Minus the Math Anxiety: Breaking Down the Barriers Between Students and Mathematics

66 pagesThe public’s opinion on mathematics is overwhelmingly negative. Millions of individuals suffer from a diagnosable condition called math anxiety. There are, however, ways to combat this issue. Evidence-based practices such as explicit instruction have been shown to decrease the load on working memory, something math anxiety limits. By using explicit instruction and other evidence-based practices and high-leverage practices we can reduce math anxiety and increase math achievement. Another compounding issue is the public perceived lack of relevancy of mathematics in schools. This issue can be alleviated by teaching discrete mathematics, a branch of mathematics that has close ties to computer science which is essential in our current society. Teaching python coding concurrently with discrete mathematics only increases the connection to "the real world". Additionally, teaching about diverse individuals in computer science and mathematics, along with other methods of reducing math anxiety and alternative testing methods can further decrease, or make more manageable, the prevalence of math-related anxiety