Maths Untangled

Maths does not have to be confusing or scary. It can be simple and understood by you.

This book is your 'no-nonsense' travel guide. I am not a Mathematician. At school, I was no high-flier, not even an also ran. More a back-marker. I appreciate how it felt being the one who did not get it.

Helping struggling or disillusioned students UNTANGLE doubt and become less fearful was my passion and driving force as a teacher. To develop my own different creative approaches, to unlock their potential.

The key? To build their resilience, self-esteem and confidence and achieve light bulb moments, positive attitude change, and new-found motivation. To gain a realisation it is possible to understand, and yes, even enjoy the subject.

I loved working with students who felt Mathematics was not for them or beyond them. They made me recognise that new learning can only happen when previous concepts or building blocks are understood.

I developed my own approaches and explored links between topics.

 To reduce the clutter to fundamental key ideas.

 To remove the muddle and complexity.

 To realise percentages and decimals are fractions too and behave the same way. They are NOT separate ideas, obeying different rules.

 To appreciate algebra is just numeracy or numbers with letters instead. Letters must behave the same way as numbers They are NOT separate ideas, obeying different rules.

On retirement, I began typing up these ideas. Hence this book.

Education is a right, not a privilege. Numeracy is as fundamental a skill as literacy, especially in this digital and technological age. It is essential we counter that old chestnut, I was never any good at Mathematics. Many employment and training opportunities cannot be accessed without the requisite qualification in Mathematics. That much needed PASS, no matter whether number 4 or letter C.

The successful Mathematics learner must understand, be resilient, and have confidence to progress. They must be secure with the method they choose to use. Simply repeating the same rules and techniques does not break through entrenched misconceptions or repeated errors in applying originally misunderstood methods.

The effective teacher therefore must explore new ways to advance good learning and remove or mitigate for bad. Renewing, or igniting a willingness to engage and promoting a can-do attitude is essential and paramount.