Math Anxiety
————--
John Kim
————--
John Kim
Our society believes mathematics is not for everyone. Only a select few will dare announce publicly that they cannot read. However, many will proudly wear a button on their shirt stating, "I am bad at math." The notion that math is an esoteric, inaccessible topic is a remarkable example of contradiction. Mathematics is about searching for patterns and relationships. Is it not ironic when "non-math" people observe and conclude this very idea?
Teachers
Teachers are not immune from this effect. The problem is especially apparent in the elementary school teacher population. I got to see this myself in first grade. Our class was learning subtraction. The teacher had five minus two on the board and showed us visually why it was three. I raised my hand and asked, "What is two minus five?" The teacher cringed and replied, “You cannot do that. You have to put the larger number in front.” I did not understand her explanation so I asked my question again. Visibly irritated she repeated herself. I responded with, “I do not understand”, the teacher retorted, “Because I say so. If you ask again, I will send a note home.”
According to an article from the American Educator,
“There is also evidence of a more general link between teachers’ behavior and students’ math performance. In a preliminary study of 17 teachers and 117 first- and second-grade students, researchers found that female elementary school teachers’ math anxiety (over 90 percent of elementary school teachers in the United States are female) related to their female students’ math achievement at the end of the school year–the higher a teacher’s math anxiety, the lower her female students’ math achievement by the end of the school year (that’s after accounting for girls’ beginning-of-the-year math achievement and teachers’ math knowledge). Initially, we interpreted our findings as being specific to girls (a transmission of math negativity from female teachers to female students). However, in a large-scale follow-up enlisting more than 70 teachers and 650 of their first- and second-grade students, we found that teachers’ math anxiety also is negatively related to boys’ math achievement (albeit not as strongly) at the end of the school year. Regardless of a student’s gender, his or her teacher’s math anxiety seems to carry implications for the student’s level of math achievement.”
Students
Thinking back, I am sure my teacher understood negative numbers. However, she was not prepared for a student to press that question further through genuine curiosity. I do not have great memory. If I do not understand a concept, it is difficult for me to remember it. I needed to memorize so many rules in elementary school. My disadvantage forced me to use another method. I realized I could remember basic ideas and build complicated relationships from them. Essentially compressing my knowledge and expanding at will when needed.
Another excerpt from the American Educator,
“Another characteristic of kids is important, but this one doesn’t predict who is likely to suffer from anxiety. Instead, it predicts whose math performance is most disrupted should they get anxious. And the finding is rather counterintuitive: kids with the highest level of working memory show the most pronounced negative relation between math anxiety and math achievement.”
This provides an argument towards less rote learning augmented with critical thinking methods of teaching.
Possible Solutions
Ensure fundamental skills. Strengthen basic numerical and spatial processing by getting parents involved in discussing these concepts at home. Create and implement targeted differentiated lessons for those struggling at certain topics.
Focus on teacher training. Have teachers feel confident in their preparation to teach math. Instead of direct math instruction, teachers should focus on how to teach mathematics.
Try reducing anxiety by changing the assessment. Relaxing the emphasis of a timed test allows students to channel their efforts on just completing the exam.
Think carefully about what to say when students struggle. Consoling a student can add to their anxiety. Instead a word of encouragement that acknowledges difficulty yet recognizes capability goes a long way.
Links to sources and additional reading.
http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/summer2014/Beilock.pdf
http://www.mathgoodies.com/articles/math_anxiety.html
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/06/reducing_math_anxiety_how_can.html
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/5/1860.long
http://stemwire.org/2013/05/31/math-anxiety-doesnt-just-affect-students/
Teachers
Teachers are not immune from this effect. The problem is especially apparent in the elementary school teacher population. I got to see this myself in first grade. Our class was learning subtraction. The teacher had five minus two on the board and showed us visually why it was three. I raised my hand and asked, "What is two minus five?" The teacher cringed and replied, “You cannot do that. You have to put the larger number in front.” I did not understand her explanation so I asked my question again. Visibly irritated she repeated herself. I responded with, “I do not understand”, the teacher retorted, “Because I say so. If you ask again, I will send a note home.”
According to an article from the American Educator,
“There is also evidence of a more general link between teachers’ behavior and students’ math performance. In a preliminary study of 17 teachers and 117 first- and second-grade students, researchers found that female elementary school teachers’ math anxiety (over 90 percent of elementary school teachers in the United States are female) related to their female students’ math achievement at the end of the school year–the higher a teacher’s math anxiety, the lower her female students’ math achievement by the end of the school year (that’s after accounting for girls’ beginning-of-the-year math achievement and teachers’ math knowledge). Initially, we interpreted our findings as being specific to girls (a transmission of math negativity from female teachers to female students). However, in a large-scale follow-up enlisting more than 70 teachers and 650 of their first- and second-grade students, we found that teachers’ math anxiety also is negatively related to boys’ math achievement (albeit not as strongly) at the end of the school year. Regardless of a student’s gender, his or her teacher’s math anxiety seems to carry implications for the student’s level of math achievement.”
Students
Thinking back, I am sure my teacher understood negative numbers. However, she was not prepared for a student to press that question further through genuine curiosity. I do not have great memory. If I do not understand a concept, it is difficult for me to remember it. I needed to memorize so many rules in elementary school. My disadvantage forced me to use another method. I realized I could remember basic ideas and build complicated relationships from them. Essentially compressing my knowledge and expanding at will when needed.
Another excerpt from the American Educator,
“Another characteristic of kids is important, but this one doesn’t predict who is likely to suffer from anxiety. Instead, it predicts whose math performance is most disrupted should they get anxious. And the finding is rather counterintuitive: kids with the highest level of working memory show the most pronounced negative relation between math anxiety and math achievement.”
This provides an argument towards less rote learning augmented with critical thinking methods of teaching.
Possible Solutions
Ensure fundamental skills. Strengthen basic numerical and spatial processing by getting parents involved in discussing these concepts at home. Create and implement targeted differentiated lessons for those struggling at certain topics.
Focus on teacher training. Have teachers feel confident in their preparation to teach math. Instead of direct math instruction, teachers should focus on how to teach mathematics.
Try reducing anxiety by changing the assessment. Relaxing the emphasis of a timed test allows students to channel their efforts on just completing the exam.
Think carefully about what to say when students struggle. Consoling a student can add to their anxiety. Instead a word of encouragement that acknowledges difficulty yet recognizes capability goes a long way.
Links to sources and additional reading.
http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/summer2014/Beilock.pdf
http://www.mathgoodies.com/articles/math_anxiety.html
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/06/reducing_math_anxiety_how_can.html
http://www.pnas.org/content/107/5/1860.long
http://stemwire.org/2013/05/31/math-anxiety-doesnt-just-affect-students/