Math Tutor Finds Inspiration in Everything Except Numbers

Many people think math is hard because it is all about numbers, and numbers can be hard to keep organized because they are essentially so abstract, and without reality to keep them grounded, tend to illicit very little meaning in the imagination

Seattle, WA (prHWY.com) August 27, 2012 - Many people think math is hard because it is all about numbers, and numbers can be hard to keep organized because they are essentially so abstract, and without reality to keep them grounded, tend to illicit very little meaning in the imagination of the typical person.

How many of us remember math as being our least favorite subject in school, after all? Falling asleep in class because of lack of focus or comprehension, lulled into a daze trying to decipher what any of it means in real-life applications ...

Rachel Dickens remembers the pain of math all the way through school.

"I would specifically avoid everything related to math, most because it gave me something like an allergic reaction," says Dickens. "I would literally get hives on my arms knowing that I had to deal with my frustrations with numbers."

But at some point, she decided that she was going to face her fears instead of being controlled by them.

"Basically," she said, "I decided to figure out how to do math, but without using any numbers at all."

So years later, she is at the top of her field, and is willing to act as a math tutor for anyone that she feels is going through the same type of trouble that she did when she was a student.

So what is this non-numerical method of doing math, you say? It has to do with a type of visualization that Dickens created through a series of experiments she has gone through with herself and some volunteers.

"It's essentially a way of converting everyday shapes and colors in ways that you can associate mathematical formulas and the processes without having to deal with the actual representation of the numbers themselves. So instead of seeing equations when it comes to solving real-life problems, instead you have to search your mind through your own personal lexicon of associated imagery, and the answer will reveal itself to you."

If you don't believe that this method works, all you have to do is ask any one of the people she has tutored over the years to find that there is a 100% success rate for the people who stick with the idea long enough.

Dickens is currently writing a book about the whole process, which should be available at major retailers within the coming year or so.

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Tag Words: math tutor

Categories: Education

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