6 Steps to Stamp Out Math Anxiety

Jo Boaler's Advice for Parents

1.) ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO PLAY MATH PUZZLES AND GAMES.

Puzzles and games- anything with dice, really - will help kids enjoy math and develop number sense, which is critically important.

2.) ALWAYS BE ENCOURAGING AND NEVER TELL KIDS THEY ARE WRONG WHEN THEY ARE WORKING ON MATH PROBLEMS.

Instead, find the logic in their thinking. For example, if your child multiplies 3 by 4 and gets 7, say, "Oh, I see what you are thinking. You are using what you know about addition to add 3 and 4. When we multiply, we have 4 groups of 3..."

3.) NEVER ASSOCIATE MATH WITH SPEED.

It is not important to work quickly, and we now know that forcing kids to work quickly on math is the best way to start math anxiety for children, especially girls.

4.) NEVER SHARE WITH YOUR CHILDREN THE IDEA THAT YOU WERE BAD AT MATH IN SCHOOL OR YOU DISLIKE IT - especially if you are a mother.

Researchers found that as soon as mothers shared the idea with their daughters, their daughters' achievement went down.

5.) ENCOURAGE NUMBER SENSE.

What separates high and low achievers is having an idea of the size of numbers and being able to separate and combine numbers flexibly. For example, when solving 29 + 56, if you take one from the 56 and make it 30 + 55, it is much easier to work out.

6.) PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL : ENCOURAGE A "GROWTH MINDSET" TO LET STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE UNLIMITED MATH POTENTIAL AND THAT BEING GOOD AT MATH IS ALL ABOUT WORKING HARD.

When they tell you something is hard for them or they have made a mistake, tell them, "That's wonderful - your brain is growing!"