Teaching Maths Anxiety

As already implied, teachers play a significant role in the maths anxiety discourse. Firstly, like parents, a teacher’s attitude towards mathematics is extremely influential upon the students within the classroom. Teachers, through a subtle form of osmosis, may unconsciously, through class interaction and dialogue, pass on to students their own attitudes and anxiety towards mathematics (Stolpa, 2004, p. 4). Interstingly in a study of college majors by Hembree (1990, in Ashcraft & Krause, 2007, 9. 247) it was identified that those subjects who tested highest for maths anxiety were those preparing to become elementary school teachers!

In my first year of study as a pre-service teacher, when completing an introduction to numeracy paper, a number of my fellow students struggled. They constantly expressed their dislike of math and their inability to understand concepts, and knowing what I know now, I would suggest some exhibited high levels of maths anxiety.

According to Ashcraft & Krause, the result of this is that students in primary school are in danger of being ‘stranded’ in classrooms where the teacher may ‘possibly defensively adopt a cold, unsupportive approach’ (p. 247). Sheila Ford, a former teacher, principal and member of the US board for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, contends that “student uneasiness in maths tends to rise faster if they have a sense that a teacher does not have mastery of the material” (Cavanagh, 2007, p. 12). I strongly believe it is incumbent upon us, as prospective teachers of mathematics, to ensure that we are prepared and have the required pedagogical content knowledge to successfully meet the needs of all learners (mathematicians) in our classrooms.

Curriculum and Pedagogy

Curriculum and pedagogy both bear consideration, too. As alluded to earlier, a wide body of research suggests maths anxiety only really begins to manifest in primary school. Geist (2010) and others highlights the detrimental effect formal schooling can have. Children who have previously constructed mathematical conceptual understanding are confronted with textbooks, teacher imposed solutions and methods, repetition, and an over reliance on high stakes timed testing. High stakes timed testing and repetition are especially insidious for students at risk of maths anxiety; they invariably use more working memory for these tasks and as such “choke under the pressure” (Cavanagh, 2007, p. 12). Similarly, anxiety can be aroused when students are directed to solve problems on the board or in front of the class, subject to performance pressures (progress charts, tests), and when they are exposed to new concepts without developing the framework to support the new learning (Geist; Ashcraft & Moore).

However, teachers can make a positive difference for students who have Math anxiety. Some simple suggestions will be discussed next. 

And, it is worth noting that the majority of these suggestions should really be just a matter of good practice for all students…