In the past several years I have spent tutoring fellow students in math, chemistry, biology, physics, and the like, I have heard and responded to the complaints of many students who were struggling in these subjects. While it is true that every subject has its own unique challenges and that abilities vary across a vast spectrum, I know from experience that it is in subjects tied mathematics and the physical sciences where students anxieties and struggles seem most apparent.
Although it is...
In the past several years I have spent tutoring fellow students in math, chemistry, biology, physics, and the like, I have heard and responded to the complaints of many students who were struggling in these subjects. While it is true that every subject has its own unique challenges and that abilities vary across a vast spectrum, I know from experience that it is in subjects tied mathematics and the physical sciences where students anxieties and struggles seem most apparent.
Although it is unlikely that there is a single explanation that can adequately account for the existence of this current issue, I do think that it is in large part due to the widespread(unconscious) perception that math and science are "inherently" difficult for those without "innate" mathematical ability/intelligence, which inevitably leads to the conclusion that any sincere effort to learn on the part of the student is pointless unless he has a certain level of aptitude. I think that conclusion is unjustified, for a number of reasons. I will mention a few in this brief essay.
First of all, I have come across many students of different interests and backgrounds who eventually excelled in the areas where they were once lacking. In many cases their success in school was due to both to favorable circumstances and personality traits that often correlate with good academic performance, such as persistence, dedication, hard work, a regular study plan, a healthy life style, stable family life, and so on.
Second, perhaps the most important thing that drives students to succeed academically is the desire to learn for its own sake. The desire to learn for its own sake played a critical role in my own college experience after high school. From high school onward, I would typically read math and physics textbooks for my own leisure. After reading a certain section in the textbook, I refer to problem set attached to that section to do problems that test my understanding of the material. This is one of my main hobbies because I it is something I am
