Most of us remember our secondary school maths teacher. Whether you loved maths or not, they were always there; introducing new ideas, checking in, and helping you figure out what to do next. Learning at university is very different from learning at school, and that transition can feel difficult at first. So how do you learn maths without a maths teacher?
As an undergraduate myself, I felt very untethered and, rather than enjoying the independence I had, I missed the structure and support of my sixth form. The good news is that everything you need to learn maths and be successful is still available at university, you just need to look in a few different places. This blog will give you a head start in working out how to fill that gap.
My maths teacher used to teach me new content
This role definitely belongs to your lecturer. The learning environment is certainly different, especially if you are part of a large cohort, but by attending lectures in person where possible, you will be introduced to the new concepts you need to learn in the right order, with some excellent explanations and insights along the way.
My maths classroom was full of friends and fellow students who I could share ideas with
It can be hard to connect with people on your course. If you are studying any maths department units, the MASH (Maths and Statistics Help) first-year drop-in is a great place to meet others studying the same content and work together, just like in a school classroom. If you study with a different department, look out for activities labelled ‘PAL’ (peer-assisted learning). You could also try reaching out to the people around you during lectures; you might be surprised how many others are feeling the same way but are too shy to ask.
My maths teacher used to speak to me at lunchtime if I was stuck on something
There are people at the University ready help you get unstuck! MASH is a brilliant team of ex-teachers and friendly maths tutors who provide daily drop-in support. We are open every lunchtime during teaching and revision weeks and we are open to everyone. We absolutely love helping people and will look at your notes with you to work through any questions you have.
My maths teacher gave me a textbook that contained everything I needed to know
One of the special things about learning at university is that every lecturer designs their own course. No one else in the country is learning exactly the same thing in the same way as you and your course-mates. Your main source of learning material should always be your lecture notes. Your lecturer has likely provided a reading list (this will be on the Moodle page for the course), and these books should be available in the library. You don’t usually need to read them all cover to cover, but they can be a good source of supplementary examples and explanations. Have a look at a few and see if the style suits you.
My maths teacher asked me questions to help me further my learning
This can be a good place to use generative AI as an extra tool to help you think things through. Rather than asking for answers, you might try uploading a maths question and using a prompt like: “Don’t tell me the answer to this, but ask me a question to help me think more deeply and further my understanding.” Used this way, AI can be more of a tool to develop your thinking than a shortcut to the solution.
My maths teacher used to mark my homework
If you are a member of the maths department, you will have weekly problem sheets to complete and hand in to your tutor, who will mark them and give you feedback. You don’t need to complete the whole sheet in order to hand it in; anything you have done will be marked, and your tutor shouldn’t judge you for incomplete work. If you are working on questions from previous weeks, you can take them to the MASH first-year maths drop-in, and the tutors there will happily help you understand how your answer matches the model solutions.
If your department doesn’t provide model solutions, you could try one of two things depending on your confidence and preference. Firstly, you could upload your answer and calculations to generative AI and ask it to talk you through your work. The other option is to come to the MASH drop-in, where we will support you to check your answers and develop techniques for feeling confident in your maths even when ‘answers’ are not available.
My maths teacher helped me revise for exams
This is probably the area most first years find hardest, and studying alone doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Putting some time into devising a strategy can really pay dividends in the long run and there are plenty of resources available at the University to help you.
University maths can feel like a big change, but you are not expected to figure everything out on your own. The support is still there, just in different places. As you develop your own way of learning, remember that you don’t have to do it alone. New friends are around the corner and MASH is here to support you, wherever your maths learning takes you.
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