Maths Matter: Why it’s worth sticking it out when the going gets toughIn senior high school, the Mathematics syllabus becomes more challenging than ever, and many learners may be tempted to ditch the subject in favour of something less taxing, particularly if they intend to pursue a career that ostensibly doesn’t require Maths.
But an expert advises learners and parents to think very carefully before doing so, as a solid grounding in the subject can make a lifelong difference not only to one’s career prospects, but also to those areas of life which seemingly have nothing to do with numbers.
“At school we are told regularly that if we do not keep Mathematics as a subject we will not gain access to a Commerce or Science degree of our choice. What we often do not hear is that apart from providing access to limited enrolment degrees, sticking with Maths provides important life skills and a competitive advantage you won’t find anywhere else,” says Aaron Koopman, Head of Programme: Faculty of Commerce at The Independent Institute of Education, SA’s largest private higher education provider.
Koopman says that even those learners opting for Maths Literacy should continue to take the mathematical steps and processes seriously, as a solid grounding in Maths truly sets one up for life.
“Maths teaches you so much – from the memory and recall skills you gained from learning your times tables, to the focus and concentration that mental arithmetic calculations strengthen, through to the most important skills of all related logic, reason and problem-solving,” he says.
“Sure, you may never have to solve a quadratic equation again if you pursue a career in communication, but you will be required to understand a problem and the correct sequence of steps required to solve it, and there is no better place to get that discipline and expertise than from Maths.”
Koopman says Maths also enables you to understand sequencing and planning – starting at the right point and working methodically to get the right answer. And when it does not work out the way it should, it is one’s mathematical and analytical skills that help you to work through each step and figure out why things did not turn out the way they should have.
“Furthermore, Mathematics is believed to encourage creativity. Not only does it teach clear and sensible thought, but it exposes learners to challenging concepts and unresolved problems. Through this experience, learners can apply themselves in resolving these problems, often in a creative manner.”
It is also now well understood that nature follows many mathematical rules – and proportion, balance and pattern are all mathematical concepts, notes Koopman.
“That balance between creative freedom and leveraging the repetitive sequence of patterns that results in things humans see as beautiful is at the heart of much art that has continued to appeal over the centuries.
“Maths also helps you develop persistence as you apply and discard solutions while trying to make sense of a problem. Maths is the bridge between the world we live in – think of the ‘story sums’ we started in our early grades – and the creative and brilliant solutions that lie behind the world’s best inventions.”
And very importantly, companies are increasingly looking for graduates with powerful thinking and troubleshooting capacity – just the competencies that are developed and nurtured through mathematics.
“A young person who is mathematically proficient and has honed these skills will find that the world of work is a flexible and engaging space where how you learn is recognised as so much more valuable than what you learned. From understanding numbers and statistics – the ‘hard skills’ that Maths gives you – to applying systematic and logical reasoning or solving a human resource problem, a mind that has been exercised by Maths will reach strong conclusions quickly and have the skills to test itself,” Koopman says.
“The systematic nature of Mathematics develops clear and coherent thought of students. This results in the ability to understand how and why things work in a certain way. In a business environment that is characterised by constant change, the analysis of one’s environment becomes fundamentally important and through Mathematics, analytical skills and critical thinking is promoted. Mathematics equips learners with the ability to be proactive, detect problems and to develop suitable solutions earlier, which provides a competitive advantage regardless of one’s field.”
As we move into the fourth industrial revolution, in which technological innovation is at the forefront, graduates who did not necessarily study Maths but retained an engagement and respect for it will be well positioned to propel their organisations and respective divisions in the right direction, says Koopman.
Additionally, anyone leading a team or department regardless of industry will need to be financially literate and able to manage sometimes substantial budgets.
“Therefore we encourage learners to persevere and if necessary get additional help to master Maths, even if they feel they may not ‘need’ Maths in future. Regardless of what you are planning to do career-wise, a solid grounding in Maths will empower you for the rest of your life,” Koopman says.
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Curating your career starts in schoolTeenagers are accustomed to curating their personal image on social media. They select what to share, who to tag and how to display their interests and activities in a snapshot, or a few hash tags. The next step for Generation Z, those born after 1995, is to start curating their career. Whether preparing to apply for a competitive university programme or starting an entrepreneurial venture, there is great value in starting to think about how to express one’s professional interests from an early age.
“Your extra-curricular activities during high school help you stand out from the crowd when applying for universities, especially top-ranked international ones,” says Duncan Parsons, Regional Manager for Crimson Education, a mentoring company that helps build high-schoolers’ candidacy to apply for universities in the States and United Kingdom. “Admissions boards are looking for well-rounded candidates with interesting personal stories – not just top marks.”
