Response to Rishi Part 2: Overcome Maths Anxiety
A few weeks ago Rishi Sunak announced that in England he wants to raise the age of compulsory maths education to 18,
Last week I wrote about why I believe we should stop the infatuation, with maths being THE most important subject. If you missed it, read it here.
Don’t get me wrong though, I DO believe that we need to improve maths education and that we need an environment where we have an increased level of numerical fluency. To do that we must take a very different approach. Because if you ‘do what you’ve always done you get what you’ve always got.’ and we need different outcomes.
I believe that to improve maths in this country we first need to reduce maths anxiety and build confidence around maths in both our children and adults.
In preparation for writing this I posted on social media asking people about their experiences, and was overwhelmed by the response. People were talking about their experiences, and so a combination of scientific research and real-life experiences lie behind what I am going to say.
What is maths anxiety?
Maths anxiety is a feeling of fear when faced with a maths-related task.
It ranges from mild to severe and can have a significant impact on a person’s academic performance and their self-esteem. Symptoms include excessive worrying, feeling overwhelmed and helpless, and avoiding maths-related activities. This can lead to a child misbehaving to avoid doing maths, or a parent procrastinating on a task that will involve maths.
Why do we get maths anxiety?
It comes from a combination of factors which could be cognitive, environmental or emotional. It could be caused by negative experiences at school (common in the comments I had. Sadly many were teachers being negative, rude, or even bullying), or by a negative belief in their own abilities, comparing themselves to others, comments from other people, or pressure to do well.
more pressure = more maths anxiety
Research also suggests that a parents’ anxiety around maths can also increase their children’s maths anxiety. However, just because a parent has maths anxiety, it doesn’t mean their child will definitely develop it as well. Factors such as a child’s temperament, teaching, and other life experiences also play a role. But, being aware that parents’ maths anxiety may affect their child’s maths learning can help them to be proactive about seeking help and finding ways to support their child’s learning.
Maths anxiety is a cycle
Once children start experiencing maths anxiety they find themselves in a loop. Negative feelings can cause them to pay less attention and not work as hard. Additionally, it can lead to an overall negative attitude towards maths and a decreased interest in the subject. This then creates a cycle, with children feeling overwhelmed and discouraged when faced with maths tasks.
Studies have also found that if you have maths anxiety you then tend to have a greater cognitive load when solving math problems, which can make it harder for you to think clearly and perform well. So, once you’ve got maths anxiety, maths becomes harder!!
How can we overcome maths anxiety?
It is possible to overcome anxiety around maths. Instead of making students study it until 18, we need to change their attitude when they are younger. It needs to become a more positive experience for many young children.
To reduce the amount of maths anxiety that we are seeing in our schools there are a few things that need to change:
1. Find the methods that work for the individual
We are all different, and so children need to try different methods and see what works for them. I have had a lot of success with visual methods and explanations and this came up in the conversations I’ve had about getting over maths anxiety. Sadly, I’ve noticed a lot of schools will only teach one method (usually one a teacher is comfortable with), and this was reiterated by the curriculum change in 2017.
2. Take the pressure off
At present our curriculum is packed full, and that means that for someone who needs time to overcome their issues with maths, they don’t have breathing space to be calm and slowly improve.
We have a lot of testing, and are putting considerable pressure on young people. We say that maths is the most important subject, and therefore they must do well.
There is a mental health crisis in young people, and we need to stop them from being overwhelmed with the pressure to do well in maths.
3. Change the mindset
I spend a lot of time reinforcing what my students CAN do with maths. I then point out to them the progress they are making. When you have maths anxiety the positive reinforcement is necessary so that you internalise that you CAN do maths and remember your success.
Sometimes I think I’m being overly positive, but it works!
Encouraging a growth mindset will also help, as getting a question wrong becomes a learning experience and children see that they can improve.
4. Support adults to overcome their own anxieties
Parents (and other adults), need to be encouraged to overcome their own maths anxiety, and reframe the way that they talk about maths. I strongly believe that if we can create a positive mindset in adults around maths, then we will see a shift in what happens in children.
5. Practice
With maths, a great way to build confidence is to do lots of the same topic. It can take time for someone with a lot of anxiety to be able to feel confident, and it’s a good idea to find ways to make it fun.
‘Practice not until they get it right, but until they can’t get it wrong’
So to sum up, my plea to Rishi is don’t force people with anxiety around maths to do more maths, which will perpetuate the cycle. Instead deal with the fundamental issues and starting at an early age, change the culture around maths. Invest in the above and the dividends will be huge.
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