Math Anxiety!

Another article about math anxiety.

A growing body of research suggests that parents and teachers might transmit their own math anxiety to children.

 I like the point that the article makes about how our culture accepts people who are "bad at math" while there is a clear social stigma associated with a deficiency in reading.

I agree too that we definitely need to better prepare our elementary teachers as they are the first to reach our students. If a kid doesn't like math in 3rd grade, by the time they get to me in middle school, their minds are made up!

The article also gives good advice about trying to calm down. I have taken to leading my students in mindful meditation before exams. I find that it calms them down and lessens their stress (well they tell me that it does).