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Math Attack! How to Reduce Math Anxiety

Math Attack! How to Reduce Math Anxiety. Brenda I. Mejias Academic Coordinator Student Support Services. Can You Relate?. Math is too hard for me. I will never learn math. I panic when I think about taking a math class. I “freeze” on math tests and can’t remember anything. I hate math!.

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Math Attack! How to Reduce Math Anxiety

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  1. Math Attack!How to Reduce Math Anxiety Brenda I. Mejias Academic Coordinator Student Support Services

  2. Can You Relate? • Math is too hard for me. • I will never learn math. • I panic when I think about taking a math class. • I “freeze” on math tests and can’t remember anything. • I hate math!

  3. What is Math Anxiety? • A feeling of intense frustration or helplessness about one’s ability to do math. • Feelings of tension that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations.

  4. Math Anxiety is... • …about feelings, not ability. • … a “learned” feeling that can be “unlearned”. • … is very real and occurs among thousands of people.

  5. Blocking out Tension Panic Paranoia Tune out Guilt Physical reactions Avoidance What are the Symptoms ofMath Anxiety?

  6. Where DoesMath Anxiety Come From? • Early intense reaction • Unhappy encounter with a particular teacher • Singled out or humiliated in math class • Methods of teaching • Pressure from parents, teachers and peers • Event that caused you get behind

  7. Math Myths and Misconceptions • The math mind or math brain • Gender and Race • Uselessness of Math • Math is logic, uncreative • Only important to get the right answer

  8. What Changes Can YOU Make? • Face your anxiety • Free yourself from the past • Positive attitude - Set math goals • Effective Math Study Skills (future workshop) • Know your learning style • Relax, it’s only Math! • Try, try again. Don’t accept failure.

  9. Why Study Math?How Can It Possibly Help Me? • To keep career options open • To be a careful consumer • savings, credit, shopping • To keep up with future trends • interpret graphs and charts, probability theory • To get personal satisfaction • home decorating, cooking, help w/ homework

  10. How Do YOU Changethe Way YOU Feel? • Discuss your feelings • Math is an important part of the world around us. • Math teaches us how to think. • Math is not for the “magical few”. • Confronting problems and working to solve them greatly improves our self-esteem.

  11. Why Set Goals? Goals create purpose. Purpose generates plans. Plans produce actions. Action builds habits. Good habits create SUCCESS!

  12. Resources and References • Curtain-Phillips, Marilyn, M.Ed.. Math Attack: How to reduce math anxiety in the classroom, at work and in everyday personal use. (1999). • Martin, Donald. How to be a successful student. (1991). • Oxrieder, C. Ann and Ray, Janet P. You Number’s Up: a calculated approach to successful math study. (1982). • Sembera, Angela and Hovis, Michael. Math, a four letter word! A math anxiety handbook. 2nd edition. (1990). • Tobias, Sheila. Overcoming math anxiety. (1994). • Zaslavsky, Claudia. Fear of Math: How to get over it and get with your life. (1994). • Web Sites: • LeMoyne College - Academics Support • www.lemoyne.edu/academics_support_center/ • Coping with Math Anxiety • www. mathacademy.com/platonic_realms/ • Overcoming Math Anxiety • www.staff.albion.edu/math/qsc/mathanx.htm

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