- Math anxiety can develop at any age. Early warning signs include failure to complete math assignments or tests, consistently complaining when approached with math, and repeated comments of feeling frustrated or incapable of understanding math.
- It is important to understand that math anxiety is not a problem of intelligence. Students who do well in other subjects but consistently disengage when working with math may be suffering from math anxiety.
- Left unaddressed, math anxiety can have a snowball effect. What begins as a lack of understanding grows into a lack of confidence. Severe math anxiety can potentially bring on physical symptoms. Nausea, panic attacks and sleep disruption can occur, especially before math tests.
- According to the Student Learning Center at Palm Beach Community College, most people can overcome or reduce math anxiety by applying several important disciplines. These disciplines include developing good math study skills, forming better homework strategies and test-taking strategies, and creating better problem-solving skills.
- Ideally, the aforementioned strategies can be enhanced by simple at-home reinforcements. Students should be encouraged, rather than met with impatience. A tutor trained in dealing with math anxiety should be brought in when possible. Prepare the brain to meet the challenge of math with a balanced diet, adequate sleep and a low-stress environment.
