Mathematics Report Roundup

Math Anxiety

By Sarah D. Sparks — September 15, 2015 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

One-on-one mathematics tutoring may reduce anxiety in math-phobic students, finds a new study in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Stanford University researchers used individualized tutoring as a form of therapy, in which a phobic person is repeatedly exposed to something that scares them in a safe, controlled environment. The researchers tested 46 3rd graders on math anxiety. Then the children each had 22 tutoring sessions on addition and subtraction.

Arithmetic skills of all the students improved after tutoring. For highly math-anxious children, functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, scans also found lower brain activity afterwards in the amygdala, a part of the brain associated with fear and emotion.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 16, 2015 edition of Education Week as Math Anxiety

Events

School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Mathematics Spotlight Spotlight on Building Strong Foundations in Math
This Spotlight will help you discover how to help students develop conceptual understanding, effectively teach word problems, and more.



Mathematics Opinion One Thing We Get Wrong About Teaching Math (and How to Fix It)
A simple change to how you structure math class will stop students from turning their ‘math brains’ off.
Sara Delano Moore
5 min read
Math manipulatives on a graph paper notebook.
Nataliia Tymofieieva/Getty + Education Week
Mathematics Spotlight Spotlight on Innovative Approaches to Math Engagement
This Spotlight will help you discover how to create motivating classroom environments, connect math to potential careers, and more.
Mathematics How 3 Top Math Teachers Nurture Students’ Ability to Tackle Challenge
Education Week spoke with three award-winning teachers about how they help students persevere in the math classroom.
4 min read
Louisiana teacher Charday Wilson takes questions from her students shortly after winning a $25,000 Milken Award. She and two other teachers were recognized for their innovative math teaching.
Back in the classroom, award recipient Charday Wilson teaches a math lesson and answers questions.
Courtesy of Milken Family Foundation