IB Math Problems Don't Start with IB. Your child isn't struggling with MYP criteria complexity. They're stumbling over equations missed years ago. The curriculum didn't create the gap — it exposed it.
The problem isn't the IB. It's the cracks beneath it.
90 minutes · Online or Offline · Full Gap Report
| What parents see | What's actually happening |
|---|---|
| Low grades in MYP assessments | Weak algebra from Grade 7 that was never addressed |
| "Silly mistakes" in exams | LCM and factorization shortcuts that break under pressure |
| Anxiety before tests | Equation logic that was skipped, not taught |
| "Knows it but can't show it" | Never learned to structure reasoning for Criterion B and C |
The visible problem is the grade. The invisible problem is the foundation.
Mathematics is a stack. Each layer rests on the one beneath it. IB doesn't create weakness — it exposes weakness that was already there.
| Layer | What It Covers | When It's Taught | What Breaks If It's Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layer 1 | Integers, Negatives, BIDMAS | Grades 4-6 | Sign errors everywhere. Vector mechanics fails in DP. |
| Layer 2 | Algebraic Syntax (what 3x actually means) | Grades 6-7 | Cannot understand functions. Calculus becomes impossible. |
| Layer 3 | Equation Logic (equals as balance, not instruction) | Grades 7-8 | Cannot rearrange formulae. Identities make no sense. |
| Layer 4 | Functions & Graphs (input-output, not shapes) | Grades 8-9 | Cannot model real situations. Criterion D fails. |
| Layer 5 | Abstract Proof (deduction, not verification) | Grade 10+ | Capped at Level 6 in Criterion B. DP AA HL becomes survival mode. |
The Invisible Ceiling happens when Layer 1-3 gaps meet Layer 4-5 demands.
Most tuition addresses the current topic (Layer 4-5). The Strategic Audit finds the actual crack (usually Layer 1-3).
When a student makes sign errors or forgets a step, parents say "be more careful." But working memory is finite.
If basic operations — expanding brackets, factorizing, handling negatives — aren't automatic, they consume the cognitive resources needed for higher-order thinking.
Example:
An IB question asks: "Investigate the pattern of the projectile."
The student must:
If step 3 requires conscious effort because of weak foundations, the brain sheds load from steps 1 and 2. The student loses context, misses the pattern, makes a "silly mistake."
The cause isn't carelessness. It's cognitive overload from unfixed Layer 1-2 gaps.
Most students handle Criterion A (Knowing & Understanding) reasonably well. They can solve problems. They can apply formulas. This is the "traditional" part of IB math — and traditional tuition handles it.
But Criterion B (Investigating Patterns) and Criterion C (Communicating) require something different.
Criterion B has four levels. Most students hit a ceiling at level 2 or 3.
Most students can verify. Few can justify.
Justification requires algebraic proof. If Layer 2 (algebraic syntax) is weak, the student is mathematically mute. They see the pattern but cannot explain why it works.
Example:
A student finds that the sum of two odd numbers is always even.
Verification (Level 5-6): "3+5=8, 7+9=16. It works."
Justification (Level 7-8): "Let odd numbers be (2n+1) and (2m+1). Sum = 2n+1 + 2m+1 = 2(n+m+1). Since this has a factor of 2, it is always even."
A student with weak algebraic fluency cannot construct this proof. They are trapped at verification. This is the ceiling.
Criterion C measures mathematical communication — notation, symbols, logical structure.
Parents tell children to "show their work." But Criterion C is not about showing calculation steps. It's about showing logical flow.
IB uses specific command terms. Students lose marks by misunderstanding them.
Students lose marks for mathematical grammar. Using an equals sign as a connector:
3 + 3 = 6 + 1 = 7
This is mathematically incorrect (3+3 ≠ 7) and results in Criterion C penalties. This is a communication problem, fixable only through targeted work on notation.
In primary school, students learn algebra with objects: a for apple, b for banana. So 3a + 2b means "3 apples and 2 bananas."
This model works for simple addition. It collapses for everything else.
If a is an apple, what is a²? A square apple?
In DP Calculus, variables represent continuously varying quantities. dy/dx means "the rate of change of y with respect to x."
A student who views x as a static object — an apple — cannot grasp this. The concept of a limit, a derivative, a rate of change requires understanding variables as quantities that vary.
This misconception — planted in Grade 5, ignored for years — is a primary cause of failure in DP Math AA HL.
The Strategic Audit tests for it explicitly. If the crack is there, we find it.
The Hyderabad tuition market has two dominant models. Both fail.
Applies CBSE/ICSE methods to IB content. Focuses on "getting the right answer." Drills procedures until the student can repeat them.
Result: Criterion A improves. Criteria B and C don't. Grade ceiling at 5-6.
Focuses on this week's assignment. Helps the student complete the worksheet. Answers their immediate questions.
Result: Masks foundational gaps. Creates dependency. Student appears competent only with scaffold present. Remove the scaffold (exam hall), student collapses.
The Strategic Audit is neither. It ignores the current school topic. It finds the historical crack — the Layer 1-3 gap that's causing the Layer 4-5 failure. It repairs the foundation so the current topic becomes manageable.
Four patterns. One will feel familiar.
Scoring 3-4
Profile:
High anxiety. Struggles with basic equations. Often avoids math homework.
Diagnosis:
Severe gaps in Layer 1 (Integers, BIDMAS) and Layer 2 (Algebraic Syntax). The "Fruit Salad" misconception may be present — they think of x as an object, not a quantity.
The Plan:
Stop current school topics. Reset to Integers, LCM, Factors, Order of Operations. Use visual methods to rebuild algebraic understanding. Then reconnect to current MYP content.
