A Mathematics without Fear program developed at San Francisco State University is reviewed. It seeks to move pupils who fear mathematics from reliance on rules to concept orientation. (MP)

Presents two case studies of learners attempting to understand the concept of normal distribution, specifically why physical phenomena such as height fall into normal distributions. Draws conclusions about a Connected Mathematics learning environment that enables confrontation with epistemological anxiety and the features of modeling languages…

All students benefit from being challenged by mathematics. Principals can help by letting students know it is okay to struggle and by helping parents understand the struggle. Communicating with parents about math programs can reduce parents' anxiety; create a strong, beneficial home-school partnership; help youngsters take responsibility for their…

Asynchronous computer-mediated discussions supplemented instruction in mathematics for 10 inservice elementary teachers. Analysis of online discourse revealed three issues: exploration of math phobia; equity in math teaching, including special needs and gender issues; and use of instructional technology. Participants were able to reflect on…

This article presents suggestions for classroom teachers to help prevent and reduce math anxiety for students, particularly students with learning disabilities. The use of a "mathitude" survey to assess dispositions toward math is discussed, as well as using journal writing, cooperative learning, the Internet, and bibliotherapy to address anxiety.…

Proposes a new geometry curriculum for motivating middle school students. Discusses the treatment of geometry including visual justifications of geometric phenomena, examination of the properties of various common geometric figures, use of art and architecture, and inspection of geometric transformations. Eleven references are listed. (YP)

Discusses the organization and retrieval of information. Describes the tip-of-the-tongue state during mathematics problem solving. Provides five rules for a deep level of processing of new concepts. (YP)

Presented are mathematical games in six categories of mathematical objectives: learn the language of mathematics; use mathematical notation; know facts; develop skills; understand concepts; and devise strategies. Numbers of players, rules, and diagrams are provided for each problem. (YP)

This study investigated the relationship between mathematical performance and mathematics self-efficacy, attitudes toward mathematics, and the choice of mathematics-related majors by college women and men. Performance and self-efficacy correlate positively with attitudes, masculine sex-role orientation, and a mathematics-related major. (Author/DC)

In 3 isolated rural schools, 48 gifted girls in grades 4-6 participated in a semester-long intervention aimed at changing math attitudes. Intervention strategies, which focused on problem-solving activities, math-related career options, and self-esteem issues, produced significant positive changes in five of six categories of mathematics…

Students (n=1420) from Belgium and Quebec and students (n=614) of the Marne department were questioned to study the different defense mechanisms they employed against mathematics. Six main ways of grouping the responses were identified: (1) phobic avoidance; (2) repression; (3) projection; (4) reparation; (5) introjection; and (6) reversal into…

Stress inoculation training and systematic desensitization treatment provided to 45 college students resulted in significantly lower mathematics anxiety ratings and less subjective distress reported prior to a mathematics aptitude test, with no significant changes found in a delayed treatment control. No treatment group differences were found for…

Studies the role that math anxiety played in the poor performance of students, what promoted such feelings, and what teachers can do to lessen this anxiety. Students and adults sense the urgency to understand the mathematical material, and that urgency often leads to anxiety when they cannot arrive at a solution. (ASK)

Analyzes liberal arts students' attitudes and views towards mathematics and social responsibility as they tutored inner city at-risk youths as part of a mathematics course in which they kept journals. Indicates that students' ideas about what it means to be socially responsible tended to become less egocentric. (Author/ASK)

Explores possible individual differences effects on school mathematics performance and feelings of difficulty (FOD) of 243 subjects, ages 13 to 15 years. Considers cognitive ability, affect, age, and gender. Finds that ability directly influenced performance whereas both ability and affect influenced FOD. Discusses the results. (CMK)