"it`s Too Hard" - The Common Phrase In Mathematics.

Throughout my career, I have taught many children who simply state that Mathematics is just too difficult. Truth be told, it is the easiest subject to learn. Mathematics is a common core subject across most countries and languages and therefore is simplified. In modern day, Mathematics only states numeral 0-9.

However, if these are only ever taught to a child as written numerals with no concept of what `9` means or is to a situation then the numerals themselves become invalid. The written numbers only stand as a written representation of what it actually means in real life. Such as in Phonics when we have the sound `a` yet it has 9 different graphemes to accommodate the difficult written language (ai, ae, ay...)

I am a firm believe in visual learning. Let the children see what `9` really is. It really isn`t hard. Go round your house and find 9 objects. Put them into different lines - maybe lines of 3, 5 or 6. Have open discussions over what is left and how many more...

I am fully quialified in using and applying Numicon. A visual representation of number. It allows children to `see` the maths. As adults we often answer a mathematical questions by picturing it in our heads. How have we learnt to do this? Why do we do this? It is an effective method derived from visualising maths.

It isn`t just number that visualising applies to. I once taught a year 3 class how to move their learning from pictograms to bar charts using a visual method. I took some wooded blocks, some masking tape and some sugar paper and create a huge pictogram on the carpet. The children were amazed - are you allowed to do that Miss Larbey? Won`t it be messy? By simply starting with individual blocks and then covering them with sugar paper to create a bar the children were able to physically see the connection.

There isn`t an area of maths that you can`t make visual, fun and inspiring. Sometimes it just takes a little thinking outside the box.