No abstract

A~c c t i v c~c t o~sphy a critical YOIC in mathematics learning and instruction. Evidcnce of negative attitudes and high b e h of amiety toward mathematics is abundant. Since math anxiety is w i dpread and the needfir the undcntanding of mathematics is critical to success in school. secondary teachm needpractical classroom strategies to use to relieve these anviowfrclingr in their high ability srudcnts. Bibliotherapy is one such strategy through which secondaty srudrnts may gain helpfl insights to deal with their math anvie9 The article provides a lesson plan featuring Math Curse and then suggests available literature dealing with math anxiety.hate it!" were the first words Aaron used to describe math. Intelligent, shy and wearing an oversized 'I starter jacket, the seventh grader reflected back to his kindergarten and first grade experiences where he enjoyed learning math through hands-on activities. Since then, math had become nothing more than tedious exercises such as "division with long numbers." Earlier in the school year, Aaron had been seated at the front of the classroom where he was often called on by the teacher to respond. Later in the year, he silently celebrated a change in seating to the back of the class. A quiet, sensitive youngster, Aaron noted that he was being called on less frequently. He admitted, in a low whisper, that he was more at ease in math class if he was not called on to provide answers to math problems. Aaron thought more teachers should use "hands-on things" to make learning more fin without causing students to feel nervous and dislike math. Aaron spent an average of 15 minutes a day on math homework and explained that he worked on his assignments until he got frustrated: "If I don't understand it at all,

No abstract

A changing, economically competitive world has necessitated reform in mathematics education. Yet mathematics anxiety has been a prevalent concern among educators and others in our society for decades. Some students tend to be more anxious about the testing process and can often freeze up, others just cringe when they are confronted with any form of computational exercise, or others dread taking math classes which can occur in the elementary, middle, high, and even at the college levels. Educators, parents, politicians, and others are trying to assess the cause for the apparent academic weakness of mathematics, and solutions to the problem are being sought. Our focus in this paper is to tease apart the underlying causes of math anxiety that result from a teacher's instructional practice, particularly how mastery and performance goals relate to the construct of math anxiety, and how a teachers' understanding of creating mastery-oriented classrooms can help to prevent or reduce the anxiety students experience during mathematics. Research indicates that classroom practices can influence the goals students adopt, and that educators should strive to create mastery-oriented classrooms by examining the nature of the tasks they assign students, the authority or degree they involve students in academic decision-making, the types of evaluation and recognition they utilize, and the classroom climate they create.

No abstract