Challenges Faced by Students in Learning Mathematics: A Case Study at Sixth Grade of Primary School

Abstract

This study describes the difficulties faced by a sixth-grade student in learning mathematics. The student always complains when going to school on days when there are mathematics lessons. Whenever math assignments are given by the school, the student consistently asks their parents why math is so difficult to understand and what the purpose of learning math is. This research is a qualitative study with a case study approach. Data collection techniques involved observation and in-depth interviews. The results of the study can be summarized as follows: 1) Lack of mastery of the material in the fourth grade, 2) Insufficient prerequisite knowledge to comprehend the sixth-grade material, and 3) Inability to utilize technology for self-guided learning. Furthermore, the difficulties in learning math are caused by several factors: 1) Not receiving satisfactory and accurate answers from the teacher, 2) Lack of support and guidance from the family in the learning process, 3) Holding a negative perception of math due to dissatisfaction with previous learning experiences, and 4) Being unprepared to accept individual differences in teaching styles and approaches.