Is your failure at doing maths the reason behind your sadness and depression? “Who’s afraid of maths?” by Anne Siety states that failure at being good at maths is no way equivalent to not being intelligent.
When you are not good at maths, and you try to make things better, it happens that you get stuck somewhere and all the motivation is lost. Having a strong dislike for math can result in you being stuck in a rut and feeling pain. It can even give you panic attacks, anxiety, and headaches. Most students have a psychological block when they talk about practising maths.
On the other hand, some people actually love solving maths problems. Learning the concepts of algebra, trigonometry, fractions, integration, and many more such concepts is a treat for them. They get pleasure out of solving maths problems.
What is Math Anxiety?
Math anxiety refers to the feeling of fear, apprehension, or stress that individuals experience when faced with math-related tasks or situations. It is a psychological phenomenon characterized by negative emotions and a strong sense of unease when engaging in mathematical activities, such as solving equations, working with numbers, or even thinking about math concepts.
People with math anxiety may exhibit symptoms such as increased heart rate, sweating, avoidance of math-related tasks, difficulty concentrating, and a general sense of dread or panic when confronted with mathematical problems. These reactions can occur regardless of an individual's actual mathematical ability or knowledge.
Maths Anxiety Scale
The Math Anxiety Scale is a tool used to measure and assess an individual's level of math anxiety. It consists of a series of statements or questions that individuals respond to, indicating the degree to which they agree or disagree with each statement. The scale is designed to quantitatively evaluate the intensity of math anxiety experienced by individuals.
The Math Anxiety Scale typically includes items that reflect different aspects of math anxiety, such as emotional reactions, cognitive concerns, and behavioral avoidance related to mathematics. Participants rate their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement on a numerical scale, often ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree or using a numerical rating system.
The scale's purpose is to provide a standardized and reliable measure of math anxiety, allowing researchers, educators, and mental health professionals to assess and compare levels of math anxiety across different individuals or groups. It can be administered to students, adults, and individuals of various age groups to identify those who may be experiencing math anxiety and to determine the severity of their anxiety symptoms.
On what basis is a person who loves doing maths different from a person who hates doing maths? Is there any way to beat these challenges head-on and cope with your fear and anxiety?
Psychology Behind The Fear
The fear of math, also known as math anxiety, is a common problem that can have a significant impact on a person's ability to learn and perform math-related tasks. There are several psychological factors that can contribute to math anxiety, including:
- Negative past experiences: Past experiences with math, such as being scolded for making mistakes or struggling with a concept, can lead to feelings of anxiety and dread when faced with math-related tasks.
- Low self-confidence: People who lack confidence in their math abilities are more likely to experience anxiety when faced with math problems.
- Perfectionism: Having high expectations and a fear of failure can make math anxiety worse.
- Test anxiety: Some people may experience anxiety specifically in the context of math tests, due to the pressure to perform well and the fear of being judged.
- Socioeconomic background: Research has shown that people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may be more likely to experience math anxiety, due to a lack of exposure to math and limited educational opportunities.
It is important to note that these are not the only factors that contribute to math anxiety and that the experience and underlying causes of math anxiety can vary from person to person.
Understanding The Reasons Behind Our Fear Of Mathematics
We all have our reasons to hate mathematics in school. But, when we understand and change our perspective, we come to the conclusion that we let our fear drive hatred toward the subject. But, when you are a student, it is a difficult decision to change your perspective and stop letting fear make you anxious.
Prior bad experiences at the school level
One of the major causes behind having fear for maths is the education system in our schools. Even maths lovers will confirm this statement. There can be multiple reasons why students tend to avoid studying and practicing maths.
Our education system follows the pattern of discovery, explanation, and teaching. Most of the concepts are based on theoretical knowledge. The lack of practical application is one of the major reasons behind the inability of students to grasp the essential knowledge required to be competent in doing maths. Most of the concepts are not related to real life. Find a math tutor online here.
On top of that, math becomes boring and repetitive due to the preset norms that we follow. It includes learning a chapter, going through its concepts, solving problems, becoming good at solving problems by getting the right answer all the time, and then moving on to the next chapter. This vicious cycle continues as long as a student remains a part of this education system.
Another big concern in the current education system is schools differentiating between “weak” and “good” students based on their ability to do maths. This factor causes a lot of students to give up if they are a bit slow to cope up with maths. Not only this, but they also go into depression and start thinking that they are not intelligent.
A lot of times, students are asked to come up and solve a particular problem on the class board. Add to this another 50-odd students watching. This makes the whole scenario very intimidating. Due to this, the fear of not being able to solve the problem in front of the entire class becomes even stronger.
In order to be good at maths, one has to have a solid base. Without a strong foundation, taking up maths as a core subject in high school or college becomes extremely difficult.
Fear Of Failure
I think we all as human beings fear failing at something. Mathematics is one of those dreadful subjects we all fear that one day we will fail at it. This fear instills an everlasting phobia that no matter how much we try, we will not do well in Maths.
Parents have a responsibility to remove this fear permanently because it does not limit itself to maths. A student who lives in the shadows of fear will remain it unless he is taught differently.
