Math Anxiety of Filipino Students

By Marya Patricia V. Katigbak and ZeanKristian A. Razon

Thesis Statement: Math Anxiety is a problem that needs a solution through comprehensive research of its root causes and effects on students. Outline: I. Introduction a. Misconceptions about Math b. Definition of Math Anxiety Body a. Causes of Math Anxiety i. How does a student develop Math Anxiety ii. How does a student know that he or she has math anxiety b. Effects of Math Anxiety i. Positive Effects ii. Negative Effects c. Ways to overcome Math Anxiety i. Eliminate misconceptions and give helpful facts about math ii. Provide pointers on how to deal with math III. Conclusion

II.

I.

Introduction

Mathematics is very essential in an individuals life. Almost everything revolves around math. This is one of the reasons mathematics is taught as early as one can comprehend basic knowledge in school. However, certain problems have been known to prevent an individual from learning math. One of the most common factors is Math anxiety. Math anxiety is an intense emotion often characterized by nervousness or uneasiness when confronted with math topics. Many factors have been known that triggers this particular disorder. One might actually be surprised that a student can already develop math anxiety in one particular incident.
Math anxiety is defined by Mayer as a state of intense agitation, tension and dread, occurring from

a real or perceived threat of impounding danger. The experience of anxiety is unique for each person but it does have general physical and emotional characteristics (2008).

Math anxiety can vary from one individual to another depending on the severity of ones math anxiety. Some students tend to have sudden memory loss, while some experience psychological disarray like uneasiness. These are certain experiences to an individual which is most like to hinder ones mathematics ability. Russel (n.d.) said that in reality, math anxiety is usual nowadays. In fact, math anxiety is just like stage fright. One fears that something might go wrong or that an individual will forget all the lines. Math anxiety implores fear of the same type. It is just the fear of not doing well or having all the answers wrong. However, one might be surprised that a student can actually use these particular experiences to ones advantage. There are some cases that math anxiety can aid students in answering math tests. One might be surprised that these are

not rare instances. There are some great math professionals with math anxiety who triumphed against this disorder and was able use it to their own advantage. Some facts that have been verified before have been proven wrong today. Ashcraft (2002) stated that it is captivating to know that math anxiety is not that related to a students overall intelligence. In addition, some results that have low IQ probably was caused by the arithmetic related items included in the IQ test, on which individuals with math anxiety performed less efficient. This is only one of several misconceptions about math anxiety that is tackled in this research. This is very important in eliminating off beam mindsets about the anxiety. If a student with math anxiety cleared out the wrong thoughts about math anxiety, then one can lessen or fully negate the effects of math anxiety. It is imperative to clear out misconceptions so as to change a students perspective in math. The objective of this research is to provide students who suffer math anxiety proper information prior to the disorder. In this way, students can identify the wrong information and properly address them. The research will also tackle about math anxietys causes, its corresponding effects, and what triggers them. Additional pointers are also given to help a student overcome math anxiety. Everyone must be aware that math anxiety is real and is happening in our society. One must address the disorder properly for it to not worsen.

II.

Body A. Causes Math anxiety is due to a lot of factors that may simulate the negative attitude of a

student towards math subjects. Some of these negative emotions are pain or frustration with numbers. These feelings are all results of math anxiety. However, we need to ask the significant questions first. What are the factors that trigger this particular disorder? According to Phillips (n.d.), researchers have long verified that time pressuredquizzes and public mortification are some of the factors that cradle the inessential tension among several students. This statement presents us with two fixed factors on why there is math anxiety, time and public embarrassment. Every person knows that time is one of the most important things you need when answering math questions. This is because you need to analyse each problem and apply logic to come up with a systematic, step-by-step solution. This cannot be completed satisfactorily if one does not have enough time. Every second counts when you are answering a time-pressured test. Unfortunately, many students do not know how to budget their time well. The students consume a lot of time thinking about the problems they do not know. Consequently, they lose time to which they could have answered other math problems. If a student wants to get high scores in math quizzes, then one must know how to manipulate time to ones advantage. Another factor Phillips identified is the risk of public embarrassment. Public embarrassment occurs mostly in conventional mathematics classroom. In these cases, students are frightened to speak out or commit mistakes; thus, they are caging their true

