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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Is it possible to get really good at Maths?

55 replies

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 06:46

My DS is looking into uni courses at the moment. The one he is interested in has a Maths requirement. It's an engineering course. He is not good at Maths, mainly because he messes around in class, being a general pain in the arse, hates his teacher, does the bare minimum of homework, etc.

However, he has shown some promise in other subjects related to engineering and it is something he is interested in, so I do want to pursue it.

Is it possible - with extra help - for him to get good at Maths? We're prepared to put the hours in to help him and call in reinforcements if necessary.

Thanks.

OP posts:

Lougle · 13/10/2021 06:50

I think so. Maths is about method, largely. As the work gets harder, people who work things out mentally and write down an answer find that it's harder to retain all the information in their head. So it's really good to get into the habit of writing down the workings out (plus you get marks for the method, even if the calculation is wrong somewhere).

It will depend if your DS is motivated about the engineering. That will drive him to improve his maths. It has to come from him, ultimately, but everyone can improve.

Simonjt · 13/10/2021 06:50

Yes, if he stops dicking about. There is zero point getting a tutor etc when he can’t be bothered and while he thinks ruining the chances of others is okay.

Maths isn’t actually difficult (not to a-level anyway), but children are put off due to adults being negative and hearing things like “maths is really hard” so they automaticallg go into that subject with zero confidence.

People claim you forget how to perform a function, yet they don’t forget a word they may hear/say once a year. Anyone (unless they have an additional need) can be good at maths if they want to be. Don’t waste money on someone who doesn’t care.

HelloDulling · 13/10/2021 06:51

How old is he? Maths A-level is really hard, lots of school won’t let you take it unless you get at least an A/7-8-9 at GCSE.

If he’s in Year 11, and still pissing about disrupting lessons and not doing homework, how well is he going to do in his GCSE, however much help you give him?

Original poster

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 07:05

Thanks for your replies, they are very encouraging. He's in Year 10 at the moment, so we still have time. He has ADHD and mild Asperger's. He is very immature but I don't want to give up on him.

OP posts:

MakkaPakkas · 13/10/2021 07:08

Maybe try to find a tutor he clicks with. You can get better at anything with practice and the motivation to practice.

MyGodImSoYoung · 13/10/2021 07:09

My DSis really struggled with maths approaching her GCSEs. My DM hired a tutor for her (an expense we struggled to afford but saved money to do). He was brilliant and she went from failing to achieving a 9. As long as your son is willing to engage, he can absolutely turn it around.

Original poster

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 07:10

Thanks everyone, really encouraging replies. I will try and find a tutor for him.

OP posts:

HelloDulling · 13/10/2021 07:14

In Year 10, it’s possible, but he does need to stop what he’s doing in lessons. Can you get to the bottom of why he’s doing it?

Original poster

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 07:54

@HelloDulling He's always been a bit of a handful. We have other DC who are completely different. For this reason, the school insisted on testing him, which revealed he had ADHD and mild Asperger's. We had no idea, we just thought he was naughty.

He is now on Ritalin and Intuniv and, whilst we have seen a vast difference, he can still be a bit distracted and it seems to be worse in Maths. I think it's because he is in the bottom set for Maths (there are 4 sets) and that's where all the naughty children are. Not blaming them, obviously, but I think they are all a bad influence on each other.

Although he is in the bottom set, he always tests around average for the year. Given that there are some seriously gifted children in his year, being average isn't terrible, if that makes sense.

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RedskyThisNight · 13/10/2021 07:57

I don't think it's possible to get "really good" at maths - I think the people who are really good have a natural feel for it.

However I do think it's possible to get "good enough to pass an A Level" good at maths by practice and application. Maths is logical so you if you know all the methods and techniques you can work through them in turn to find one that works. There are also (at A Level) only so many types of question you can be asked!

My DS also took maths A Level to facilitate his future study. He will never be a natural mathematician (I'm a person who "gets" maths, so I can see the difference between the way we learn - what's intuitively obvious to me he has to laboriously work through) but he will (hopefully) do well enough to progress.

I agree getting a tutor is a good call. What you don't want to happen at your DC's stage is for him to get to the point where he's "behind" what's being covered in class as it makes it harder to follow the new stuff.

RedskyThisNight · 13/10/2021 07:59

Cross posted with your response - is this a selective school? Bottom set maths would not normally be anywhere near good enough for A Level. Even "average" wouldn't be. Do you know if he is line to take the foundation or the higher GCSE paper? He absolutely needs to be taking the higher if he wants to do A Level.

