan a study strategy in combination with some other study techniques.

Step One: Begin with the past. Answer questions about your past learning experiences.

Learning experiences are of several types: reading, solving problems, memorizing, reciting, interpreting, speaking to groups, etc. Some people might get the information by reading it. Others might take time to memorize it by reading several times. Others learn by direct involvement in the subject at hand i.e either by doing, solving problems and teaching to others. Some learners like to summarize the information and ask questions about what they study. Some like to get the information from a variety of sources. Others like to study alone or in group. Other learners might like to get the information in short study sessions or in a longer one. Answer the following questions about your past study habits:
  
Did you

• like to read? solve problems? memorize? recite? interpret? speak to groups?
• know how to summarize?
• ask questions about what you studied?
• review?
• have access to information from a variety of sources?like quiet or study groups?need several brief study sessions, or one longer one?

What are your study habits?

How did they evolve? Which worked best? worst?

How did you communicate what you learned best? Through a written test, a term paper, an interview?

Step two: Proceed to the present

You have to evaluate your level of interest and the amount of time you need to spend to learn the subject you want to learn. Ask yourself what can prevent you from focusing on the subject. what circumstances you can control and others that are out of your control. Can you change these conditions for success? You need to have a plan that include your past study habits and your learning style.  Here are the questions you need to ask yourself:

How interested am I in this?
How much time do I want to spend learning this?
What competes for my attention?

Are the circumstances right for success?

What can I control, and what is outside my control?
Can I change these conditions for success?

What affects my dedication to learning this?

Do I have a plan? Does my plan consider my past experience and learning style?

Step three: Consider the process, the subject matter

 In learning a subject there are many strategies that one can use. First one has to get an idea of the title of the topic and learn the meaning of the key words. There might be other resources that can help to learn the subject or one might want to stay with one source. As you read the material it's necessary to ask yourself whether you understand or not, evaluate the reading speed to see if you can go quickly or more slowly. At some point it's worth to stop and summarize, ask if the concepts make sense. One can ask also whether one disagrees or not with the ideas in the material. Some times you might want to think the concepts over and come back later. You might also want to discuss the material with other learners or to consult a subject matter expert. Here are the questions to ask:

What is the heading or title?
What are key words that jump out?
Do I understand them?

What do I know about this already?
Do I know related subjects?

What kinds of resources and information will help me?
Will I only rely on one source (for example, a textbook) for information?
Will I need to look for additional sources?

As I study, do I ask myself whether I understand?
Should I go more quickly or more slowly?
If I don't understand, do I ask why?

Do I stop and summarize?
Do I stop and ask whether it's logical?
Do I stop and evaluate (agree/disagree)?

Do I just need time to think it over and return later?
Do I need to discuss it with other "learners" in order to process the information?
Do I need to find an authority, such as a teacher, a librarian, or a subject-matter expert?

Step four: Evaluate

In this process you evaluate your learning experiences. You ask yourself questions about what went right and how you can improve. You can ask yourself if your plan coincide with strengths and weaknesses. You can see whether you succeed or not and celebrate your success. Here are the questions you can ask yourself at this step:

What did I do right?
What could I do better?
Did my plan coincide with how I work with my strengths and weaknesses?

Did I choose the right conditions?
Did I follow through; was I disciplined with myself?

Did I succeed?
Did I celebrate my success?

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Top 10 Strategies to Improve Your Math Learning or Grades

1.  If you don't understand something, focus on mastering that topic before moving on to the next topic

Math topics are set in sequence. It is essential to master one topic before moving to the next one. Stick with the topic you don't understand until you understand it fully. Read the theories and examples a second time or use another book or other resources that can allow you to understand the topic better. Moving to the next topic without mastering the present one can lead to frustration and abandon.

2. Work example problems and check your answers to gain practice with every lesson

Start by reading the examples of problems done in class, a book or whatever materials you are using and masteri the procedures used to solve these problems. Then start solving the problems that have answers to them beginning with the easiest ones and moving to the hardest. Make sure to check the answers to the problems you are working on. Work a dozen or two problems before moving to the next section.

3. When beginning to work a Math problem, do not "map out a path from problem-to-answer" in your head before writing anything down

This srategy may lead to skipping the steps necessary to solve a problem and focusing on the answer. What is best to do is to start by writing down the problem. Then write each step leading to the solution of this problem.. Write down what you are going to do and do it in the next step. For example, if you are going to divide both sides of an equation by a number write that down and do it as another step which is the execution of what you just write down.

