Many Early Childhood Teachers Dont Like Math Ematics And Feel Theyre ✓ Solved
Many early childhood teachers don’t like math-ematics and feel they’re not good at it. These negative feelings often stem from their memories of how they experienced math instruction in school (Jackson and Leffingwell 1999). Think back to your own school days, perhaps filled with timed tests or high pressured assignments designed to ensure you had the math basics. I remember that first thing every morning in third grade, we had to write the complete multiplication tables up to 12 in under two minutes. We could not move to the next table until we had mastered the pre- vious one.
While most of my friends had moved to the sixes and above, I was still working on the threes. Texas Child Care / Fall 20092 It’s almost 30 years later, and yet I can still remem- ber how mortifying it was that I was “bad at math.†For years after, I struggled with feelings of self- doubt. Math was my most dreaded subject in school—as a student and a teacher. Research shows that I am not alone. Many teachers recall being taught mathematics in an environment filled with tension and frustrations.
Long into adult- hood, feelings of math anxiety and failure persist (Tobias 1993). These negative feelings can affect later teaching practice. The feelings can cover a wide range: from a general lack of confidence in the abili- ty to use mathematics correctly, to beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning that are contrary to appropriate practice, to a lack of interest in the teaching of mathematics at all (Harper and Daane 1998). Hating math and passing it on The early years lay the foundation for future atti- tudes toward mathematics (Philippou and Christou 1998). Young children in their everyday life gradual- ly develop an intuitive and practical arithmetic that they use to successfully and confidently solve prob- lems (Ginsburg 1989).
Yet spontaneous positive attitudes may just as eas- ily be repressed and replaced with boredom or increasing worry about performance on school mathematic tasks. As Deborah Ball (1995) asserts, traditional mathematics has focused on “copy and practice†what the teacher does rather than the excit- ing, challenging kind of problem posing that inspires discussion and passion about the content. What we want young children NOT to learn by Alyse C. Hachey I hate math Texas Child Care / Fall 2009 3 As a result, early childhood mathematics instruc- tion today may be similar to what I experienced all those years ago—filled with tedious, irrelevant, and uninteresting experiences (Gates 2002). Young children approach mathematics in a natural and inquisitive manner.
Yet many early childhood teachers, stuck with their negative math mindset, do not approach mathematics instruction in the same way as their students. This is a problem because young children tend to internalize their teachers’ enthusiasm – or lack thereof (Jackson and Leffingwell 1999). Mathophobic teachers like myself may be unaware that just a lack of interest in mathe- matics is hurtful. We may unconsciously model our lack of conviction in the importance of math. Perhaps more damaging, teachers often engage in traditional instructional methods (Philippou and Christou 1998).
These methods focus on assessment of outcomes – that is, increasing rote performance rather than enhancing early, real-world, mathemati- cal knowledge. Teaching to a test or standard masks the essence of mathematics—a way of organizing and communicating about the natural world. Teaching to a test also fails to help children develop intrinsic interest in mathematics as a useful and valuable life endeavor. Moreover, continuing stressful school environ- ments that focus on task performance over emotion- al safety may lead to math anxiety issues (Gierl and Bisanz 1995). So the vicious cycle continues: high pressure tasks, unimaginative instruction, and nega- tive teacher attitudes combine to create the next “I hate math†generation.
But we can break the cycle 1. Acknowledge our mathophobic feelings. The first step in breaking the “I hate math†cycle is to acknowledge the emotional mathematical bag- gage we as teachers carry. That is not to say that overcoming math anxiety, or math aversion, is easy. They are real psychological phenomena (Sperry Smith 2009).
But just identifying any negative feel- ings related to mathematics teaching and learning and reflecting on their source can be liberating. 2. Redefine ourselves as competent mathematicians. This step is as simple as realizing we possess enough mathematical knowledge to create positive mathematical experiences for our early childhood stu- dents. The same teachers who are quick to say, “I stink at math†and “I hate math†are the ones who also regularly (and successfully) use mathematics in everyday life.
They cook, play card games, and solve problems in hobbies and home maintenance. All of these real-world activities are mathematically based and use mathematical concepts and processes that are developmentally appropriate for early childhood. 3. Carefully examine our past teaching practice. Take the time to critically look at how negative feelings toward mathematics may be influencing what—and how—we teach.
Reflect on the following: â– Have I set developmentally appropriate mathe- matics instructional goals? â– Are the methods I use designed to engage and inspire my students? 4 Texas Child Care / Fall 2009 â– Do I capitalize on opportunities to deepen my stu- dents’ intuitive knowledge? Or do I shy away from potentially math-rich moments? â– Do I model the relevance and importance of math- ematics to everyday life for my students? Finding the answers will require self-reflection and a bit of research. Helpful information is available in articles and workshops from the National Association for the Education of Young Children ( and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics ( 4: Create a new vision of what early childhood mathematics should be.
