This article describes key elements for mathematics teachers, through the faculty development process, to increase student engagement and motivation in learning mathematics. It addresses common barriers facing student motivation and achievement in the field of mathematics and provides potential remedies from a faculty development viewpoint to…

This study investigated the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics teacher efficacy among 156 elementary pre-service teachers from a university in the southeastern United States. Data sources included the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS), Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument, and pre-service teacher interviews.…

Research indicates that it is common for elementary teachers to possess limited mathematics content knowledge, high levels of math anxiety, and low levels of mathematics teacher efficacy. Assuming action research as the chosen methodology, this research study was developed with the ultimate goal of improving how elementary teachers in my district…

The majority of new jobs in the 21st century will require some postsecondary education. Yet more than one third of those entering college are underprepared and needful of remediation. In this essay the author shares with the reader his first experience of teaching the lowest level prealgebra course at an urban community college. This is a story of…

Using the qualitative research method known as folknography, the authors led a research team to the heart of Illinois farm country to ask the question "What are the perceptions of the people of the Midwest concerning math and math education?" A review of the literature includes Canadian and Australian references on the topic, as well as…

Investigates three cases, in an attempt to find ways of reducing the mathematical anxiety of preservice elementary teachers. Teachers were administered the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale for Adults before and after the courses. Reports that no significant reduction of anxiety was detected in either mathematics section, but both sections of the…

For many students, the longer they are in school, the less they trust in their ability to do math and fail to see why math is important to know. How can middle and secondary school educators turn that tendency around? Teachers can explore how their colleagues are answering that question and improving math programs in grades 7-12 in this next…

Investigates attitudes toward mathematics of elementary school teachers and students in rural Texas. Finds a slight negative correlation between teachers' mathematics anxiety level and third-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students' attitude toward mathematics. Finds that, although fourth-grade teachers had the most positive attitude toward mathematics,…

The study investigated the relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics teacher efficacy among elementary preservice teachers. Participants included 28 elementary preservice teachers at a mid-size university in the southeastern United States who had just completed a mathematics methods course. Data sources included the Mathematics…

Discussed are experiences with students having mathematics anxiety. Describes how to increase the students' confidence and a method of guided practice. (YP)

Analyzed math-anxiety levels among elementary preservice teachers before and after a mathematics methods course, noting factors that promoted math anxiety. Interviews and surveys indicated significant reductions in math anxiety at the end of the course. Anxiety stemmed from rigid and structured classroom instructional practices. The main factors…

Students learn at varying rates, and if a misconception in mathematics develops early, it may be carried from year to year and obstruct a student's progress. To identify fallacies in students' preconceived ideas, "Uncovering Student Thinking in Mathematics" offers educators a powerful diagnostic technique in the form of field-tested assessment…

Preventing math anxiety begins by helping teachers confront and control their own fears of math through the use of counseling therapy and mathematics instruction. The article describes techniques to help math-anxious teachers deal with approach-avoidance conflicts in the classroom and lists guidelines for creating anxiety-free math classes. (JDD)

Presents an attempt to develop an instrument to monitor attitudinal changes towards mathematics among (n=345) preservice student teachers. (54 references) (MKR)

Notes that the current emphasis on nonroutine problem-solving techniques causes mathematics teachers to confront anxiety in their students more than ever. Suggests that, by using methods from Transactional Analysis, caring teachers can expand their affective role in helping students with mathematics anxiety by showing them how to get past their…