Math Anxiety: The Last Word
From the Clinic to the Classroom
Sheila Tobias and Victor Piercey, co-authors
Banishing 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
Math
 The learner
 The subject
 Everyone else who
learns it faster or
better than I do
My Performance
Other Students’
Performance
Brain Schematic
Memory
Process
Pathways
Input Area
Memory
Process
Pathways
Input Area
Math
Problem
Entered
Math
Problem
Entered
Problem
Solved
Problem
Not
Solved
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