It’s common for students of various ages to complain of math being “too hard” or “boring.” Feeling insecure about math ability can begin early in a child’s schooling, especially for a female child.
But why is it that so many children develop such a dislike for or fear of mathematics? What is behind the early, negative bias?
According to a study from the University of Chicago, it may be parents’ and teachers’ attitudes and expectations which have the most influence on how a child thinks about math.
In a blog post on math anxiety in children, one of the researchers from the aforementioned study explains that kids can sense the attitudes of parents and teachers who talk to them about or teach them math. If, for example, a girl’s parents reinforce the false notion that males are better at math than females, the girl is more likely to grow up believing she is not good at math. This negative outlook can greatly affect a child’s performance.
The post also mentions that many people who go on to teach mathematics to children are insecure about their own ability to with numbers. This insecurity and anxiousness can be perceived by children, possibly to the detriment of their academic performance.
It’s important for parents and teachers to realize how they feel about math and avoid passing on negative views about the subject to children.
If you want to know more about math anxiety in kids, read the article mentioned above at the link here:
http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/10/why-kids-take-on-adults-math-anxiety/
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