Math Anxiety: The Last WordFrom the Clinic to the Classroom

Sheila Tobias and Victor Piercey, co-authorsBanishing Math Anxiety, Kendall Hunt, 2012

From the clinic…

Math Anxiety Analysis

Why do otherwise school-successful young people (especially but not exclusively girls and minority males and females) “under-perform” in mathematics?– Not a failure of intellect, but a failure of nerve– The math-anxiety model– The math anxiety interventions

Issues in Etiology of Math Anxiety

Math is a three-way relationship The learner The subject Everyone else who

learns it faster or better than I do

My Performance Other Students’Performance

Math

Brain Schematic

ProcessPathwaysMemory Input Area

MathProblem Entered

ProblemSolved

ProcessPathwaysMemory Input Area

MathProblem Entered

ProblemNotSolved

Beliefs in the Wider Culture

Beliefs about mathematics learning and teaching Math is done instantly if at all You’re either good in math or good in the

language arts You have to have a “mathematical mind” to do

well in mathematics (or science)

Clinical Interventions

Math Autobiography Group Work “talk therapy” Divided page exercise Questions with multiple answers Problems with multiple approaches Writing about the Problem Drawing schematics about the Problem

The Goal: Math Mental Health

Learning the Math you need when you need it Not turning down job challenges or promotions

because these might involve higher-level math “Taking an expert to lunch” (I have the right to

ask for help

… to the classroom

What “Works”

Relevant and authentic problem solving

Making mistakes safe learning experiences

Mastery learning

Group work (in class)

What Doesn’t Work

Manipulatives (EXCEPT for teachers)

Journaling (EXCEPT for high verbals)

Discussing math anxiety in class

Group assignments outside of class

Toward a Comprehensive Strategy

Different things work better or worse for different students.

Can we find a way to match the student with the “treatment”?

How YOU Can Participate

Share your success stories!

Share your failures too!

Sheila Tobias’ Last Word

Victor Piercey’s First Word

“Bigger Picture”

The story line. Where we’re going in this course. How we’ll get there. What you’ll be able to do with what you learn in this course.

References: David Ausubel’s work on “Advanced Organizers”Tobias-Tomizuka “How Mathematics is Used in Science” from “Breaking the Science Barrier

Learning Styles-Fitting the Material to your own

Visual Learners – start with graphing equations

Choose your weapon: Calculator? Computer? Or Pencil & Paper?

Aural learners like group discussions; learn by listening and talking

High verbals have to be forewarned: math is a language with specific rules (see Tobias-Piercey chapter, “Deciphering the Code”)

The “Textbook Dilemma”

Why read the textbook? Lifelong Learning Skill

Making the case that “Knowing How” to solve textbook problems involves “Knowing about” the problems: how are they different? How are they similar?

Options: Reading “Up” or Reading “Down”? Theory first? Examples first? Problems first?

Marking up the text; Why do it? How to do it?

Dealing with Legitimate “Test Anxiety”

More time for tests? Allow if feasible

Self help: clock watching at home; self monitoring; self-calming

Apply Divided Page techniques to distract: What is making this problem difficult for me? What can I do to make it easier for myself (simplify, draw a picture, ask for help);

How do I know if my answer is reasonable?

Getting More out of Homework I

The Divided Page Exercise applied to Homework

Getting Started

What is making this problem difficult for me?

How could I simplify it? Simpler numbers? Drawing a picture/graph?

Keeping going, when energy/confidence flag

Review: where did I go wrong at the outset? What did I do right?

Getting More out of Doing Homework II

“Real (lasting) mathematics learning mostly takes place when a student is grappling alone and individually with homework problems. Yet, that is where the college provides least help and supervision”, insight from Uri Triesman.

Triesman’s “study gangs” homework as a collective experience. Talking, arguing, demonstrating, convincing others.

Take care that females are not ignored/intimidated in study groups