Put aside preconceived notions of what mathemat- ics instruction is. Redefine what early childhood mathematics should be: another tool for building confident, capable problem solvers and informed decision makers. How to re-envision early childhood mathematics Use the following suggestions to help you reframe mathematical experiences for the children you teach. â– View mathematics as process rather than a rigid set of facts to be memorized. Early childhood mathematics is not a set of facts to be memorized or routines to be applied to specific problems. Instead, the focus is on sense-making and problem-solving.
Here the process of solving a prob- lem is just as important as a correct answer. Vision in practice: Respond to cues from students, rather than impose knowledge on them. Letting children explore problems in ways that are mean- ingful to them, rather than imposing a specific method, allows for a deeper understanding of, and confidence in, the intuitive mathematics they gen- erate. This means shifting from traditional instruc- tional methods (in which the teacher shows and tells, and the students copy and practice), to instruction where teachers challenge and question, and students generate and evaluate mathematical ideas. â– Capitalize on children’s natural tendency to use mathematics to make sense of their physical and social world.
Mathematical thinking is embedded in the rou- tines of daily life from infancy. Mathematics at its essence is the organization of the world around us. Every time a child helps cook, asks the time, or plays a game, the child experiences mathematics in action. Children intuitively use mathematics as a way of organizing information to make decisions about and understand their world. Mathematics comes from common sense as children construct, revise, and integrate ideas.
Vision in practice: Carefully observe your stu- dents to find ways to continue to spark interest and a desire for active exploration. When curiosity is aroused, natural engagement and excitement in the usefulness of mathematics as a decision-mak- ing tool often follows. Texas Child Care / Fall 2009 5 Expand your definition of what constitutes mathematics and rediscover your own mathemati- cal curiosity. This allows for the generation of more “teachable moments‗opportunities to highlight the math that is all around us. These moments can prompt your students to realize that mathematics is a common and familiar activity that they are capable of doing.
This means focusing on and reinforcing the mathematical names and claims children use. Children may say, for example, “I have three,†“That’s about half,†and “She has more.†When we hear such claims, we can prompt children to math- ematically evaluate them. By paying attention to these three practices (mathematical naming, claiming, and evaluating), we use classroom talk as a natural vehicle for engaging young children in mathematical reason- ing (Ball, Lewis and Thames 2008). â– Present mathematical activities in multiple ways, throughout the day and across the curriculum. Young children do not naturally perceive their world as separate subject areas like math, reading, and science. Nor is math limited to formulaic expres- sion.
Instead, mathematical patterns occur in the songs children sing, the books they read, and their charting of the weather. Geometry and spatial sense are found in the art children create, the movement games they play, the puzzles they do, and the mod- els they build. Number is found in the chants chil- dren say, the sports they play, and the scenes they act out. Vision in practice: Throw away dittos and seat work. Doing the “Hokey Pokey†and making mosaics are ways to explore the mathematical concept of parts-to-whole, for example.
Quilting and charting weather allow for mathematical pat- tern exploration. Model building and classroom obstacle courses allow for opportunities to inves- tigate mathematical concepts such as estimation, measurement, and symmetry. Math should not be teacher explanation and student rote practice. Instead, use everyday, hands-on activities and routines to introduce and develop important mathematical ideas. Carefully plan multi-subject projects and investigations that many TeaChers reCall being TaughT maThemaTiCs in an environmenT Filled wiTh Tension and FrusTraTions.
6 Texas Child Care / Fall 2009 build in meaningful practice of mathematics through discussion, sharing, listening, music, movement, and visual and artistic expression. â– Focus on play as a way to introduce mathematical language, concepts, and methods. Play offers rich opportunities for children to develop mathematical knowledge. Intrinsically motivated children often exhibit persistence and creativity in problem-solving during play. This problem-solving translates to the generation and practice of mathe- matical concepts. Vision in practice: Seek the fun in mathematics.
“Fiddling around†mathematically can be academ- ically and personally rewarding. Engaging adults and peers in games, challenges, and problem-solv- ing provides opportunities for pleasurable and sat- isfying use of mathematical ideas. Provide sustained periods that allow children to engage in playful activities. Enhance play-based mathematical learning by asking questions that seek clarification, extend thinking, and connect to past mathematical experiences. 5: Positively change mathematical teaching practice.