4. When you study and do homework, try to find a quiet place to do it

Try to find a quiet place at home or in the library to do school work. This will allow you to do your work more quickly because you are able to to focus and learn more.

5. If someone asks you for help, try to explain the topic to them as best as you can.

In studying in a group try to help someone who is behind. This has two benefits. First you help someone to succeed. Second, the fact that you are helping someone else helps you understand the subject matter better.

6. Never, ever work math problems in pen

When you use a pen you can erase some mistakes but your work will not be neat

7. Try to use a mechanical pencil with separate eraser, if you can

Mechanical pencils have cleaner lines. The separate eraser allows you to erase more cleanly. 

8. Keep your solutions neat and line-by-line

Write vertically instead of horizontally. This allows you to present a more understandable work.

9. Don't work problems very late at night.

After doing different activities during the day it is not easy to concentrate at night because of tiredness. This may leads to make mistakes when working on problems. It's better to get a good night sleep and to wake up refreshed during the mornings. You'll find yourself in better shape to work on problems.

10. If the problem lends itself to it, draw a picture of the problem

Some math subjects such as Geometry and Trigonometry involve drawing shapes in order to solve problems. Other subjects such as Algebra are more abstract. However any mathematical concept or problem can lead to a visual representation. The visual representation allows to understand the problem more clearly.
 
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Some techniques to learn something new

It is essential to know the basic techniques of how to study in order to study better but there is also a lot of techniques that facilitate learning. These techniques are particularly helpful when someone learns something he is passionate about it either a subject, a field of knowledge for a profession or  a hobby. Talent is the starting point to love learning at some thing. It can be natural or can come as a result of some circumstances. Natural talent means the ability to learn or do something comes without a lot of effort or external motivation. But sometimes one can develop some abilities for doing something from external influences. Natural or acquired talent, motivation, attitude and the application of some techniques are the elements that make  people to become proficient learners. Below are the techniques:

1. Love it. Love is the fuel of motivation. If you love something you'll learn it better.
2. Read it. Reading about something helps you learn a lot about this thing. Learning the history of something can help you to know the evolution of the subject and master the key developments. Study the techniques of people who are famous at something can help to become good at it. Fischer, a famous american chess player, studied the history of chess and the techniques of famous Russian players and became the world champion.
3. Practice it. Do something many times makes you good at it. It becomes a routine. Writing a lot makes you a writer. Practice also helps you to see your mistakes and improves.
4. Get help from teachers, tutors and experts. Getting help from others who master the subject can help you to learn better. You can learn beyond the guidance of a particular teacher by forming a personal learning network made of people you can contact for questions or help in learning.
5. Study the history. Study the present. To become a master at something incorporate the study of the history and the present in the learning of that thing. An expert programmer would study all previous programs all the way to the modern ones. An entrepreneur would study the history of famous entrepreneurs.
6. Do easy projects first. Start by doing some basic projects and learn from it. Programmers start by doing the "Hello, World" program before becoming expert on more sophisticated programs.
7. Study what you did. If you fail at something you udertake look at it and see what was wrong. Find out what happened and what would have helped better. Ask good questions like: What did I do wrong and how can I improve?   
8. Be part of a group. Find the best group and spend the time to learn with them.
9. Find the right plan. Find a plan that is appropriate for you and come up with something new
Source: The Only Technique To Learn Something new.
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Ten smart study tactics that support how the brain actually works

In the human being the brain performs actions on the body and makes mental representations of the environment. Learning occurs when the brain responds to certain stimuli from the environment or when a new mental representation is made. In animals learning occurs by habituation or associatively. If an animal is introduced in a cage where lives another animal the latter can have a certain reaction to its guest but over time can react differently. The new response from the animal that previously lives alone is considered as a modification of the behavior of the animal. This modification is considered as learning and this learning is non-associative and occurs over time. A dog salivates when they present it some kind of meat. The sound of a bell is associated to the presentation of the food and the association is repeated several times. Later the food isn't presented and the bell rings. The dog salivates when it hears the bell. The animal produces a response to a new stimulus in the environment which is the bell. This new response is a modification of its normal behavior and is considered as learning. This learning occurs from the association food-bell. For this reason it is called associative learning. This learning occurs as a result of the conditioning of the dog and this this type of conditioning is called classical conditioning. In operant conditioning learning occurs by rewarding or punishing a type of behavior. Now let's define learning.

