According to Mark H. Ashcraft, math anxiety is “a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with math performance”. In layman’s words, if your kid gets scared or has anxiety every time he/she so much as looks at a mathematical problem, they have math anxiety. In their daily life, they would completely avoid situations where they might have to perform even the smallest of mathematical calculations.

 

The logic behind it

 

The Home Tutors in South Kolkata believes that there exists a strong negative correlation between high math anxiety and low achievements. This is due to the impact of math anxiety on our finite working memory. Working memory has a limited capacity, and therefore, when solving any mathematical problems, a large portion of this capacity is dedicated to solving problems. In individuals with math anxiety, however, a big portion of this space is taken up by anxious thoughts. This ends up compromising the individual’s ability to perform.

 

Why does some student have math anxiety?

 

So, why does this anxiety occur? Let’s find the major causes.

  • Influence of teachers- from a very young age, teachers have a hand in shaping your kid’s mind. Therefore, if they make a subject look scary from a young age, we will grow up fearing the subject. Sadly, this is very common when it comes to math.

  • Over-emphasis on math – this is especially true in India. In this country, a person’s intelligence is measured by their score in math. Now, as a parent, you need to understand that every child has their strength and weakness. If your child is not good at math, pressuring them over it will only make them worse.

  • The practicality of math is shown less- this happens in upper grades. When chapters like trigonometry and calculus are taught as a hypothetical situation, they lose the practical touch of it. They cannot visualize it in their mind anymore and ends up falling behind in their grades.

 

 

What can be done about it?

 

  • To reduce the impact of bad teaching in school, you can hire excellent Private tutors in Kolkata. They will be able to restore the love for math on your kid. If not corrected at the right time, it will deeply affect the kid throughout their life. Therefore, find a teacher who will make math fun for them.

  • Tell your child that it’s alright if they slightly weak in one particular subject. If this message comes from a parent, they will gain a certain amount of confidence. Plus, they won’t dread so much and maybe give it another chance.

  • No matter how hard the subject gets, one must be able to understand the logic behind it. So, when they are starting any new chapter, make sure that they understand the basics completely.

 

In India, the majority of students drop out of science because of their fear of math. That should never be the case as math is everywhere around us. We need to deal with it sooner or later.