Give thought in lesson planning to development of not just skill but also mathematical attitude. Deliberately build in opportunities for student suc- cess while minimizing the potential for stress and frustration. Move from rote and rule-based activities to meaningful and authentic mathematics experienc- es in everyday life. In short, make mathematics an important and valued part of classroom life. It’s time to break the negative cycle and stop the next generation from hating math.
We as early child- hood teachers have the power to reach this goal. deliberaTely build in opporTuniTies For sTudenT suCCess while minimizing The poTenTial For sTress and FrusTraTion. Texas Child Care / Fall 2009 7 References Ball, D.L. 1995. Transforming pedagogy: Classrooms as mathematical communities. A response to Timothy Lensmire and John Pryor.
Harvard Educational Review 65 (4): . Ball, D.L.; J. Lewis; and M.H. Thames. 2008.
Making mathematics work in school. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education Monograph 14: 13-44. Gates, P. 2002. Issues in Mathematics Teaching.
New York: Rouledge. Gierl, M.J. and J. Bisanz. 1995. Anxieties and atti- tudes related to mathematics in grades 3 and 6.
Journal of Experimental Education 63 (2): . Ginsburg, H.P. 1989. Children’s Arithmetic: How They Learn It and How You Teach It. Austin: Pro-Ed.
Harper, N.W. and C.J. Daane. 1998. Causes and reduction of math anxiety in preservice elementary teachers. Action in Teacher Education 19 (4): 29-38.
Jackson, C.D. and R.J. Leffingwell. 1999. The role of instructors in creating math anxiety in students from kindergarten through college. Mathematics Teacher 92 (7): .
Philippou, G.N. and C. Christou. 1998. The effect of a preparatory mathematics program in changing prospective teachers’ attitudes towards mathemat- ics. Educational Studies in Mathematics 35: .
Sperry Smith, S. 2009. Early Childhood Mathematics. New York: Pearson. Tobias, S.
1993. Overcoming Math Anxiety. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. About the author Alyse C.
Hachey, Ph.D., is associate professor in the teacher education department at Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York. She is an educational psychologist whose teaching and research interests focus on early child- hood cognition and curriculum development. Editor’s note: Two recent articles in Texas Child Care contain activities in which children learn math con- cepts. See “Using symbols to build math skills†in the Summer 2007 issue and “Money: Learning about dollars and cents†in the Fall 2007 issue. Check the index in this issue, or online at www. childcarequarterly.com, for math-related activities such as cooking, making a quilt, blocks, and puzzles.
Paper for above instructions
Understanding and Overcoming Math Anxiety in Early Childhood EducationIntroduction
Early childhood education forms the bedrock for lifelong learning, impacting children's attitudes toward various subjects, including mathematics (Philippou & Christou, 1998). Unfortunately, many early childhood educators experience math anxiety—a negative emotional response toward math that can stem from past educational experiences (Tobias, 1993). This phenomenon not only affects teachers' attitudes but also their teaching methods, influencing how young children perceive and relate to mathematics. Thus, it is imperative to understand the roots of this anxiety, its implications for teaching, and practical strategies to foster a positive mathematical environment for children.
The Cycle of Math Anxiety
Research suggests that early childhood teachers often recount experiences of being taught math in high-pressure environments, which fosters negative feelings associated with the subject (Jackson & Leffingwell, 1999). This cycle of anxiety can create a negative feedback loop, characterized by teachers who feel they are "bad at math" and subsequently transmit this aversion to their students (Gierl & Bisanz, 1995). Teachers who lack enthusiasm for mathematics can inadvertently instill fear and disinterest in their students, ultimately contributing to a generation of children who may develop the same dislike of math (Harper & Daane, 1998).
Personal Reflection on Math Teaching Practices
Reflecting on personal teaching experiences can be a revealing exercise for early childhood teachers. Many educators recall their own struggle with math anxiety, recalling time-based tests and pressures to perform that have left a lasting impact (Jackson & Leffingwell, 1999). We must first acknowledge these feelings rather than dismiss them, which can initially open a pathway toward change. Acknowledging these emotions allows teachers to reassess their perceptions of mathematics—a crucial step in redefining their identity as successful educators (Sperry Smith, 2009).
Taking a critical look at one's teaching practices can reveal gaps in both commitment and engagement with math instruction. Questions such as “Am I setting appropriate mathematical goals for my students?” or “Is my teaching methods engaging and encouraging?” serve as starting points for self-reflection (Hachey, 2009). Through critical evaluation, teachers can learn to reshape their instructional strategies to better meet the needs of their students.
