Math anxiety is a common phenomenon among students of all ages. It can be a vicious cycle, leading to poor performance on exams and avoidance of mathematics altogether. Fortunately, there are strategies that can help you overcome math anxiety and succeed in mathematics. Researchers led by Alana Foley, from the University of Chicago, analyzed the phenomenon in 64 different countries and discovered that students with greater mathematical anxiety tend to perform worse on mathematics exams.
Jo Boaler, author and professor of mathematics at Stanford University, highlights the fact that research shows that “early anxiety increases like a snowball, leading to mathematical difficulties and avoidance that only worsen as children get older”.
Read Information About Study Skills
. Success in mathematics is not based on talent, but on time and preparation. Everyone has taken a different path to success in mathematics.It is important to read up on study skills, time management, note-taking and reading textbooks.
Practice and Repetition
. Mathematics focuses on practice and repetition. Unlike other subjects, you cannot listen to a lecture or read a textbook and fully understand the concepts and ideas discussed.Mathematics is about doing more than just listening or copying. Asking questions, consulting the textbook, drawing diagrams, or inserting hypothetical numbers into an equation are part of the active process of doing mathematics. When you try to memorize procedures, rules and routines without much understanding, mathematics is quickly forgotten and panic soon takes hold.
Breathing Exercises
. A study published in Learning and Individual Differences found that breathing exercises can help reduce math anxiety.Taking deep breaths can help you relax and focus on the task at hand.
Focus on Conceptual Understanding
. The best way to learn mathematics is to focus on conceptual understanding instead of worrying about remembering a specific formula. Piqosity offers materials that can help students overcome math anxiety with more than 1500 personalized practice questions, more than 50 lessons, explanations of answers, an online whiteboard, and home printing options.Seek Professional Help
. If you're a parent and you notice that your child is struggling with math anxiety, there are some things you can do to help him overcome it.Consider seeking professional help from a tutor or psychologist who specializes in math anxiety. Alarmingly, about 17% of Americans suffer from high levels of math anxiety according to a study published in the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. However, with practice and effort, everyone can succeed in mathematics. The best way to overcome math anxiety is to start enjoying it, respecting it or at least enjoying the moment when you finally solve that problem.
