Is being good at math something you are born with?

I believe so. This is based on my own personal experience.

$Abstract painting of a child reading surrounded by an imaginative world$

In Secondary 1 and 2, I was usually in the top three for my Math tests. And I didn’t study. I was naturally inclined towards math.

At that level, the focus was more on algebra. For me, that topic just made sense. I didn’t have tuition. I learned and studied in school, and that was about it.

After reflecting on seven years of teaching, I believe intelligence is more “you are born with it” than “I can become a genius.” It’s the nature-versus-nurture debate.

Earlier, I explained the nature part of it: I was born mathematically inclined. Now let’s turn to the nurture part. Did my environment play a role in making me mathematically inclined?

First, I was born into a low-income family, as certified by the government. What were the criteria?

Gross Household Income (GHI) of $4,000 a month or less, or
Per Capita Income (PCI) of $1,000 a month or less.

My father’s pay was less than $2,500 while he was trying to feed a family of five. This meant my parents couldn’t afford private tutors for me.

Maybe my parents could help me with my homework?

My mum was not formally educated, and my father had a primary school education.

What about Singapore’s education system? Well, I would say that in my school, we weren’t the studious kind. I generally just talked to my classmates during Math class. Yes, we did the Math exercises and homework from school, but that was about it. Pretty basic. Nothing special.

Therefore, to me, intelligence is more nature than nurture. And the crazy part is—hypothetically:

Math inclined + no help (for example, tuition) = above-average grades, at worst.
Not math inclined + no help = the worst grades, at worst.
Math inclined + good help = very high grades.
Not math inclined + good help = above-average grades.

I’ve seen classmates work harder than me but not get the grades I got.

Unfair? Yes. Life is unfair.