I have experience tutoring high school and college math courses along with preparing people for standardized tests through math tutoring. Oftentimes students who have not received a strong math basis suddenly appear to hit a brick wall when they encounter upper level math courses. Algebra is one course that causes students to feel that for some reason they just don’t get math. They start to feel that they have a “math block” or that for some reason they just are not capable of succeeding in math. As a math tutor I have helped many people who describe themselves as having a math "block" by using positive reinforcement and getting to the root of their misunderstandings. I've found that math "blocks" have their foundations in poor math instruction during a person's elementary school years when an understanding of the basics is not taught and a program of “memorizing steps” is used instead. Sometimes it's necessary to reprogram the way a person thinks about math. Overcoming a math block can take time and patience but being confident with your math skills far outweighs the sacrifice. If you think you have a math block and that you "just don't get it" at whatever level the course, please contact me, a qualified math tutor in Austin, Texas.