Learning can be defined as:
1. The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study or being taught
2. The cognitive process of acquiring skill or knowledge
3. The modification of behavior through practice, training or experience.

If learning is a process of acquiring knowledge there are some strategies that should be involved to acquire that knowledge, skills or behaviors. Here are the ten strategies based on experience and scientific study:

1. Test yourself before you study. According to Elizabeth Bjork, a psychologist, taking a test adjusts your thinking to what you need to know. This strategy may help to focus.
2. Space out your study session over time. Experiments done in mice showed that they remember better over multiple repeated sessions of training than in a single prolonged session according to  Christine Gall and Gary Lynch from the University of California.
3. Change up your study environment. Changing your environment forces the brain to retrieve the information in different places and will therefore view that information more useful. The brain wants variations. It wants to move and periodic breaks Finding some new scenery will create new association in the brain and will make it easier to retrieve the information later.
4. Take regular naps. In 2013 sleep researchers at UMASS (University of Massachusetts), Amherst found that daytime naps support learning in preschool children by strengthening their memory.
5. Quiz yourself instead of re-reading. When you reinforce your memories by testing them, they get stronger than if you review the materials.
6. Check-in with yourself periodically. Make a list of everything you remember and go back and see what concepts you've missed. This strategy can be done for a chapter or an entire course.
7. Separate process from progress. Learning is a process that never ends. At different times you make progress on it.
8. Look forward to forgetting. Forgetting is part of the learning process. It strengthens the memory.
9. Imagine you'll be teaching someone else. When students expect to teach new materials to others, they remember more of  the material and organize their recall more effectively, says John Nestojki, a postdoctoral researcher in psychology at Washington University in Saint Louis.
10. Study to learn not to know. Study to remember something for a lifetime is better than study for a test.
Source: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/how-does-the-brain-learn-best-10-smart-studying-strategies/?utm_source=UnCollege+List&utm_campaign=e450f4e4c3-Newsletter_3_21_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_61258d4530-e450f4e4c3-292498285           For Free Tutoring by Email visit this page Paid Tutoring and Free Tutoring by Email
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The ten study habits of most successfull students

Teaching is a guiding and temporary event while learning is more lasting and bears on the learner's responsibility. All learning isn't structured and doesn't imply the presence of a guide or teacher. Learning is formal and informal and happens during the whole lifetime. Teaching is worthless if the learner doesn't take the responsibility for his/her learning. If the teacher has to learn the best tools to teach, similarly the learner has to equip himself or herself with the appropriate tools for the most performant learning. It appears that more resources have been devoted to teaching than learning. More human, financial and physical resources have been allocated to teaching than learning. The proverb says: "it's better to learn someone how to fish instead of giving the fish". Teaching has long tried to impute the materials on the learner instead of teaching how to learn. Study requires a certain amount of effort from the learner, some skills and good habits. Here are the ten study habits of the most successful students.

1.  Try not to do too much studying at one time. Doing too much study over one single period of time can make someone tired. Instead spread the study over shorter periods of time by taking breaks that restore the mental energy.
2. Plan specific times for studying. Study according to a schedule by assigning a specific time for the material studied or an assignment, a project, etc.
3. Try to study at the same times each day. Things that we do very often and at the same time create habits and become a routine. Studying at the same times becomes then a habit and requires less effort than if it was done at irregular times.
4. Set specific goals for the study times.  Setting goals allow to stay focused. Learners establish goals for their study by stating the amount of material that they want to cover for example or what they want to accomplish at the end of their study time.
5.  Start studying when planned. Not studying when planned leads to procrastination. It becomes hard to cover all the materials at once after putting time off to study. The best is to study at the time scheduled.
6. Start with the most difficult assignment. The most difficult assignment requires most energy. By tackling it first you you have the pool of energy not already used that serves to accomplish fully the difficult assignment.
7.  Review  notes before beginning an assignment. This can help to facilitate the execution of an assignment. Notes also can have instructions for doing the assignments.
8.  Avoid talking over the phone during study times. Talking to friends during study times has two effects: loss of concentration and distraction. A loss of concentration makes it difficult to go back to study while distraction makes you lose focus. However talking over the phone can be beneficial if it is done as a break time.
9. Call someone or a friend for help. Sometimes it happens to have difficulties in learning some parts of the materials. Asking for help can overcome the learning difficulties.
10. Review schoolwork over the weekend. While weekends are generally spared for fun it may be worth to to take some time during this period to review the materials learned during the week. This will make it easier to learn the next week materials.
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