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Math Anxiety: The Last Word From the Clinic to the Classroom

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.

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Math Anxiety: The Last Word From the Clinic to the Classroom

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  1. Math Anxiety: The Last WordFrom the Clinic to the Classroom Sheila Tobias and Victor Piercey, co-authorsBanishing Math Anxiety, Kendall Hunt, 2012

  2. From the clinic…

  3. 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

  4. 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 Math My Performance Other Students’Performance

  5. Brain Schematic ProcessPathways ProcessPathways Memory Input Area Memory Input Area MathProblem Entered MathProblem Entered ProblemSolved ProblemNotSolved

  6. 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)

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. … to the classroom

  10. What “Works” • Relevant and authentic problem solving • Making mistakes safe learning experiences • Mastery learning • Group work (in class)

  11. What Doesn’t Work • Manipulatives (EXCEPT for teachers) • Journaling (EXCEPT for high verbals) • Discussing math anxiety in class • Group assignments outside of class

  12. 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”?

  13. How YOU Can Participate • Share your success stories! • Share your failures too!

  14. Sheila Tobias’ Last WordVictor Piercey’s First Word

  15. “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

  16. 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”)

  17. 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?

  18. 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?

  19. 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?

  20. 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

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