My student isn’t challenging herself and is lacking the motivation to do so. Right now, I’m just trying to work on harder problems with her to show that she is capable of tackling much more difficult questions. Are there any textbooks at a Year 8 level that you could recommend for more challenging problems? This is because I find that the current textbook my student is using doesn’t have enough questions marked as difficult.
Not sure about textbooks at a Year 8 maths level, as there are many different ones to choose from and the word “challenging” is a relative term. Certainly, Cambridge textbooks are excellent for Year 11 and 12 – there are “extension” questions in each exercise, and these questions are seriously challenging! Perhaps there is also a range for junior grades. :mag:
📚 Textbook Recommendations
Certainly Cambridge textbooks are excellent for Year 11 and 12 – there are “extension” questions in each exercise, and these questions are seriously challenging! Perhaps there is also a range for junior grades.
💡 Additional Strategies
Some more ways to tackle a lack of challenge:
- If the student is in Year 9 and learning trigonometry: For harder practice, grab a Year 10 textbook. The Year 10 book will have a revision on Year 9 trig which will be useful and possibly contain harder questions. Also, teach Year 10 trig itself if you have time. Although not directly relevant, understanding Year 10 trig will help develop their ability to “think in terms of trigonometry” and will be a massive help if learned properly. Additionally, this serves as a massive ego boost for the student, which also helps results and motivation. :dart:
- Teach the student topics from Year 8 that they have not learned in class yet: Ideally, it would be either the very next topic or a topic that is relevant to the current one, such that comprehension of the current topic is improved as a consequence of learning the future topic. This approach is similar to the previous point, except the student does not have to wait until next year to directly apply the “extra” knowledge. In the coming months, her class will cover the topic you have pre-taught, and she will know the work before any of her peers. Hopefully, such an ego boost will engage her further and encourage more study.
- Teach her ahead on topics that are central to mathematics: The best example of this is algebra/arithmetic. Regardless of what topic she is currently studying (or in what grade of high school), it will necessarily presume knowledge of arithmetic and algebra. Typically, the errors students make in tests have a high proportion of silly or algebraic mistakes. Algebra is the grammar of mathematics, and if she masters it at a young age, learning maths will be easier in general for the rest of her academic career. Slowly, you can work your way up to Year 9, then Year 10 algebra – she may be reluctant at first, but inevitably she will experience the benefits of such knowledge herself and develop an appreciation for what you have done.
