Common Challenges Faced by IB Maths Students
IB Mathematics is one of the subjects offered as part of a top world-recognized pre-university program – IBDP – International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. IB Mathematics is structured to give students a solid foundation in mathematics and to improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Students who offer IB mathematics often experience a series of challenges in their attempt to get a perfect score on the examination. There is no need for your ward to go through these experiences themselves; they can learn from the experience of others. In this article, I will write on a few challenges of these challenges. They include;
Too much content to cover and poor time management
Hong Kong IB maths tutor believes that students find it challenging to cover all the topics of the IB Maths syllabus because each topic is broad and requires a tremendous amount of time to understand and practice what has been written. A few tutors attributed this to poor time management in a few students. So, proper time management is one of the things you would want to keep in check in your ward.
Poor practising attitude in students
Practice makes perfect, and the opposite is also true. Most students who don`t do exceptionally well in their IB maths are those usually reluctant to practice problem questions for the respective topic they have studied. It must be emphasized that knowing a math topic is not enough but testing if you can handle any question based on that topic.
Students lacking critical thinking and creative skills
Critical and creative thinking are among the basis for an excellent mathematics student. Mathematics is all about problems; problems are solved by looking at various viewpoints or by creating or following a system that obeys mathematical logic. It is disappointing that some students lack such skills; their only method of learning is mindlessly cramming procedures and formulas. Students without critical thinking and creative talent cannot score above average in their IB math exams.
Students` fear of Calculus and difficulty in solving Calculus
Calculus is the most predominant topic in IB Maths. At the same time, it is one of the most dreaded topics by any student. The worst is that the general fear of calculus has poisoned students` minds, so they no longer believe they can learn the topic. All of these considered dreadful issues should be looked out for and explained to students most straightforwardly. Above all, the mindset of it being impossible to know should be killed.
Exam anxiety
Exam anxiety is not limited to age and can happen to anyone, regardless of exams. Exam anxiety can ruin a student`s chances of doing well in an exam. Thus, students should be encouraged to remain settled and calm while preparing for exams. If it has gotten past what the family can handle, then such a student might need to see a therapist to manage the situation better.
Final thoughts
There are usually challenges along the way to attain a desired goal or to obtain something of great worth, and that is normal. However, challenges can be tackled, and it will be best to look into the challenges mentioned above and try to tackle them early enough.
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