Why do we hate math and how do we teach it?

Abstract

In this thesis, I am going to discuss teaching methods and practices that lessen anxiety, due to Math Phobia, in an adolescent setting. I first discuss that students develop Math Phobia, from ineffective teaching strategies, lack of success, and mathematical mindset. To reduce anxiety, effective teachers, must teach how we learn mathematics, using the 3 learning principles and the BDA lesson format. The teaching method, problem-based learning, serves as platform which students learn through discovery, in which teachers create a positive classroom culture, through discussion. I will discuss strategies inside PBL that promote a growth mindset, such as the power of a mistake, differentiation, and formative assessments. Jo Boaler (2016) serves as the main source of research in this thesis, providing insight towards Math Phobia. I argue that these teaching strategies and mindsets are effective in lessening anxiety to allow all students to succeed in the classroom.

Keywords: Adolescent Education, Mathematics, Math Phobia, math anxiety, teaching strategies, mathematical mindset growth mindset, fixed mindset, success, prior knowledge, conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, problem-solving skills, metacognition, BDA format, essential question, learning objective, learning through discovery, problem-based learning, direct instruction, positive classroom culture, discussion, power of a mistake, memorization, differentiation, multiple modalities, scaffolding, student choice, heterogeneous grouping, homogeneous grouping, assess for learning, formative assessment, summative assessment