Overcoming Math Anxiety

Your Mathematical Autobiography

• Make a list of all of the math courses you have ever taken.
• How did you feel about each course?
• Did you like the teacher?
• Did you perform at a level that you felt good about?
• Try to identify the first time that you felt symptoms of math anxiety

Commonly Held Myths

• The Myth of Innate Inferiority
• Math Mindedness
• Gender
• Race
• The Myth of the Uselessness of Math
• The Myths Surrounding the Nature of Mathematics
• Every problem has one exact answer
• The goal in math is to find THE ANSWER
• Math problems are meant to be solved as quickly as possible
• If a problem cannot be solved immediately, it cannot be solved
• Math is based on the memorization of facts, rules, formulas, and procedures. You just need to know when to apply which formula or procedure
• There is no room in mathematics for conjecture, collaboration, experimentation, innovation, estimation, or intuition

Self Defeating Behaviors

• Avoiding studying math if possible
• Studying alone
• Not asking questions
• Not using office hours
• Not gaining the full benefit of the text
• Practicing self-defeating self-talk

How You Can Learn to Manage Your Feelings Toward Math

• Review your past experiences
• Analyze your personal style
• How do you handle frustration in other areas of your life?
• How do you like to work?
• Alone or in a group?
• Orally or written?
• Reflective or impulsive?
• How persistent are you in general?
• How much outside encouragement do you need?
• How likely are you to ask for help? Would you ask an instructor or a peer?
• How do you learn best?
• Hearing?
• Tape record lectures (get permission first)
• Read aloud from your notes and book
• Seeing?
• Pay extra attention to charts and graphs
• Draw a picture or a sketch
• Use color when you can
• Doing?
• Write while you work
• Speak aloud as you go through a problem
• Discussing?
• Get a partner or group to study with
• Discuss and reflect on your work
• Practice positive self talk
• Get a study partner or study group
• Pay attention to the details
• Go to every class meeting
• Read the text carefully.
• Ask questions when you need to
• Trust your intuition
• Emphasize your understanding
• Be persistent

References

Gardner, Howard. Frames of Mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. Basic Books, New York, 1983.

Kogelman, Stanley and Warren, Joseph. Mind Over Math: Put yourself on the road to success by freeing yourself from math anxiety. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1978.

Tobias, Sheila. Overcoming Math Anxiety. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., New York, New York, 1978.

Zaslavsky, Claudia. Fear of Math: How to Get Over It and Get On with Your Life. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1994.

This overview was compiled by Karla McCavit for the Quantitative Skills Center at Albion College.

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