Seasidemumma77 · 13/10/2021 08:02

For 1 of my dc i invested in a maths tutor, he was in yr10 at the time and the more he struggled the more disengaged and disruptive he got. The tutor worked with him 2hrs a week, for whole of yr10, they would go over what he'd learnt in class that week and ensure he'd understood it all. By the end of yr10 my ds had moved from the bottom set to one of the higher sets, but more importantly he was confident in his abilities and no longer disruptive. He ended up doing really well in his exam the following year.

Appleseesaw · 13/10/2021 08:03

I think it’s the case of getting the right tutor/teacher. I was terrible at maths in primary school and in the bottom set. At secondary school, I finally ‘clicked’ with a teacher’s teaching style and became good at maths. I’d say I was top third of the class in a selective school. As with most things, some people will have a natural affinity for one subject and not another, but I think you can go a long way with hard work and the right teacher.

Original poster

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 08:05

I have just checked the course prospectus and the requirement is A Level Maths at Grade B. Are we deluded? Is this even possible?

OP posts:

toomuchlaundry · 13/10/2021 08:07

What other A-levels would he be planning to do? Physics A-level is also very maths based

Original poster

MrsCardone · 13/10/2021 08:07

@Seasidemumma77 That's really encouraging. Thank you for sharing.

OP posts:

Fluffypastelslippers · 13/10/2021 08:09

For this reason, the school insisted on testing him, which revealed he had ADHD and mild Asperger's.

School tested him? Or school referred him?

Either way, 'mild Asperger's' isn't a thing.

As for the maths, he has to be willing to try really hard. DS is doing his first maths module in Uni just now and finding it a huge leap from Higher maths. He is managing but he is also putting in a lot of hours to be able to do so.

WheresTheHedge · 13/10/2021 08:10

He is not good at Maths, mainly because he messes around in class, being a general pain in the arse, hates his teacher, does the bare minimum of homework, etc.

How can you help him to adopt a more helpful attitude to learning? Why does he hate his teacher? Why is he not doing his homework? Does your ds want to be good at maths?

it is something he is interested in, so I do want to pursue it. Does he want to pursue it?

cptartapp · 13/10/2021 08:12

DS1 just got a B at maths A level. He got a good 7 at GCSE (not far off an 8) and really struggled at A level. He sweated blood and tears to get that B, even had a tutor for the last few months. Ended up devoting far more time to it than his other A levels.

Pythonesque · 13/10/2021 08:14

ADHD fairly recently diagnosed and medicated sounds ideal conditions for a good maths tutor to make a huge difference.

In my opinion, doing well at maths is a combination of understanding the basic con cepts, and enough practice at methods, as well as "flair" for the subject. The latter is neither enough on its own or essential. Lack of confidence can undermine performance massively in a student who actually has a good brain to achieve at maths.

Don't worry too much about the future yet, just as a reason to set a goal for "let's help you get your maths going well". Later next year when you can see how well it's going, should be plenty of time to explore alternative engineering related courses and careers if he isn't getting strong enough at maths. At this point I'd think it could be possible to achieve well. Good luck finding a tutor that "clicks".

WheresTheHedge · 13/10/2021 08:18

How does 'mild Aspergers' present?

GlacindaTheTroll · 13/10/2021 08:19

It is possible, if the barrier really is that he hasn't been working. Because that's a motivation issue, not an ability/diligence one.

He's in year 10, he has the greater part of an academic year to improve his performance in time for it to be taken seriously by the school and reflected in his predictions. What does the school need him to show to move up sets, and which set does he need to be in to do the higher tier paper?

That's the first step - securing the higher exam.

Then getting a prediction of a 7 or above

Deciding about engineering comes later. If he's serious, then physics is also useful (and as maths and physics overlap, they reinforce each other). That's not just about having A levels that look good to universities, it's about what makes a good engineer.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 13/10/2021 08:25

I was a disaster in maths class for years, never paid attention, never had the right book or copy, didn't do the homework or know any formulae.

I changed school, had a teacher with an extremely systematic, structured approach to it all, and it all clicked into place. I came to adore maths and got an A1 in leaving cert honours.

I was just diagnosed with ADHD a few weeks ago

So it's absolutely possible that he has the ability, just hasn't found the right motivation or teacher.

morethanbeingme · 13/10/2021 08:27

It all depends on his attitude and if you can afford private lessons or time. I am numeracy specialist and as part of my research I conducted survey that indicated that learners potential in maths was affected by their anxiety. In my practice I had a learner who got A * after the teacher decided he would probably get a C.

trumpisagit · 13/10/2021 08:46

What is his predicted grade at gcse?

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