For many semesters, I have shared
this article with students as a way to get the conversation going. Earlier in the semester though, on the first days of the class, I do an activity called the
Blob tree for students to tap into their current feelings/perceptions about math. We also do a fill in the blank anonymously with Math is ____. All of this is meant to get students thinking and talking about their feelings about math, which leads to conversations about how their feelings could affect their future students. During the semester, there are other videos and articles, lately from
Jo Boaler's YouCubed site and various Ted Talks (
this and
this). Also important are the weekly journals. Though the journal prompts don't explicitly address anxiety, students write about their feelings and I have the chance to respond or just listen. The other important thing is patience and reinforcing their growth mindset through the types of tasks that have already been discussed in the previous IMPACT in actions.
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Chris Sabino
Associate Professor
Harold Washington College
Chicago IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2021 08:41:08
From: Linda Dart-Kathios
Subject: IMPACT in Action #4 - Math Anxiety
Math anxiety can interfere with a student's learning. Research has shown that a disproportionate number of pre-service elementary education students have math anxiety.
What types of activities do you use to address this?
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Linda Dart-Kathios
Professor
Middlesex CC
Lowell MA
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