potential. Mills (n.d.) said that risk of public embarrassment is often a result of a beforehand math trauma. Some of these traumatic experiences are caused by critical teachers who are not patient and supportive enough to handle slow learners. These kinds of attitude by the teachers have a big impact on a students attitude, or worse, the ability to learn math. In addition to that, Aiken (1970) said that a teacher who feels anxious and insecure and hates the subject itself, lacks understanding, cannot avoid transmitting that feeling to the students resulting to a math anxiety. This statement furthermore supports the idea that teachers, and the way they think, are a big influence on a students personality and attitude. Another factor to have caused math anxiety is that students are already prejudiced toward the subject matter. They have already established negative emotions such as hatred, learning-difficulty and the like before they even actually learn a particular math topic. Phillips (n.d.) said that a learners condition of thinking has a great power over ones success.This will greatly intervene in the learning ability of a student. They will lose their faith in themselves, they will think that they do not have the proficiency to do math. This will result to a student not learning the topic properly. Math anxiety is a chain effect, its root starting with emotions which will make its way through learning disability. It is also believed that math anxiety is caused by a professors teaching method of the subject matter. Some professors who do not know their topic well teaches only what is in the textbook. Therefore, some students find it hard to learn math because they only get to learn the area in a single point of view. An excellent professor should be able to discern the topic well and be able to teach it in other creative methods. In this

way, students can actually learn and understand the topic, not just memorize it. In learning math, one should establish the fact that when a student needs to comprehend math, one should not merely memorize the step-by-step method. If this is the case, then a student simply wants to lean math for the sake of having to get high scores for the current exam. One should truly understand it by realizing how to get the values with different sets of solution. These are just some major factors that trigger math anxiety. However, these causes have corresponding preventions for them. Arem (2010) tells that like other illness, math anxiety also has distinct symptoms. Symptoms indicate if a student suffers from math anxiety; thus, these signs must be identified earlier for it to be properly addressed in the future. Arem (2010) said that some symptoms include negative reactions involving emotions, thoughts and action to numbers and arithmetic procedures. If a students attitude indicate these emotions just by looking at numbers and or variables, then it is most likely that the learner possesses the math anxiety disorder. Some other symptoms include confusion, lack of confidence and sudden memory loss. These are psychological symptoms which directly interfere with the students ability to learn. In addition to that, physiological symptoms have also been known to hinder a students learning ability. Some of these physiological symptoms are headaches, nausea, stomach disorders and the like. We have established the fact that there are several causes of math anxiety and that with these causes, symptoms appear which can greatly impede a students

comprehend ability of the subject matter. All of these causes have a corresponding effect to them. B. Effects Math anxiety has different effects in ones system- it may be something good or something bad. It is a must to anticipate the corresponding effect that may happen since it was already stated that there is a cause to the said problem. The effect will not be the same with each person who is experiencing math anxiety; thus, people must be aware of the wide range of effects that may occur. Math anxiety can hinder a students capability to learn math because of certain factors that affect ones comprehension. A recognizable but unfortunate after-effect of the avoidance with any interaction with the subject is that highly math anxious individuals end up with lesser math expertise and acquirement compare to those who do not have math anxiety (Ashcraft, 2002). It is known that math anxiety stops a person from freely learning all that is possible to know about math because of the anxiety or the fear it is feeling just of thinking about the matter. They cannot acquire the lessons that they can learn from their teachers since they have the fear itself to bump with any numerical sentence. They cannot possibly catch up or even easily grasp the lesson that is being taught, making them less knowledgeable in the subject. Students become less progressing compare to those who do not have math anxiety. They cannot love the subject for them to be good at it for the reason that they see math as a big burden that they need to deal with every single day of their life.

