Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Overcoming Math Anxiety

There are some things a student can do to help himself/herself overcome Math Anxiety 
1. A positive attitude will help. However, positive attitudes come with quality teaching for understanding which often isn't the case with many traditional approaches to teaching mathematics.
2. Ask questions, be determined to 'understand the math'. Don't settle for anything less during instruction. Ask for clear illustrations and or demonstrations or simulations.
3. Practice regularly, especially when you're having difficulty.
4. When total understanding escapes you, hire a tutor or work with peers that understand the math. You can do the math, sometimes it just take a different approach for you to understand some of the concepts.
5. Don't just read over your notes - do the math. Practice the math and make sure you can honestly state that you understand what you are doing.
6. Be persistent and don't over emphasize the fact that we all make mistakes. Remember, some of the most powerful learning stems from making a mistake.