I was diagnosed with ‘math anxiety’ when I was 13. Albeit, it was a self-diagnosis, the symptoms were severe and have left me fearing the topic. I struggled with maths in primary school and beyond; always being in the bottom set and not having the confidence to ask for help. I would absolutely hate being put on the spot by teachers when they would ask a question. I would panic, my chest would get tight and I would end up not even trying to work through the processes we had been taught to find the answer. I chose this elective in order to change this. I want this to be a fresh start and the beginning of my math’s journey. I want to find confidence and competence in the subject and be able to say that I truly enjoy maths by the end of this module. I believe that from having this negative maths experience in school, I will be able to be a better teacher of the subject. I know how it feels to be one who struggles to remember the correct formula to work out the circumference of a circle, or the one who forgets how to deal with inverted fractions. I will use this to ensure that I am a better practitioner, a better facilitator and a better supporter in the classroom for my pupils.

In order to reduce my anxiety in maths, I need to revise fundamental maths topics. This revision approach will include online activities, academic reading, engaging with the online numeracy assessment and discussions with my peers about different learning/teaching approaches. I will repeat the maths anxiety mind-map at the end of this module and I hope to see a dramatic difference in my confidence and competence levels.