30 July 2021 - math anxiety

It is in the nature of wrong answers to cause anxiety. Students are, as it happens, more likely to fall into the sea and be devoured by giant isopods than to be stung by a math problem. But saying so makes math anxiety worse. Teachers must accept that math is fun and transmit their fun. “You say 2+2=5? Let’s bring out the number line and find out! Where do we start? Here, you say? And we’re adding 2, so we end up? Oh, here at 6? Cool! What do you think now, do you want to change your first answer?”