Do you hear groans when math homework comes out?

Is there more tears before a math test?

Does your own anxiety increase when you look at your child’s math homework (or when you have to do math yourself?)?

Math anxiety is a real thing!

Research shows that about 20-25% of kiddos experience moderate or high levels of math anxiety.  Although both boys and girls experience math anxiety, it is more typically found in girls.  It occurs as early as elementary school (1st grade!) and can lead to an avoidance of math learning for years to come.  In fact, research has shown that a child’s level of math anxiety in 1-3rd grades predicted their math achievement above and beyond their foundational math skills!  Math anxiety continues to increase throughout middle school and junior high school- this is where math concepts start to become more abstract.  

So what are some things that we can do?

1. Manage our own math anxiety (or anxiety in general):  We know that students who have teachers who have math anxiety tend to learn less math during the year.  Being aware of that, teachers (and parents) can be mindful about their own anxiety especially when teaching these difficult (and sometimes stressful) concepts

2. Teach basic study skills:  Work with your kiddo on developing effective study skills in order to help them overcome their math anxiety.

3. Teach from a Growth Mindset:  Foster a growth mindset with your kiddo to increase their resiliency and grit when encountering challenging problems

4. Make math fun:  Play games, find math IRL, talk through your own math ‘homework’ (e.g., budgeting, time management, etc.) to make math more real and more accessible

Resources include:

Understood.org: 

https://www.understood.org/en/articles/math-anxiety-vs-dyscalculia-compare-the-signs?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=math+anxiety&utm_campaign=EN_Dyscalculia_EJ&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsburBhCIARIsAExmsu4QHWyMB0w4EAEfVG0741leVeo1ZISyyK95byWxJOWU0nCZErs2_wcaAvCeEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds 

National Math Foundation:

https://nationalmathfoundation.org/curriculum-research/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsburBhCIARIsAExmsu6bSSXcGqrwV-eb3VE-3gakuuMkkT0hGIXMbloHYiAG3S1mJDEKfPkaAgVtEALw_wcB 

National Math and Science Initiative:

https://www.nms.org/Resources/Newsroom/Blog/2023/November/Addressing-Math-Anxiety-in-Low-Resource-Schools.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQiAsburBhCIARIsAExmsu4BYyt2fqzqjkhcvlk7eHgT_P8NqLPtQ6AQZbLfUT9p3elYe6wI8bcaAm-NEALw_wcB#:~:text=increasing%20their%20anxiety.-,Strategies%20to%20Overcome%20Math%20Anxiety,-Implementing%20strategies%20to 

Child Mind Institute:

https://childmind.org/article/help-kids-with-math-anxiety/ 

“Solve for Math Anxiety” (Kirsten Weir, 2023, Monitor on Psychology)