A report by brand management specialists, QWERTY found that nearly 70% of South Africans’ weekly activities are spent on social media channels. Growing up with the internet, Gen Zs have become accustomed to plugging hours into Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. They’re great at capturing their personal image online; which brands they associate with and which moments they share. Applying some of this time and skill to thinking about their careers can be hugely beneficial for when they finish school.
“Demonstrating a variety of skills and interests is a crucial part of an applicant’s success. Universities are increasingly interested in personal stories and motivations,” says Parsons. Crimson Education’s research indicates that about 30% of an application to an American university is based on activities outside of academic curricula; “Colleges look for and fund students who demonstrate that they’ll use the university’s resources to the fullest – they want to see initiative and the potential to become a leader in your field.”
Teachers, parents and school counsellors also play an important role in encouraging students to explore exciting career and study opportunities; “With the right guidance and support, students can start a small business or launch a social initiative before they even matriculate. Doing so will help them refine their interests and ultimately select the best fit programme at university, regardless of whether they study locally or abroad,” says Parsons.
A great university education, at an institution with leading research groups, lecturers and students from around the world can be a powerful starting point for future change makers. According to Parsons, landing that opportunity is challenging, but not impossible, for driven South African students who apply their finely tuned social media curating skills to their careers.
Crimson Education launched in South Africa earlier this year, making the company operational in 17 cities around the world. Parsons and his team regularly host information evenings for parents and learners interested in studying overseas and have recently introduced a career exploration service. For more information, visit www.crimsoneducation.org or email [email protected].
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Surviving matric results- a parent’s guideI have a friend who used to work at the BBC going through the raw footage of all the horrors happening around the world and picking out the bits that were acceptable for the public to see. Her job was intense, but she was ok with it… until she became pregnant. There is something about being a parent that makes us more sensitive to the terrible things happening out there and heightens our empathy for other parents.
Every year we hear about students who have committed suicide over their matric results, and we can’t help but put ourselves in the shoes of those parents and imagine the grief and regrets that they must be experiencing. That instinct to protect our offspring that wells up during pregnancy (and never leaves) goes into overdrive wondering how we can stop ourselves from ever being in the position of these unfortunate parents.
The truth is, not matter what you do, this can still happen. But there are some things you can focus on to reduce the likelihood and to teach your kids some important life skills at the same time.
Number one is to be a role model for failure. Yes, go out and fail at things! Do things that challenge you… push yourself a bit… and then when you fail show your children how to do it well. What does that mean? It means having a cry or expressing your disappointment that things didn’t work out the way you’d wanted and then openly (so that your kids can see the process) looking at the good that came out of the situation – what did you learn? Be proud of yourself for trying. Then take what you’ve learned, see where you need to improve or adapt or readjust your goal… and try again…. And again…. And again.
Our kids have no idea how wonderful it is to learn through failure because we never do it ourselves. We live little safe lives where we don’t push ourselves beyond our current capabilities. And this gives them the impression that everything must be done right first time or that everything is easy.
Secondly, communicate, communicate, communicate. Know what is going on in your child’s life. Discuss feelings and practical things and life lessons and anything else you can think of. Have family meals that are non-negotiable and do not involve electronics at the table. Set aside time to connect. You need to look for signs of depression (changes in appetite or sleeping habits, loss of interest in activities, social withdrawal, irritability, fatigue, etc), but also know that many suicides are not preempted by depression. So if your child is not showing these typical signs it does not mean that they are safe. In these chats with your kids tell them about your own past. Give them a reference point by sharing times when you have had to adjust course or make a plan B. Teach them how to explore alternatives.
And lastly, never ever ever equate who your child is with the marks that they get on a test. Always be the champion of your child – the one who acknowledges their disappointment and helps them to find the learnings without lambasting them for their failures. Help your children to differentiate who they are with what they do. Help them to discover who they are and the connection between following your heart and success (which often is not part of the school curriculum). Lay off the pressure to do well in matric.
Matric is one year out of a potential 100 or more years of life that your children have on this earth. It is not the make or break for the rest of their lives. There are ample opportunities to redo matric, to discover another path, to find success.
Remember that nurturing instinct that arrives with your baby and reconnect with that now. Your baby might be a 6-foot teen, but your child still needs that love and care and support and protection that you offered them so easily when they were born.
It is love, kindness and communication that will help our kids through matric and beyond, not pressure, threats, bribes or stern motivational talks. Make absolutely sure that your children know that whatever their results you will always be there for them and will help them to navigate this difficult time.
Parenting Hub is one of South Africa’s largest online lifestyle magazines, targeted toward Parents.
We understand that there are many aspects that encompass a Mother, Father or Child and strive toward providing resources and services that accommodates this.
Our content is aimed to inform and educate families on issues starting from pregnancy through to the challenges of the teen-age years.
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