Math anxiety develops at a young age for some students, here's how to prevent it

Learning math equations and solving problems can be fun for some kid and downright uncomfortable for others.

But math anxiety and not feeling like "a math person" can be avoided, according to Tina Rapke, an associate professor at York University who works directly with students and teachers from kindergarten to Grade 8.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but math anxiety starts in kindergarten," Rapke said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca. "Math anxiety basically acts as a virus – teachers can pass it on to students and parents can pass it onto their kids."

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For example, if a parent says, "I'm not a math person," in front of their child, it may negatively affect their perception of their own math abilities, according to Rapke, who says parents should completely avoid saying these types of phrases.

According to a nationwide study called "Barriers & Bridges in Canadian Learning," conducted by Angus Reid, 49 per cent of Canadian parents confessed to feeling intimidated by their children's math homework during the pandemic.

While parents may have their own math insecurities, a part of helping children feel better about their math abilities is by acknowledging that math anxiety exists – it's not just about disliking the subject, Rapke adds.

At home, this parental support may look like listening to how kids feel about math. For teachers, this could look like having students draw out what their relationship to math looks like, as a practical activity.

"One great way to reduce math anxiety is to boost [students'] confidence. So letting them know when they do really well in math and paying attention to their confidence," Rapke said. "We also want to pay attention to how they think about math and we want them to see that it's not just like black or white. There isn't just correct and incorrect [in math]."

One exercise Rapke suggests is to ask a student a math question and to have the student break down how they arrived at their answer once they land on one. This helps educators understand how the mind of each particular student works and to tailor their teaching accordingly.

"They [kids] have some really cool strategies and they are always surprised when we use that strategy. So it's really placing emphasis on how they did things, not just that correct answer," Rapke said.

It all comes back to helping kids feel confident in their abilities, especially as they navigate back-to-school anxiety while transitioning into a new school year.

"At the end of the day, we want kids to be happy," Rapke said. "If they're going to enjoy it, they'll have to work hard, but we can help them through those hard periods, as well, by supporting them and really being there to listen to them."