The subject of maths - and numbers more broadly - can provoke a range of negative emotions among learners, even those who haven’t picked up a protractor in decades.
This is the perennial problem of maths anxiety, and it’s a problem that we, as teachers and educators, need to address.
A fear of maths can cause students to shy away from lessons, stop attempting to learn before they’ve started, put themselves down and place barriers to their own progress. In more severe cases, it can even make some students physically ill: avoidant of the classroom and us teachers.
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Given how fundamental maths is for navigating the modern world - from bar bills to savings, to food shopping, to mortgages - those repercussions could hold them back for life.
So, what can we do?
Dispel the “maths brain” myth
The first step towards combatting anxiety around maths is to dispel the damaging myth of the “maths brain”: that people can either do maths or they can’t. It’s an attitude you rarely see in relation to other subjects. When was the last time you heard someone speak up to own the statement “I can’t spell”, or “reading makes me nervous”?
In fact, everyone can do maths, but - as with any other skill - the subject takes time and effort to learn to reach a level of confidence and competency. You wouldn’t sit behind a steering wheel for the first time and expect to compete alongside Lewis Hamilton. Nor should you expect to win the Great British Bake Off with your first cake (unless you’re Prue Leith!).
Making maths feel great again
As with all skills, our grasp of maths and numbers is something that anyone can improve on - and good teaching makes the journey that much more enjoyable.
In my experience of the classroom, and in promoting the subject across the media, the following make strong foundations on which to tackle feeling worried about maths properly.
1. Negate outdated narratives
Let students know that, like riding a bicycle and cooking, maths is a skill that we learn, not a power we’re born with (i.e. send the notion of “maths brain” to the recycle bin).
2. Praise effort over ability
Since effort is something that students can easily see how to increase compared to our ability. For instance, opt for statements like “you’re making great progress!” instead of “wow, you’re smart at maths!”.
3. Let the real world in
Show your students that maths is not confined to textbooks and whiteboards but is a skill that gives them tangible, real-life benefits. By using examples from topical programmes like Strictly Come Dancing, sports league tables, recipes, school travel times, etc, you also show students that the subject is routine and every day, lessening their concerns through exposure.
4. Create the calm
Is your classroom a place where it’s OK to make mistakes? Will students feel embarrassed if they do? Put work into fostering a supportive environment, avoid putting students on the spot to give answers and reassure learners that making mistakes is healthy; it’s how we learn.
5. Appeal to parents and carers
Lastly for now, but not least, recognise that maths anxiety doesn’t happen in a vacuum - and that many students with numeracy worries have picked these up from their families. By speaking to parents and carers (and even grandparents), and gently coaxing out generational attitudes, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the origins of anxiety. You could even win them over with an engaging maths event…
A time for change
The good news for all of us is that, while maths anxiety is a real and pressing problem, the attitudes and competencies that fuel its existence can change. Such changes will take time and effort, however, so be patient - and don’t be afraid to seek out support across your whole school.
Could other teachers of other subjects help spread the word about maths’ universality, perhaps? Can you craft a dynamic lesson between the maths and music departments, for example? Perhaps show the power of maths in sport? US Open tennis champion Emma Raducanu revealed that she is a “numbers person” and really enjoys the problem solving aspect of the sport. Or bring an English-teaching colleague into a session about, say, maths and Alice in Wonderland?
You and your peers have it in you to make the subject far greater than the sum of its parts. Subtract anxiety from the equation and you pave the way for maths learning to thrive over lifetimes.
Bobby Seagull is a leading mathematician, school maths teacher and TV personality.
Bobby features on Pearson’s The Right Angle Podcast: Back to School episode available at: go.pearson.com/RightAngle #PowerofMaths. You can also watch him speak about ‘Maths in the Media’ at Pearson’s 2021 Virtual Maths Festival at: go.pearson.com/MathsFestival
