Were you good at maths and science as a child?

Mohan Sridharan answered on 10 Mar 2021:

Hi Jessica,

I think it was more the case that I really liked mathematics and science as a child; I still do! I would say that it was this interest and natural curiosity (that all children have), along with teachers and family members who encouraged me, that enabled me to pursue advanced degrees and a career as a scientist.

Regards,
–Mohan

Felicity Hunter answered on 10 Mar 2021: last edited 10 Mar 2021 12:51 pm

Hi Jessica, the answer for me is not really (or at least I didn’t think so). Maths and Science were always my worst subjects when I was younger but I think it was due to a lack of confidence rather than ability. I was a bit scared of those subjects as I thought I wasn’t clever enough. Luckily I had amazing teachers at GCSE who made me realise how fun these subjects can be and encouraged me to practice practice practice! As I was interested in science, it made it easier for me. Surprisingly I actually chose Maths at A level and did well in it. I don’t use it loads for Biology so you don’t need to be a maths genius but its good to understand the basic concepts at GCSE level. The most important piece of advice I can give you is not to compare yourself to how other students are doing – everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and there is room for everyone in science if you are interested in it. I hope that helps!

Chris Waller answered on 10 Mar 2021:

I was always “okay” at maths and science. I was never the top of my class or anything, but I always enjoyed it, which is much more important in my view. If you don’t enjoy what you do then you’ll never be motivated to try and improve, so focusing on something that you like is a great way to get better at it!

Jess Buddle answered on 10 Mar 2021:

Hey! As a chile im primary school id say not so much, my parents and teachers thought i was bright but i never felt like i was good at them. As i got older and really enjoyed them i made sure i put lots of wrk into doing well, and it turned out i was good at them (biology mostly, not really maths!)
🙂

Karen Burstow answered on 10 Mar 2021:

Yes, maths and science were my best subjects in school, which made me enjoy them more and study them at university. But if you find science interesting, then you’ll be motivated to study it, which will help you to do well! Though remember that your best is different to everyone else’s best, so don’t compare yourself to your classmates. Your own happiness is more important than any grade you’ll ever get!

Claire Price answered on 11 Mar 2021:

Yes but that is because they make sense to my brain. I like the logic of the subjects. But I know lots of people who are brilliant scientists who didn’t really like maths/science until they were teenagers or even older.

Callum Thomas answered on 11 Mar 2021:

I liked and was good at biology in school but I was very bad at maths. In fact, I almost failed maths in my last year of school and had to ask my parents if I could get a tutor to help me out after school so I could pass. My favourite subjects in school were actually English and History as I really like reading and writing. Although maths is important for scientists it is not the only thing that matters and if you are struggling at maths it is not the end of the world!

Once I entered university and started studying biology I found it easier to learn and remember the maths skills I needed as they were more relevant to something I was actually interested in and helped me answer questions I had in my research. Plus I had good tutors and supervisors who were patient and able to explain things to me more slowly than in a big classroom full of students!

Megan Metcalfe answered on 11 Mar 2021:

I was OK at both, but not exceptional by any means. I think from the outside it can seem as though you have the be a grade A student to be able to become a scientist, but it’s not true. The most important thing is to do something you’re interested and passionate about. If someone is good at maths and science then that’s great but, if they’re not their strongest subjects then they should never feel as though a career in science isn’t open to them.

Jo Brodie answered on 15 Mar 2021:

Hi Jessica – I usually got into a bit of a muddle with maths (even with a calculator!). I could follow along if someone was showing me how to do it, but when I had to solve equations myself for homework there was quite a bit of pencil-chewing to get to the end. I managed to do well enough to pass an O level (what we called GCSEs in the 1980s) and even an AO level (which is slightly more advanced than O levels but not as advanced as A levels), which probably surprised everyone.
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With science I felt I could grasp what was going on a bit more and the whole process seemed more enjoyable – looking at bits of plants under a microscope, or mixing colourful solutions together (carefully) in chemistry classes and playing with oscilloscopes in physics. I would say I was quite good at science as a child but I could probably have paid a bit more attention in class!
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Although I didn’t study it beyond O level I’d say I probably use what I learned in English language classes as much as my science learning as I now work as a science communicator, so I am using that skill to help me write about science for people who might not have a scientific background. If I’d kept up with other languages perhaps I’d be translating some of the articles I’ve written into French or if I was better at art I might mix art and science by drawing cartoons to explain or illustrate science… some really interesting things can emerge when people combine different subjects together.
~
Jo

Question: Were you good at maths and science as a child?

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