Recently I was eating in a restaurant in Austin where I sat next to a table of five people who looked to be in their mid twenties. The waitress brought them their bill and I could not help noticing that they were struggling to figure out how to divide it up and how much to leave for a tip. This went on for a while when finally one of them said: “Isn’t it funny that we are all graduate students and we can’t figure out the bill?”
Now imagine this situation:
Five people walk into a restaurant and are seated. The waitress brings each of them a menu. They all sit quietly for a while until finally and one of them says: “Isn’t it funny that we are all graduate students and none of us can read these menus?”
Do you think that this is as likely to happen as the first scenario?
The point here is that everyone is aware of the importance of knowing how to read in our society, but very few view mathematics with nearly the same regard. Where it can be considered funny not to understand basic mathematics, it is usually considered to be quite embarrassing to be illiterate.
Math anxiety is an intense emotional feeling of anxiety that people have about their ability to understand and do mathematics. People who suffer from math anxiety feel that they are incapable of doing activities and classes that involve math. Some math anxious people even have a fear of math; it's called math phobia. The incidence of math anxiety among college students has risen significantly over the last decade. Many students have even chosen their college major in the basis of how little math is required for the degree. Math anxiety is an emotional, rather than intellectual, problem. However, math anxiety interferes with a person's ability to learn math and therefore results in an intellectual problem.
Following are the ways to reduce maths anxiety.
1. Practice If you’re having math trouble, practice a little math everyday. Do you think athletes improve their game just by watching? By practicing their craft everyday they improve both their skills and confidence. Repetition is important in math. You learn how to solve problems by doing them. So keep on practicing problems. But don’t do it blindly, make sure you learn how to recognize when and why you should use a specific method to solve a problem. When practicing, try to solve the problem on your own first, then look at the answer or seek help.
2. Know the basics. Be sure you know your math from prior grades. Maybe you missed something when you moved to a new school. Math builds on itself, so you will have to go back and relearn that stuff. Remember it’s never too late to learn. Besides, you’re older now. It’ll be easier and quicker to learn. This is an area where a math tutor can be of great help.
3. Don’t go by memory alone. Try to understand your math. Memorizing is a real trap. When you’re nervous, memory is the first thing to go. By understanding the material you minimize what you must memorize. This also makes it easier to apply concepts to new situations.
4. Make a list Make up a list with all of the formulas you need to know. Try to make sense of the formulas and understand the purpose of each formula. Use the list to help study and try to recall a problem that was solved by each formula.
5. Be well prepared Being well prepared is one of the best ways to reduce test taking anxiety. Begin to study for a test at least three days in advance. Review class materials often and practice homework problems. Be very thorough. Do not skip over large sections of material, and most important do not wait until the night before the test and try to learn everything.
6. You are not alone! Many people dislike and are nervous about math, so know that you are not alone. Even mathematicians are sometimes unsure of themselves and get that sinking, panicky feeling called “math anxiety” when they first confront a new problem. But successful people use nerves in a positive way.
7. Stay positive Maintain a positive attitude while preparing for tests and during the test. No loser-talk please.
8. Ask questions. Some people think asking questions is a sign of weakness. It’s not. It’s a sign of strength. In fact, other students will be glad. (They have questions, too.) Again, a tutor can be a big help here.
9. Do math in a way that’s natural for you. There’s often more than one way to work a math problem. Maybe the teacher’s way stumps you at first. Don’t give up. Work to understand it your way. Then it will be easier to understand it the teacher’s way. Remember, “every mind has it’s own method.”
10. Exercise and sleep Exercising for a few days before the test will help reduce stress. It will also help you get a good night’s sleep before the test.
11. Trouble with the text? Get another math book. Maybe a book in the library will explain things better. There are many good review books. If you can not find one ask a teacher or a tutor.
12. Get help. Everyone needs help now and then. Try to form a study group with friends (two heads are better than one), take a review course, or work with a math tutor.
In conclusion, math anxiety is a very real phobia for many people of all ages, gender and ethnicity. Research has shown that creating a positive environment and attitude toward mathematics and students understanding their own confusions and learning style contributes toward alleviating math anxiety.
Combined with positive reinforcement, students need to be given opportunities for experimenting, exploring, conjecturing, solution inventing and reflecting on work (Curtain-Phillips, 2003, and Martinez, 2003). Therefore, there is no stand-alone teaching technique in overcoming math anxiety but rather a whole range of techniques and strategies.
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