Redefining Mathematics in Early Childhood Education
A shift in perspective regarding mathematics is essential for creating an inviting atmosphere for learning. Mathematics should not merely be viewed as a rigid set of rules or facts, but as a dynamic process of problem-solving and sense-making (Ball, 1995). This transformation begins by recognizing the value of students’ natural curiosity and interests in their learning experiences (Ginsburg, 1989). Teachers should strive to move away from rote memorization and instead engage students in real-world mathematical experiences that relate to their everyday lives.
Practical Strategies for Teaching Math with Confidence
1. Encourage Exploration: Allow students to explore mathematical concepts in meaningful contexts (Ball, Lewis, & Thames, 2008). Rather than telling children how to do math, educators should present them with problems to solve and encourage them to use their intuition and creativity.
2. Focus on Play: Integrate play into mathematical learning. Engaging children in playful activities allows them to develop problem-solving skills in a fun environment (Sperry Smith, 2009). This could involve counting games, cooking activities, or even movement-based math tasks, which can all embed mathematical concepts in enjoyable formats.
3. Connect Math to Daily Life: Reinforce the idea that math is connected to daily experiences. For example, during snack time, children can engage in sorting different food items, counting pieces, or discussing shapes and sizes (Gates, 2002). This contextual learning helps students see the relevance of mathematics in their lives.
4. Promote Mathematical Discourse: Create a classroom atmosphere where students feel confident to express their mathematical ideas in discussions. Encourage children to share their thought processes and reasoning when solving math problems (Ginsburg, 1989). This approach not only enhances their understanding but also builds their confidence.
5. Model Positive Attitudes: Educators must consciously model enthusiasm for mathematics to counteract any negative feelings. Demonstrating excitement about numbers and patterns can significantly influence how students attach value to math (Philippou & Christou, 1998). Share personal stories of mathematical triumphs and challenges to illustrate that mathematics is a journey with ups and downs.
6. Professional Development Opportunities: Engage in workshops and discussions with fellow educators to share experiences and strategies for overcoming math anxiety (Harper & Daane, 1998). Building a community among educators can provide support and resources for improving math instruction.
7. Interdisciplinary Connections: Integrate math across all subjects. Mathematical thinking is relevant in reading, art, and science (Hachey, 2009). Engage students in activities such as creating art that involves symmetry or learning about weather patterns, enabling them to make connections between math and the broader curriculum.
8. Mindfulness and Reflection: Encourage teachers to practice mindfulness and reflection concerning their emotional responses to math. Self-awareness can be pivotal in recognizing and addressing math anxiety, allowing for more authentic interactions with students engaging in mathematics (Sperry Smith, 2009).
Addressing the Cycle
Breaking the cycle of math anxiety requires a committed effort from early childhood educators to foster a positive mathematical environment. By recognizing their feelings toward mathematics, redefining their teaching approaches, and implementing creative strategies to engage young learners, teachers can cultivate an appreciation for math among their students. Through empathetic and innovative teaching practices, we can mitigate the impact of negative experiences and empower the next generation of learners to embrace mathematics with confidence and excitement.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the negative feelings that early childhood teachers have toward mathematics deeply impact their instructional methods and, consequently, the attitudes of their students. However, by acknowledging their emotional baggage, reshaping their beliefs about math, and implementing engaging, real-world experiences, teachers can foster a positive mathematical culture in their classrooms. This proactive approach not only benefits students but also helps educators transform their relationship with mathematics into a more positive and empowering experience.
References
1. Ball, D.L. (1995). Transforming pedagogy: Classrooms as mathematical communities. Harvard Educational Review, 65(4).
2. Ball, D.L., Lewis, J., & Thames, M.H. (2008). Making mathematics work in school. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education Monograph, 14, 13-44.
3. Gates, P. (2002). Issues in Mathematics Teaching. New York: Routledge.
4. Gierl, M.J., & Bisanz, J. (1995). Anxieties and attitudes related to mathematics in grades 3 and 6. Journal of Experimental Education, 63(2).
5. Ginsburg, H.P. (1989). Children’s Arithmetic: How They Learn It and How You Teach It. Austin: Pro-Ed.
6. Harper, N.W., & Daane, C.J. (1998). Causes and reduction of math anxiety in preservice elementary teachers. Action in Teacher Education, 19(4), 29-38.
7. Jackson, C.D., & Leffingwell, R.J. (1999). The role of instructors in creating math anxiety in students from kindergarten through college. Mathematics Teacher, 92(7).
8. Philippou, G.N., & Christou, C. (1998). The effect of a preparatory mathematics program in changing prospective teachers’ attitudes towards mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 35.
9. Sperry Smith, S. (2009). Early Childhood Mathematics. New York: Pearson.
10. Tobias, S. (1993). Overcoming Math Anxiety. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.