According to Willis (2010), a math anxious student has this negative feeling with the subject just before they enter the room. This negativity comes from low self-esteem, fear of committing errors and insufficient skills to conquer math. And with this math negativity in mind, students tend to experience stress, boredom in the subject and low level of participation. The reason why students become less participative in class is that they are not confident with the answers on their mind and with their math skill itself. It also is because of math anxiety that some children do not want to go to school because of the fear of having to stay again in a place they are sure they will encounter math. It is due to this anxiety that one may be ashamed to face the class or even look at the result of the test they had, knowing at the back of their minds that they did not do good in the exam before even taking the actual exam. Math anxiety likewise hinders one from a lot of job opportunities, since the person will avoid any work that will be needing math skills and ability or just simply an encounter with math. Mills (n.d.) states that math anxiety hinders a student to grow and mature since they are lacking self-esteem and confidence in what they can do. Students with math anxiety may also have difficulties in some daily activities like checking their bank balances or credit card statements or even their bills and pay checks. In more severe situations, math anxious people will have a concern in choosing what investment will benefit more, evaluating benefits and pensions. And almost anything that has a relation with math itself that they may encounter might be a problem they must solve. Although math anxiety is known to do harm in the people it infects, there is also a positive side of having math anxiety. Math Anxiety can aid students in situations that require the use of mental alertness and meticulous understanding. According to Mayer

(2008), Anxiety is one of the driving forces that can be an aid for us to reach our dreams, go for our goals and have a zest for life. Although it is known that adrenaline rush is all-important to achieve someones personal best, anxiety to be used positively must be channelled properly. Most people believe that having an anxiety is a typical aspect of human life therefore all we must do is make the most out of it and find some positive things it has and use it to gain advantage. It can be give people the courage they have never known in facing other things besides math. It may also help in choosing the career you want to succeed in since it will automatically eliminate math related subjects, you will have a fewer options to find where your heart is really is. Another thing is that because of this fear, students tend to be cramming or agitating in doing their school related things. And because of this, results can sometimes be beyond what they expect because they have unconsciously done their best in what they did. C. Cure and Prevention In order to get away with those effects brought by math anxiety, the researchers tend to find out effective ways on how to deal with this fear and how to help those students involved overcoming it. In the solutions that will be stated, it will be a joint effort of the student, the teacher and even the family members. According to Fleming(n.d.), math anxiety is just another type of fear which anyone can overcome. How to do get over it? It is just simple; one should just seclude it first then inspect it closely and after that understand its nature. By doing this, a student will conquer the fear in no time. The student must not be afraid of the fear they are experiencing, instead they must know why it is happening and try to counter the things

that contribute to the growth of the said fear. For this adverse feeling towards math that they have may make students have difficulty towards learning a specific math topic or simply to understand the right methodology. Also, seek the help of the people around to gain confidence with the subject matter and constantly find an exposure with numbers in order to immune the student with the anxiety. A usual habit that people are used in doing is memorizing concepts of math including formulas and steps on how to solve for the right answer but this was contradicted by a statement made by Russel(n.d) saying that memorizing math rules and procedures is not a very effective way in studying math. Sure it helps, but only to those who have good memory. But what if a student forgets easily? The most efficient way to learn math is to understand and realize it. This is a study habit that students must practice in order to get used to math problems. It is a great way to eliminate fear in facing long, confusing and scary problems and at the same time, lessens the anxiety the student is feeling. As every teacher says,You must not only know the how of a procedure but also the why. Also, the students must give their best in answering the problems and give they can including their heart in solving them. It also helps when the teacher has the confidence, knowledge, interest, understanding and impetuosity for numbers will surely have a long way towards leading students toward success (Aiken, 1970). They can even make the students with anxiety feel confident about their skills and have a positive vision when thinking about math. Some teachers think that all of these negativity is in the head of the student that is why it is reflected in their actions. That is why they must be able to remove this negativity from the student and replace it with an optimistic view of math.

