Strategies mathematics teachers use can unintentionally have an adverse impact on student anxiety in the classroom. The purpose of the Action Research study was to investigate and strengthen strategies that mathematics teachers use to reduce student anxiety. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of interviews and a focus group with high school students and school counselors to determine how, when, and why students experience anxiety, and mathematics teachers, to determine strategies they use to hinder this anxiety. The Action Step included the creation of a Professional Learning Community of three secondary mathematics teachers to develop improved instructional strategies, implement them, and evaluate their effectiveness in reducing student anxiety in their classes. Findings include: (1) Scaffolding to Discover Misconceptions, (2) Activating Prior Knowledge to Make Connections, and (3) Discovering Concepts to Create Meaning. Implications for the organization include the need for students to feel comfortable enough to engage with mathematics, understand its meaning, and exude excitement of learning. How mathematics educators teach concepts influences anxiety in their classrooms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]