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Comparison with other students
Some people have the inborn talent of being good at maths while some people struggle a lot. Why does this difference exist?
People with a lot of curiosity do not shy away from trying different things and do not face any difficulty while doing maths. Ever since they were young, they found out numbers to be very interesting.
What makes people good at maths? What is the reason behind the success of so many mathematicians and scientists?
The answer is having the ability to decipher the information, the ability to guess, and surprisingly enough, creativity.
Mathematicians not only use the left hemisphere of their brain, which is known as the reasoning and analytical side, but they equally balance it with the use of the right hemisphere of the brain, which is known as the creative and emotional side.
In real life, both hemispheres of the brain work together and simultaneously. Therefore, while doing maths or any other work, both sides of our brain are used.
There are ways to make maths easy, you just need to find one that is comfortable for you.
Why Do Students Find Joining Maths Tuition Painful?
According to research, stress can activate the part of our brain, which is responsible for physical pain. It can be the result of waiting for a problem.
For a lot of people, Maths be stressful to the extent of paralyzing them. Often, when students face problems in maths, they find that behind the problems lie their own demons. Behind the face of complex numbers, a student might see his position in his family, or behind the face of integration, lies his fear of the unknown.
Not only this, the shame of not being able to solve a problem in front of the whole class, or an inpatient teacher looking down upon his students instead of finding the root of their difficulties leaves a grave mark on the student. This leads to a lot of damage in the future.
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Reason Why We Hate Mathematics!
Maths is a subject that takes a lot of practice, perseverance, dedication, and effort. Some people, while they are good at other subjects because they give those subjects enough time, are often unable to cope with maths due to a lack of time and dedication. A lot of students hate maths, there are multiple factors, some of them are psychological, while others are due to a lack of focus and interest.
The reason why we hate Maths is more psychological than we think!
Mental blockages are, most of the time linked to bad memories related to our prior experiences. Strict, hard teachers is one of the primary reasons behind this.
Maths is a subject that requires a lot of effort- even to the extent of making some students cry. However, without tears, being successful at maths is not possible as maths is an abstract subject being taught by a teacher; not opening up to the teacher results in you blocking off the subject yourself. Most of the time, the right help is given to students at the right time.
Hence, the phobia of maths should not be allowed to develop in students. Parents should take notice of such development and should immediately look after their children by arranging tuition for them, or taking them to a counselor if they head into this direction.
Is It Possible To Actually Get Over Your Fear of Maths?
Sometimes, taking personal tuition does not go according to plan. It does not work like a magic potion. For situations like this, taking the help of a child psychologist is more helpful. According to Anne Seity, putting the errors into different categories such as Symbolic errors, Inconsequential errors, errors of progression and poetic errors often go a long way into studying the relationship between maths and children.
- Symbolic errors - refers to the way a child asks questions and their characteristics
- Inconsequential errors - refer to small errors
- Errors of progression- refer to forgetting an old chapter while learning a new one.
- Poetic Error - Refers to getting confused because of words.
Parents play the most crucial role in the life of their children when they are facing a mental blockage, or trying to regain their lost confidence while learning maths.
For people who feel that maths is not for them, they can become good at maths once they clear out their mental blockage and follow the mathematical path that is followed at, for example, a veterinarian school.
Listed here are some tricks that can help a student get back on the right track:
- Concentrate on the areas of success.
- For attempting to learn the topic, praise the student for making an effort.
- Do not use punishment as a method of treatment for failure at learning maths
- Lay emphasis on learning the problems that the student is facing
- Use Maths games in order to make learning more fun.
10 Psychological Tips To Overcome The Fear Of Maths
- Break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts: By breaking down a math problem into smaller steps, it can become more manageable and less intimidating.
- Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice math problems, the more comfortable and confident you will become with the material.
- Find a study group or tutor: Working with others can help you better understand and overcome specific areas of difficulty.
- Use positive self-talk: Instead of telling yourself that you're bad at math, remind yourself of your strengths and the progress you've made.
- Get enough sleep and exercise: Being well-rested and physically active can improve your ability to focus and learn.
- Use visual aids: Diagrams, charts, and graphs can help make abstract concepts more concrete and understandable.
- Take breaks: Taking short breaks can help improve focus and concentration.
- Change your perspective: Try to see math as a problem-solving tool, rather than just a collection of numbers and formulas.
- Reward yourself: After completing a difficult math problem or studying for a certain amount of time, reward yourself with something you enjoy.
- Don't be afraid to ask for help: If you're struggling with a particular concept or problem, don't be afraid to ask your teacher, tutor, or a tutor for help.
You Can Get Rid Of Your Fear Of Maths
At the end of the day, the first thing you should focus on is getting rid of your fear of maths. Once you are able to do that, learning maths will become much easier.
This fear of maths can be prevalent due to a lot of different reasons. Bad experience while learning maths in school, strict tuition teachers at home, or it may be caused simply by the popular belief that maths is hard.
Even though a lot of people think that it is not possible to get over your fear of maths, the reality is totally different. If you follow the right techniques and use the right resources, learning maths can even be fun.
Find maths tutors near me on Superprof and start learning more today!
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