Another aid for the student is for the teacher to be enthusiastic in teaching the subject matter and find innovative ways in teaching numbers since people see it as something boring or ugly. According to Phillips (n.d), with all the stress and concernment going on in the student, math comedy is of utmost need. A teacher should be creative in discussing mathematical concepts and problems making use of pictures and symbols. When these ideas are used properly, students can learn and enjoy the change from lecture and textbooks making them more mathematically inclined. Thus, the teacher is a great way to influence the student in appreciating the whole world of numbers and at the same time finds ways to eliminate the fear of making mistakes instead, make them have fun while learning math. For Hembree(1990), a student with math anxiety needs cognitive restructuring which involve correcting faulty beliefs and building self-confidence combined with

relaxation training will be a great help for them to be free of the anxiety they are feeling. They must just know really what math is so that they can truly see the beauty behind those arithmetic sentences. And it can also negate the negative thinking they have towards the subject matter and will soon gain confidence in their selves. It will be an aid for the students to still have leisure time even though they have math quizzes for them not to be too stressed about the test and have a time to relax both their body and their mind. It is also a good habit to reward students with math anxiety with something they want after each test that they take so that they will feel that their efforts are appreciated and will have another driving force to have a high score because of the prize that will be waiting for them.

With all of these pointers in math in mind, the anxiety cannot harm the student anymore. Instead, they will be able to use the anxiety in a good way now. And eliminating the anxiety means they will be achieving a lot of more in academics and will have the confidence in their selves in whatever they will be doing. After giving some pointers, the researchers want to contradict some of the famous misconceptions of people with math and replace it with facts since this will be the first step to constructive restructuring that will lead in erasing the anxiety.

Through the years, there are a lot of misconceptions made by a lot of people concerning the subject math; hence, these misconceptions must be eliminated for a student to overcome ones anxiety and just believe in the facts that may help them gain confidence.General myths and misconceptions about math are one of the major grounds why math anxiety is quite common nowadays. These mistaken beliefs are already established by the student even though the topic is not yet learned. If the fallacy is already fixed in a students mind, then a student would not make the effort to learn the subject matter. In order to prove these myths wrong, the researchers have made an effort to look up some myths and prove its falsity. Willis (2010) elaborates that there are plentiful myths and misconceptions about math like the assumption that one needs to be smart to excel in math. First of all, each individual is born with intelligence. It is just that not everyone is using this knowledge to its full potential. As what have been stated before, math is not about memorizing and committing ones memory to every single detail. You do not need a certain math gene

to be excellent at math. Math requires a better, deeper understanding. Comprehending math is as easy as understanding any certain topic. If a student can learn and realize a certain topic, then one is as good as overcoming math. However, a poignant fact is that some students tend to slack off if one is confident enough in one selfs skills to not study. This will result to a student not getting a math problem even if one understands the proper solution for it. A math student must always remember that getting math is all about practice. As what a famous quote told Practice makes perfect. This is most useful as a study technique in math. A student must solve arithmetic problems, algebraic expressions and the like as many as one can. In this way, a student can broaden his way of thinking. Willis (2010) also said that one misconception about math is that it is not really useful outside of school. This is, in every way, false. One must always remember that everything is taught for a reason. Everything is made for a cause. There are just many instances wherein one do not really need math. But this is not true in all of occasion. One example of this is when you get a career in business. Math is of utmost need in this area. A professional is required to record every transactions made in a company or business. One mistake could ruin everything. This is the reason why math professors always do their best in imparting knowledge to each student. A true math professor does not produce inferior students to take part in the outside math world because one mistake could ruin the course of everything. This is math; this is the way it is used. With the right mind, one could manipulate math to ones advantage to serve its true use. Another myth that Willis (2010) said is that it is alright to suck in math since most of the people already are. This statement is absurd. Some students just find certain

