Why Learning Maths Feels Difficult
Trying Something New
After spending a few months in the pottery studio and looking at all the different things that the members have been making as well as watching so many pottery videos, I decided that I wanted to do something different.
Initially, when my wheel throwing was quite wonky and the walls rather thick, I experimented with carving out different pieces of clay to create different textures.
However, there was one technique that I was particularly interested in – Sgraffiti, which is basically etching away coloured underglaze to create different pictures and patterns.
Why it was much harder than I expected
Over Easter, I bought the underglazes (it was really difficult to decide which colours to buy!) and then started to experiment.
I was surprised at how difficult it was. Just getting an even layer of underglaze onto the clay was really difficult – the brush didn’t go exactly where I wanted it to go. However, after painting on 16 different objects, I started to get used to how the underglaze worked and what was more effective – it is a fine balance between not enough and too much.
Then I started the sgraffiti – carving out different patterns leaving some of the colour behind but not other parts. At first, nothing came off – I was using the wrong tool and the underglaze was too dry. I changed tool and this time more came off but I pressed too hard because the underglaze was too wet and was left with deep marks. It felt like a Goldilocks situation!
Just like with painting on the underglaze, it was so much harder than I expected. But, just like before, it got easier as I did a few more – I was able to judge how hard to press and when the underglaze was not too wet and not too dry.
Why Learning Should Feel Difficult
This got me thinking about maths. Whenever we start learning something new, it almost always feels difficult. Yet many students assume that if something feels difficult, it means they aren’t good at it. My experience with sgraffiti reminded me that difficulty is often a sign that we are learning something new, not that we are failing.
What This Means for Children Learning Maths
For students with dyscalculia or other learning difficulties, much of maths can feel difficult most of the time. However, just like with my pottery, things that once felt impossible can gradually become manageable with the right support, enough practice and the confidence to keep trying.