Realistic Outcome:
Move from 3-4 to 5-6. Secure MYP pass. Pathway to DP AI SL.
Scoring 4-5, stuck
Profile:
Comfortable with routine questions. "Coasts" in class. Solves familiar problems correctly. Falls apart on unfamiliar problems in exams.
Diagnosis:
Illusion of Competence. They've memorized procedures but lack deep understanding. They can execute methods they've been shown but cannot diagnose which method to use.
The Plan:
Non-routine problems that combine topics (Geometry + Algebra, Functions + Statistics). Force them to identify the underlying structure, not just execute a pre-told method. Focus on Criterion C — structuring reasoning.
Realistic Outcome:
Break into 6-7. Build the struggle capacity needed for DP.
Scoring 5-6, inconsistent
Profile:
Strong math skills — Criterion A is often 7. But overall grade is dragged down by B and C. Often from a CBSE/ICSE background where "getting the answer" was enough.
Diagnosis:
Communication gap. They do the math correctly but cannot structure the reasoning. They skip steps that seem "obvious" to them. They don't know how to write a justification.
The Plan:
Treat math like a language class. Focus on the structure of investigation reports: Hypothesis → Data → Pattern → Rule → Verification → Justification. Drill command terms. Practice writing mathematical sentences.
Realistic Outcome:
Consistent 7. Unlocks the "easy" marks in Criterion B and C that they've been leaving on the table.
Scoring 6-7, aiming for 8
Profile:
Bored in class. School work too easy. Finishes early, makes careless errors from lack of engagement. Risk of complacency.
Diagnosis:
Ready for acceleration. The MYP curriculum isn't challenging them.
The Plan:
Pre-DP teaching. Introduce Logarithms, Unit Circle Trigonometry, Vectors, Proof techniques now — before DP starts. Focus on elegance and efficiency, not just correctness. Expose them to competition-level problems.
Realistic Outcome:
55/56 in MYP eAssessments. Seamless transition to DP AA HL. Top-tier university positioning.
"Better to sweat in peace than to bleed in war."
This is how I teach.
Every session, I give problems a notch higher than comfortable. Not to frustrate — to prepare. When the exam comes, it feels familiar. The stress has already been faced.
Studies show students feel they learn more from smooth video lectures but retain significantly less compared to active, struggle-based learning. Watching a video creates recognition knowledge. Exams require production knowledge.
Every session is live. Every problem is solved in real-time. Questions are expected. Silence is challenged. When you're stuck, I don't give the answer — I wait. That struggle is where learning happens.
Parents often ask for a quick fix. It doesn't exist. If a student moves from 20% to 40%, that's a 100% improvement. We don't chase an overnight 7. We chase the slope of the graph.
For students in MYP Year 4-5 with limited time before eAssessments.
Realistic outcome: Move from 3-4 to 5-6. Not a miracle — a trajectory.
Realistic outcome: Break into 6-7. Build momentum for DP.
Realistic outcome: Consistent 6-7. Criterion B and C no longer unpredictable.
Everything above applies. The difference is: you have time.
Time to fix gaps before they compound. Time to build foundations before MYP Year 4-5 pressure hits. Time to create a student who doesn't need crisis intervention.
The approach is the same. Find the gaps. Fix them properly. Build systematically.
The timeline is different. No compression. No triage. Proper construction.
After a year of foundation work, the marks kick up — and stay up. These students don't just do well in school exams. They perform in National Olympiads. International Olympiads. ACT. Because their fundamentals are solid, not memorized.
This is why we focus on discipline now. When we build a solid foundation and a daily study habit in MYP, two things happen:
I teach the Diploma Programme. I know exactly what is waiting for them.
In DP, they'll face Math AA or Math AI — both at SL or HL. The jump from MYP to DP is significant.
Students who built foundations in MYP thrive. Students who memorized patterns in MYP struggle.
We aren't just fixing math for today. We are building the armor they need for tomorrow.
A few years ago, a family reached out. Their daughter was in DP Year 2. Physics exam in two weeks. She was failing.
I stepped in. Taught vectors and mechanics in 90 minutes. She went to the exam.
After that, I continued — Maths, Physics, occasional Chemistry. I wasn't the specialist they planned for. I was the fallback who worked.
Every year since, I've had students appearing for IB MYP and IBDP exams.
Students from Indus International, Oakridge, Aga Khan Academy, Sreenidhi, Chirec.
I now teach students in Germany, Netherlands, Australia — families who found this approach and decided distance didn't matter.
Certifications don't teach students. Logic does. Discipline does. And showing up when the crisis hits does.
₹1000 · 90 Minutes · Online or Offline
This is not a sales pitch. This is where the work starts.
A diagnostic paper designed to expose gaps — not test current knowledge.
It includes "silent killer" questions that look simple but require foundational understanding:
These are the gaps that don't show up in school homework but destroy exam grades.
The value of the audit is in the discussion, not the score.
We go through every question together. Not "you got this wrong" — but exactly where the thinking failed and which layer has the crack.
I ask: "Talk me through your thinking here. Why did you move the 4 to that side?"
This exposes the logic error. A student might get the right answer for the wrong reason — a false positive. The audit identifies these fragile successes.
I pick one weak concept based on what I observed. I teach it. Right there. The student experiences my teaching style firsthand. They know — before any commitment — whether this approach works for them.
A complete gap map:
This is yours regardless of whether you continue.
After the audit, I don't call to follow up. I don't "check in." If the approach made sense, you'll reach out. If it didn't, no hard feelings.
Currently working with students in: Hyderabad · Germany · Netherlands · Australia
Online sessions available worldwide. In-person at Prashasan Nagar, Jubilee Hills.
