Imagine being a child,
going into maths class having a feeling of fear and dread.
“Maths anxiety is the worry and tension some people feel when doing, or even just thinking about, maths.”
This tension can interrupt and overload working memory, which stops you from thinking clearly and logically. This leads to making mistakes, frustration and loss of motivation.
Maths anxiety can cause long-term problems, leading capable students away from maths opportunities and careers.
(Thomson, DeBortoli & Buckley, 2013)
“I’m not a maths person”
Chances are you’ve heard someone say this, or even said something similar yourself.
Without the right support and encouragement, it’s easy to fall into the belief that your mathematical potential cannot change.
These beliefs are formed early in life, and then confirmed by our own experiences struggling with maths.
(Buckley, Reid, Good, Lipp & Thomson, 2016)
If you’re negative towards maths, then your children might feel the same.
You’re not alone, maths invokes a negative response more than any other school subject. “I can’t do maths”, is socially acceptable, however you rarely hear someone admit not being able to read.