TITLE

How to Help a Child With Math Anxiety

DESCRIPTION

Do you experience math anxiety?  A number of studies have begun to exam young children in school settings and their reactions to dealing with mathematics.  “Math anxiety is a common psychophysiological reaction characterized by feelings of dread and apprehension, increased heart rate and sweating. Up to 30 percent of people report moderate to high levels of math anxiety, a condition researchers have observed in children as young as 6. In brain-image scans, math-anxious children show more activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain central to processing fear.”  This is a short interesting article that points out how parents, peers, and teachers can trigger math anxiety in children.  The article offers simple steps to help children cope with the math anxiety and words of wisdom to the parents.

SOURCE

New York Times, March 22, 2022, by Malia Wollan

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/magazine/kids-math-anxiety.html?smid=em-share

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/224a2ppd

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•First read the textbook sections on anxiety, then looking at the article:  Does anxiety in children in anyway differ from anxiety in adults?  Yes? No?   Explain the rationale for your answer.

•According to the article, how do teachers and peers increase math anxiety in children?

•According to the article, what can parents do to help children cope with math anxiety?