How Practice Problems and Worksheets Can Alleviate Math Anxiety

Math anxiety is not a new phenomenon, nor is it a rare one. A number of students, even the most intelligent, just can't seem to pull it together come time for a math test, particularly when tests and quizzes are timed. Math is nothing to be afraid of. People use math everyday, counting money, cooking, even driving their cars! Think of math as a treasure hunt, where the treasure is an accurate solution.

If your child seems to do well when studying at home, but manages to learn low scores in the classroom, there's a good chance he or she is suffering from this anxiety. Rest assured, it's all in his or her head--and yes, that's a good thing! It means your child is able to learn and master math basics, he/she just isn't able to express this under pressure. Fortunately, you can help.

Preparation

Math anxiety's enemy is preparation. Preparation don't just mean completing homework. In order to overcome nervousness, students have to feel comfortable working through tough math problems under a number of different circumstances. The answer? Math practice problems and worksheets, and lots of them. By encouraging your child to complete these worksheets regularly, he/she will become so well acquainted with the problems emphasized in the classroom that they no longer have to consider how to work through them. It will be second nature. By timing your child, as teachers often do during quizzes, he/she will learn to solve problems quickly and accurately when under pressure.

Practice Worksheets

There are a number places you can find math practice problems and worksheets. Teachers, for instance, often have extras they're willing to photocopy or lend concerned parents. Math books also often contain extra problems not assigned in the classroom that can be put to good use at home. An outside tutor can be a good source for eliminating math anxiety. A tutor will have access to needed resources, like practice worksheets, that will help your child succeed. Consider making a few of your own worksheets as well. This not only allows you to become acquainted with your child's curriculum, it also allows you to truly participate in the learning process.