Math Anxiety is Real. Here’s a Proven way to Prevent it.

Short answer: Math anxiety usually starts with a bad experience, often between 3rd and 7th grade, that convinces a student they are “just bad at math.” Overcome it by talking to the teacher, studying with peers, and working with a patient tutor who creates an “ah ha” moment, then builds confidence with momentum: similar problems, slightly harder ones, lots of encouragement.

Many students have math anxiety. They simply have had a terrible experience with the subject of mathematics. They consider math a tedious subject they’d do away with in a heartbeat given the opportunity.

Have you noticed your child shuts down around the subject of mathematics? Do they feel inferior to their friends? Do they avoid math homework at all costs? Then they have math anxiety, which is a real phenomenon and can be overcome with some effort.

Key points

• It starts with an event: A bad experience, often between 3rd and 7th grade, usually triggers math anxiety.
• A false narrative: Students decide they were “born bad at math,” which feels safer than trying and failing.
• Talk to the teacher: Regular check-ins show the teacher your child cares and wants to improve.
• Study with peers: A relaxed study group with friends lowers the stakes.
• The right tutor: A patient tutor offers a safe place to make mistakes, unlike most parent-child tutoring.
• Build momentum: One “ah ha” moment, followed by similar problems, turns anxiety into confidence.

Why does your student have math anxiety?

Any student that struggles with mathematics has had an unfortunate event occur related to the subject. This usually occurs between the 3rd and 7th grades. The most common event is a teacher embarrassing the student in front of the class. Other usual suspects include:

• Missing a semester of school
• An injury that kept the student out of class
• Being put on the advanced track too soon
• Their friends are more advanced in math
• Moving from one school to another

Every student that struggles with math without exception has had one of these traumatic events. The natural response is to decide that math is just not for them. They were born incapable of doing math. For more on this, see how to reverse the effects of math trauma.

What is the psychology behind math anxiety?

It turns out there is a lot of psychology behind this sort of anxiety. When the student assumes that they are born incapable of doing math, they create an easy out for themselves. It’s safer to be born with an impediment than to try math and fail.

From this point forward the student has decided to be bad at math. They will reject any evidence to the contrary as it will challenge their worldview.

This is where math anxiety kicks in. The student will be afraid of their lack of math skills becoming public. This is a primal fear of being the tribe’s outcast and is a source of real anxiety.

“Students are afraid they’re behind, and they don’t want to be embarrassed. But this should never be about ego. It’s simply: where are you, what do we need to learn, and why does it matter?”

Jake Gerhardt, Alexander Tutoring math tutor

The good news is that the student’s world view of being bad at math is not based on reality. It is a false narrative caused by a traumatic experience. There are steps you can take to find a solution.

What tools help manage math anxiety?

• Talk to your teacher. That’s your first line of defense. Some teachers are willing to meet with your student on a weekly basis. This demonstrates to the teacher that your student cares about their grade and wants to do better, which can have a big impact on the final grade. As a former high school math teacher, I can confirm that students seeking your help have the final grade rounded up. If the teacher has not seen your student all semester, there are no grounds to round.
• Form a study group. Have your child form a study group with their peers that meets on a regular basis. Working with friends in a safe environment where your child can feel relaxed can have a huge impact. This is a necessary skill for survival in college.
• Find the right math tutor. This is the most effective way to cure math anxiety. It is imperative that the student’s defense mechanism is not activated when engaging in a math session.

Why shouldn’t parents tutor an anxious student?

It’s common for parents to engage their students’ defense mechanisms when trying to help. The parent/child teaching relationship does not go well in most cases. We hear stories of parents’ attempts to tutor their children ending with tears and a shouting match.

If you had math anxiety before, how do you think a parent shouting at you is going to help the problem? As you can guess, this will feed the false narrative and ensure a lifetime of math anxiety.

A trusted companion that provides a comfortable environment to make mistakes is invaluable for reducing math anxiety.

What should replace math anxiety?

If math anxiety is what we are trying to cure, what trait are we trying to replace it with? The answer is math confidence. Confidence in mathematics is the most important trait for success.

When solving complex math problems you need the confidence to push through to the next step. You need to trust the work you have done in order to move forward. If you are uncertain about your work, you need to be able to back up and check your logic.

If you doubt yourself every step of the way you will develop math anxiety. If you believe in yourself you will develop math confidence. Read more about how confidence relates to mathematics.

In this Alexander Tutoring video, see why confidence in mathematics is the most important trait for success.

How do you turn math anxiety into math confidence?

The good news is it doesn’t take much to turn things around for your student. All it takes is one ‘ah ha’ moment for the tide to turn. Our math tutoring works to achieve this moment rapidly.

Once a student understands how to do a problem, anxiety decreases, and confidence increases. The trick is to seize the ‘ah ha’ moment and build momentum behind it:

1. Repeat the win. Give your student another problem just like the one they figured out. Have them do 5 problems in a row like it. The confidence is building and the anxiety is decreasing.
2. Raise the bar a little. Make the problem a bit harder.
3. Encourage constantly. Give tons of encouragement along the way. Recognize every moment of success. Keep the momentum building.
4. Practice alone. Give the student an assignment on the same types of problems. This gives them a chance to try out their new skills on their own.

Tutor tip: After the first breakthrough, don’t jump to a new topic. Five problems in a row of the same type lock in the win before you make things harder.

What happens when the narrative changes?

The narrative is starting to change. The student begins to feel like they might actually be able to do the math. The student begins to trust their work.

Your student may have the confidence to reach out to friends in class. Working with friends will help them feel like part of the tribe. Your student begins to participate in class discussions. See how this works?

Tutor tip: When a student is unsure, have them back up and check their logic one step at a time instead of starting over. Trusting the work they have already done is part of building confidence.

Can math anxiety be cured?

Math anxiety is real and curable. There is no magic pill, it will take work.

The key is to give the student the support resources they need in order to work on their math while feeling safe. If the anxiety shows up mainly on exams, see how to identify test anxiety and what you can do about it. Good luck!

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