Overcoming Math and Science Anxiet1
Overcoming Math and Science Anxiet1
Overcoming Math and Science Anxiet1
When they open books about math and science, some capable students break out in a
cold sweat. These are symptoms of two conditions sweeping over students across the
world- math and science anxiety.
If you want to improve your math or science skills, you’re in distinguished company.
Albert Einstein felt he needed to learn math to work on his general theory of relativity. So
he asked a friend, mathematician Marcel Grossman, to teach him. It took several years.
You won’t need that long.
Think of the benefits of overcoming math and science anxiety. Many more courses,
majors, jobs, and careers could open up for you. Knowing these subjects can also put at
ease in everyday situations: calculating the tip for a waitperson, planning your finances,
working with a spreadsheet on a computer. Speaking the languages of math and science
can also help you feel at home in a world driven by technology.
Many schools offer courses in overcoming math and science anxiety. It pays to check
them out. The following suggestions can start you on the road to enjoying science and
mathematics.
These ideas can be easily refuted. To begin, mathematicians and scientists regularly
talk about the importance of creativity and imagination in their work. At times they find it
hard to explain how they arrive at a particular hypothesis or conclusion. Few of them
boast about exceptional memories. And as far as we know, the only secret they count on
is hard work.
Get your self-talk out in the open and change it
When students fear math and science, they often say negative things to themselves
about their abilities in these subjects. Many times this self-talk includes statement such
as:
I’ll never be fast enough at solving math problems
I’m one of those people who can’t function in a science lab
I know this law of motion is really simple and I’m just too dumb to get it
I’m good with words, so I can’t be good with numbers
Faced with this kind of self-talk, you can take three steps.
1. Get a clear picture of such statements. When they come up, speak them out loud or
write them down. When you get the little voice out in the open, it’s easier to refute it.
2. Next, do some critical thinking about these statements. Look for the hidden
assumptions they contain. Separate what’s accurate about them from what’s false.
Negative self-statements are usually base on scant evidence. They can often be
reduced to two simple ideas: “Everybody else is better at math and science than I am”
and “Since I don’t understand it right now, I’ll never understand it.” Both of these are
illogical. Many people lack confidence in their math and science skills. To verify this, just
ask other students.
Remember that understanding in math and science comes in small steps over time.
These subjects are cumulative-that is, each new concept builds upon previously learned
concepts. Learning or reviewing those concepts promotes understanding.
3. Start some new self-talk. Use statements that affirm your ability to succeed in math
and science:
When learning about math or science, proceed with patience and confidence
Any confusion I feel now will be resolved
I learn math and science without comparing myself to others
I ask whatever questions are needed to aid my understanding
I am fundamentally OK as a person, even if I make errors in math and science
Read actively
Science is not only a body of knowledge, it is an activity. To get the most out of your
math and science texts, read with paper and pencil in hand. Work out examples and copy
diagrams, formulas, or equations.
You can also go beyond the text. Invent activities as you read. Construct additional
problems similar to those in the book. Devise your own experiment to test the truth of a
hypothesis. Relate your current reading to other math and science courses you’ve taken.
Create your own charts and tables.
Consider keeping a running record of you insights and questions, much like a journal.
When reading your textbook or taking notes in class, use a two-page format. Summarize
the reading or lecture on the right hand page. Record your guess, hunches, false starts,
questions, and errors on the left. List what you don’t know yet and how you intend to find
it out.
Think critically
Science and math texts are not eternal truth. You’re free to ask questions or disagree
with the author. If you do so, state your question precisely and base your disagreement on
evidence.