Overcoming mathematics anxiety in the classroom
Symptoms, causes, challenges and strategies
The post effectively covers the topic of mathematics anxiety, offering a thorough overview of symptoms, causes, and strategies for preservice teachers to address this challenge in the classroom.
Read Time: 5 minutes
Maths anxiety is a significant hurdle that many students encounter on their academic journey. As preservice teachers, understanding the symptoms, causes, challenges, and effective strategies to address this issue is crucial for creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. In this article, we will explore the various facets of mathematics anxiety and provide practical tips for mitigating its impact.
Symptoms of maths anxiety
Maths anxiety is characterised by both physiological and cognitive symptoms. Students may experience increased heart rate and breathing, coupled with invasive negative thoughts and worries about their ability to understand and solve mathematical problems. These symptoms typically arise when students anticipate or engage in mathematics tasks. Research suggests that students who learn to manage these symptoms through emotional regulation skills can mitigate their detrimental effects on mathematics performance and learning.
Causes of maths anxiety
The origins of maths anxiety often lies in fixed mindsets or beliefs about one’s mathematical abilities. Negative self-perceptions like “I’m not good at math” or “I’ll never grasp this” can perpetuate this anxiety, as can a teachers negative emotions towards mathematics. These beliefs are shaped by long-standing experiences with parents, teachers, and peers, and are reinforced by past struggles with mathematics. Challenging these negative beliefs about mathematical potential is a crucial step in alleviating mathematics anxiety.
Join our newsletter to stay updated
Challenges: cultural, conceptual, and pedagogical
Negative cultural perceptions and attitudes towards mathematics contributes to the acceptance of math anxiety as a common emotional response. This can affect peer relationships and social identities, particularly during adolescence. To address this, highlighting positive role models in mathematics, whether from the community or fiction, can help challenge these negative stereotypes.
Cultural challenges
Conceptual challenges
Maths anxiety is a subject of discussion in education, often focusing on its negative aspects. However, it’s essential to reframe math anxiety by recognising the positive and constructive qualities of mathematics. This includes understanding that experiencing math anxiety indicates a certain level of value and interest in mathematics. Additionally moderate levels of anxiety can actually enhance performance. Educators should emphasise that the goal is not to eradicate all anxiety, but to regulate it to a level that promotes optimal mathematics performance and learning.
In many classrooms, math’s anxiety is indirectly addressed by focusing on building mathematics confidence and understanding. The assumption is that improved confidence will reduce anxiety. However, this approach doesn’t work for all students and may not provide long-term relief. Research suggests that both direct psychological strategies and indirect educational strategies should be used in combination to successfully reduce math anxiety. This includes addressing the symptoms of anxiety through emotion regulation and the causes through pedagogical practices that foster a growth mindset, challenge negative thinking about math, and allow students to achieve personal success in mathematics.
Pedagogical challenges
Strategies to address mathematics anxiety
For preservice teachers, addressing mathematics anxiety requires a multifaceted approach. Understanding the symptoms and causes is the first step. To identify maths anxiety in students, creating mathematics metaphors can help reveal their beliefs, thinking patterns, and emotions related to math. For teachers, conducting anonymous staff surveys can gauge anxiety levels without compromising privacy.
Addressing maths anxiety is not about eliminating all anxiety but reducing and regulating it to a level that fosters the best mathematical performance and learning. By implementing these strategies, educators can create a supportive learning environment where students feel confident and capable in their mathematical pursuits.
Resources
Numerous texts delve into the subject of mathematics anxiety, and here are some examples:
- The Monster Who Did My Math by Danny Shnitzlein
- When Sophie Thinks She Can’t by Molly Bang
- I’m Trying to Love Math by Bethany Barton
- Donavan’s Double Trouble by Monalisa Degross
- The Neverending Math Test: Working to Understand Our Strengths and Limitations by Tosca Killoran, Jeff Hoffart, Riva Zietsoff
- Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
