Mathematics and Cycle

 Let us talk about this Cycle. Those who know how to ride it know how easy and enjoyable it is to go for a long ride in nice weather and location. They can also recall; how difficult it was to even hold it when they were not knowing how to ride them. Most likely, they didn't become comfortable with cycle immediately. They might have fallen few times, might have struggled to balance and might have even lost motivation to learn cycling. But now they might be looking for opportunities to ride a cycle.

Learning Mathematics is similar to learning cycling. You make errors, struggle to get the concept, lose interest and it becomes more difficult. But once you overcome these, it becomes a favorite subject. Solving Mathematics problems can even become stress buster.

When someone is training you how to cycle, he may make you familiar with a cycle. He will tell you about seat, handle, peddle etc. He will tell you about how to sit on the seat, keep the foot on the peddle, hold the handle, look straight and start peddling. He will himself sit on the seat and demonstrate you cycling by making a small round in the ground. You will probably think this to be quite easy. But when you try, you are most likely going to fall. If the trainer repeats all the instructions and demonstrates cycling once again, you may still fall. Your learning about cycling is just not going to improve by the trainer providing you the necessary instructions and demonstrating them any number of times. You can learn cycling only when you yourself ride the cycle and trainer helps you with necessary instructions, corrections, balancing and hand holding. The instructor should be ready to run with you for some distance when you are cycling. Once you are able to balance cycle, you start practicing it. You may even start exploring new possibilities and variations like cycling by holding the handle with one hand only or even hands-free cycling or may be standing on the seat! 

Same holds good for Mathematics. Teacher teaching you various concepts and solving tens of questions will not make you learn Mathematics. You need to understand the concepts and try to solve questions yourself. Teacher may help you identify the errors, find solutions and may take few steps with you as you gain confidence. Once, you build the habit of learning Mathematics this way, you start enjoying it. You yourself would like to explore different variations and possibilities on your own. 

The key is to connect with right resources who are ready to run with you to provide you initial support while balancing. Else, if you look for such trainer who can tirelessly keep making rounds of the field for you, you don't learn cycling this way.