reasons to rationalize their inadequate skills. It is true that many students do not pass math because the subject itself is very hard. However, a student must not find certain excuses to justify them from not making any effort to learn at all. One must always remember that if a student really wants to learn math, then one will find many ways to do it. But if a student does not really care on learning, then one will find many reasons not to do it. It is also not true that some people are naturally born with the superior skills to do math as what have Deb (n.d.) stated. A scientist believes that an infants brain is not, in any way, immediately associated with math skills. It is therefore concluded that this statement is utterly illogical. A supportive, cultivating environment and an optimistic thinking that a student can do great are required in order to do math.

III.

Conclusion

Math anxiety is simply a fear caused by arithmetic sentences and numerical symbols. It is common to almost the entire student population who have already

encountered math. It seems so dreadful for them to face math knowing that they have no capacity of solving those lengthy and hard looking problems. Simply looking at the numbers makes them sick. It is like a disease that inhabited the minds of the students. And like other diseases it also has effects to the host that it is infecting. And because of the negative effects brought by this anxiety, people want to eliminate this from the system. Even though it has positive effects too, it is not that enough to cover up all the negative impact it brings to the life of the student. Which came to a conclusion that students need to deal with this anxiety as early as possible for them to overcome it and prevent it from getting worse. They need to manage the anxiety for them to be able to use it in a positive way and as time pass by they will erase it from their way of living. The pointers provided can help each student experiencing math anxiety to-step by steplessen and eliminate math anxiety. As Albert Einstein said, Do not worry too much about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you mine is still greater. But look at what he have accomplished in his lifetime. He became one of the most famous scientists in the world. Even though he had some difficulties, he did not let it stand on his way in achieving what he really wants. He did not lose hope in what he can do. He had the courage to step out of that fear. And this can happen to all math anxious students. You just need to accept the fact that you have that anxiety and just overcome it and leave it there. And in no time there will be a lot of little Albert Einstein in the world. Managing anxiety is like tuning the strings of a violin. When the tension is perfectly adjusted, the resulting music is sweet and melodic. When you learn to fine-tune your

anxiety level, to allow just the right amount- not too much, not too low. Little-you, too, will perform like a virtuoso(Arem,2010)

References

1. Ashcraft, M. (2002,October). Math anxiety: Personal, educational and cognitive consequences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(5), 181-185 2. Arem,C. (2010). Conquering math anxiety: A self-help workbook, third edition. Canada:Charlie Van Wagner

3. Mayer, D. (2008). Overcoming school anxiety: How to help your child deal with separation, test, homeworks, bullies, math phobia, and other worries. New York, N.Y:AMACOM 4. Willis, J. (2010). Learning to love math. United States of America: Nancy Modak

5. Aiken, L. (1970,October). Attitudes toward mathematics.Review of Educational Research. 40(4), 551-596 6. Hembree, R. (1990, January). Nature, effects and relief of mathematics anxiety. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 21(1), 33-46

7. Russel, D. (n.d). Math anxiety. Retrieved on October 10, 2011 from http://math.about.com/od reference/a/anxiety.htm 8. Fleming, G. (n.d.). Math anxiety: Overcoming the fear of math. Retrieved on October 10, 2011 from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/mathhomework/a/mathanxiety. htm

9. Wigfield, A., Meece, J. &Eccles, J. (1990, March). Predictors of math anxiety and its influence on young adolescents course enrollment intentions and performance in mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(1), 60-7 10. Phillips, M. (n.d). The causes and prevention of math anxiety. Retrieved October 10, 2011 from http://www.mathgoodies.com/articles/math_anxiety.html 11. Mills, D. (n.d.) Math anxiety. Retrieved on October 10, 2011 from http://www. Mathanxiety.blogspot.com/