Article of the Week

by Lauren Dowdy
 THE ANTI-ANXIETY
CURRICULUM: COMBATING
MATH ANXIETY IN THE
CLASSROOM
HTTPS://WWW.ANDREWS.EDU/CEIS/GPC/FACULTY-RESEARCH/MONTAGANO-
HTTPS://WWW.ANDREWS.EDU/CEIS/GPC/FACULTY-RESEARCH/MONTAGANO-
RESEARCH/THE-ANTI-ANXIETY-CUR.PDF
RESEARCH/THE-ANTI-ANXIETY-CUR.PDF
 AUTHOR
EUGENE GEIST
Master’s in Education and a Bachelors of Science
in History from University of Cincinnati

of Alabama at Birmingham
Ph.D. from the University

in Child Development and Early Childhood Education.

Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at

Ohio University

Currently studying how children construct and learn

mathematics.
 ASPECTS THAT CAN CHANGE
STUDENTS OUTLOOK ON MATH
Gender of students
Patient's/guardian's expectations
Parents education
Low-income families
Past teacher's expectations
The cycle of math anxiety
"MATH ANXIETY DOES NOT COME
FROM THE MATHEMATICS ITSELF
BUT RATHER FROM THE WAY
MATH IS PRESENTED IN SCHOOL
AND MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENTED
TO TEACHERS AS CHILDREN "
THINGS WE CAN DO AS
TEACHERS TO HELP
Prioritizing concept development over correct
answers, understanding over speed, and
critical thinking over rote memorization

 BENEFITS OF AN ANTI-
ANXIETY CURRICULUM
STUDENTS
A better and more positive outlook on math
Greater chance of taking risks and excepting mathematical challenges in the
future
Increases likelihood of pursuing higher education
If we as teachers break the cycle of how math was taught to us we can break
the cycle in the future for our students.