Mathematics is something I have always felt very confident with throughout primary school. This confidence continued with me to high school however as the maths became harder and harder, I found myself struggling and starting to doubt my abilities. When exams started approaching, the focus was on trying to learn all of the different formulas needed as opposed to spending time consolidating my knowledge. This lack of understanding created my maths anxiety which is something I still feel today.

Maths anxiety can have many symptoms such as a panic feeling like you are the only one who doesn’t get it. It can also include increased heart rate, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath.

All of these symptoms can caused by various things. One of the main things that causes maths anxiety is cognitive and affective domains.  The cognitive domain helps with the content knowledge, recall of facts and development of skills. On the other hand, the affective domain controls things such as attitudes, beliefs, anxieties and feelings. It is important to remember that when we are teaching anyone maths, it is not just their cognitive functions that are working but also their affective domain. It isn’t just about what we learn but also about how we learn and the emotions that are connected with that. How people feel about the concepts surrounding mathematics can have an impact on their ability and interest.

Maths anxiety can have an impact on both learners and adults. If learners experience maths anxiety then they may have a negative attitude towards maths and become disengaged. They may also lack self-esteem which will then lead to a fear of making mistakes. This maths anxiety will continue throughout their life if it is not addressed which consequently means that career opportunities and choices may be restricted. As these fears surrounding maths continues into adult life, it can affect their confidence as they won’t feel comfortable dealing with personal finances for example. As an adult they can also feel as though maths is a waste of time and it is irrelevant. The fear of making mistakes that learners feel can also continue into adulthood as there will be a continued lack of resilience and fear of failure.

As teachers, there are many ways in which we can help conquer maths anxiety. We should allow children to have the time to explore and develop their understanding of mathematical concepts in their own time. We should also highlight the relevance of maths within everyday society and ensure that mathematical concepts are set in meaningful contexts to the children. We should also create a classroom environment where mistakes and questions are allowed as this can encourage children as they feel safe. Above all we should make maths fun. Mathematics isn’t just learning from a textbook or working at problems on the board. It can be done in ways that are engaging and interesting. By making maths fun, children will be curious about different concepts and will want to explore these more.

Therefore if you are faced with maths anxiety then you should develop a positive attitude, take time to learn new concepts and don’t be afraid to ask any questions. However the most important thing is not to panic!