A few years ago I received a frantic call from my then 14-year-old daughter who was babysitting for a neighbor. I could hear the loud crying from the 6-month-old baby boy and the louder crying from the 2-year-old little girl.
“Daddy, I can’t get them to stop crying, what do I do?” my daughter cried.
“I’ll be right there, honey.” I said with a big smile. Being the 3rd oldest out of 10 siblings, and a father of 5 children, I had experience with this.
Between the two of us we quickly had the situation under control. I took little Emily into the living room and began reading a book to her and doing some 2-year-old math activities. You know, counting toes and fingers. Of course she loved it, especially when the last toe was accounted for and the tickling started!
As I was hugging Emily I had a profound thought, “I wish it were this fun and simple to teach math to 14-year-olds.” Can you imagine it?! “Okay class, please remove our shoes so that I may tickle your feet when you get the problem correct.” Oh the smell!!!
In reality, there are certain principles in teaching math that are the same whether one is teaching a 2-year-old or a 14-year-old. Let’s explore some “math” issues as it relates to learning and teaching.
The old adage, “which comes first the chicken or the egg” might apply when it comes to learning math. Which comes first, math aptitude or math anxiety? Are some kids just less able to do math and therefore dread math lessons? Or, do some kids dread math and therefore are less able to complete math activities?
In an article entitled, “Math fears subtract from memory, learning” in the June 30, 2001 issue of Science News, Bruce Bower indicated that by the age of 12, many students begin exhibiting signs of math anxiety. These signs include avoiding math courses, performing poorly in math classes, and earning low scores on math-achievement tests. Some may theorize that it is because these students have less ability or aptitude to math in the first place and therefore dread math activities.
This theory does not “add up.” Those of you who have attended my workshop, The Learning Brain: Translating Research to Classroom Practices, will remember that the emotions of fear, worry, and stress, temporarily disrupt mental processing - particularly the processes of short-term working-memory and the higher level skills of critical thinking and analysis. According to a study in the June, 2001 Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, “math anxiety soaks up working-memory resources and makes it harder to learn mathematics, probably beginning in middle school.”
Something to think about as we approach the dreaded state mandated testing season. Let’s have fun out there… rip some socks off and tickle some toes!
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