Winter Reset: Easing Math Anxiety for Elementary Learners
Is your child crying over their math homework or avoiding it entirely? Do they tense up the idea of working with an elementary math tutor? Many children start feeling nervous about math concepts as early as first or second grade. In fact, studies suggest that as many as 25% of students experience math anxiety at some point, and for some, it can last well into adulthood.
What many parents don’t realize is that math anxiety isn’t always about a lack of knowledge. Even students who understand the material can freeze up during tests because the stress hijacks their attention, making it harder to access the skills they already have. Brain scans show that just thinking about doing math can activate pain and threat centers in the brain of someone who has high math anxiety!
Pay attention to how adults talk about math
Kids pick up their cues from the adults around them. So if they hear you describing math as frustrating or even optional, they’ll absorb that mindset.
If you’ve struggled with math yourself, you can be honest, but you don’t have to pass on the anxiety. Say something like, “I found math hard too, but I kept working at it,” instead of “I was never any good at math either.”
Reward progress
It’s easy to say, “Oh, you’re just not ready for this,” when your child struggles with a new topic. But that does nothing but reinforce the idea that ability is fixed and that they can do nothing to change it. Instead, praise the effort they put into a hard concept or the way they asked for help.
Do you notice your child starting to give up or avoid math altogether? It might be time to work with an elementary math tutor who knows how to help your child focus on how they’re learning, not just whether they get the right answer. A good tutor can show them that improvement comes from consistent effort and not from getting everything right the first time.
Support for every kind of learner
At PALS Learning Center in Piscataway, we build personalized math programs for elementary students. Every child starts with a skill assessment so we can identify what’s missing, and we meet them where they are.
Our elementary math tutor team understands that some students need hands-on tasks and others need repetition, verbal instruction, or extra time. We adjust our instruction as students grow, monitoring their progress and modifying sessions as needed to keep them motivated.