Reducing Math Anxiety

Math anxiety is the worry and tension that some students feel whenever they work on
mathematical problems. Mainly, this fear can be caused by teachers and students. Teachers can
make students anxious when handling math problems and lack enthusiasm when teaching the
subject. Also, some teachers are so mean with their compliments and adopt intimidating
comments to students whenever they fail some math tasks. Besides, being unable to explain tasks
effectively can make students fear handling mathematical problems. On the other hand, math
anxiety can be caused by students who lack the right attitude in handling math problems.
Generally, these anxieties are experienced when students are exposed to timed tests or when they
are asked to solve math problems on the board in front of other students.
There are several ways of solving math anxieties. Students and teachers can adopt these
ways based on different contexts. Three of these approaches are creating a conducive classroom
environment for learning, allowing students to work in groups, and dispelling misconceptions
surrounding math subjects. Firstly, teachers should focus on creating a classroom environment
conducive to learning math. This approach is implemented before a teacher can begin teaching.
The approach should aim at making students feel safe and motivated to collaborate and engage
accordingly in pursuing mathematical knowledge. Teachers can achieve this approach by
focusing on what to be taught and why it is taught, organizing mathematical concepts through
researching the concepts to be taught, encouraging a culture of asking questions during the
lesson, et cetera. Besides, teachers can adopt a learner-centered classroom when teaching math to
enable students to participate more in learning. When teachers make learners the center of
learning, he motivates them to bring new ideas into the educational setting and allow them to
construct their own meanings through the guidance of a teacher.
Secondly, teachers can reduce math anxiety among learners by allowing students to work
in groups. Group work enables students who are weak in mathematical tasks to ask questions and
learn more from their peers. Mostly, the weak students may not be fond of their teachers, hence,
may deliberately avoid asking questions out of this notion. However, in the groups, students feel
free because they are all of the same calibers. Group work enables students to acquire a variety
of critical thinking, analytical, and communication skills, as well as effective teamwork,
appreciation for different points of view, and respect for different approaches to problem-
solving. All of these factors encourage active learning and improve student learning.
Lastly, the teacher should dispel the negative misconception surrounding math that makes
some students fear handling mathematical problems. For example, the common misconception is
that this subject is for the genius and cannot be done by average learners. Besides, some people
believe that math is a subject that only male learners can excel in. This assumption makes female
learners perform poorly in the subject. Thus, during the introductory sessions of math lessons, a
teacher can spare some time to deconstruct these pre-existing assumptions because they will
contribute to the negative learning of concepts. Teachers can dispel negative assumptions by
relating math subjects to real-life experiences. This will make learners perceive the subject like
any other ordinary one and adopt a positive attitude toward learning it. Apart from these
approaches, teachers should always reward weak students whenever they improve in math. Even
though the improvement could be slight, recognizing students will make them put more effort
and love the subject.