2.  A physical and or emotional reaction to the thought or action of doing math.  Culturally based  Not a condition you are born with  Can be unlearned  Effects can be physical (sweating, pain, nausea) or psychological( memory loss, lack of focus)  Perpetuated by negative attitude  Affects ability to learn math.,

3. Negative experience with math Math avoidance Poor Preparation Poor Math Performance

4.  You must be born with a mathematical brain.  There is a best way to do a math problem.  Men are better at math than women.  It is bad to count on your fingers.  You can’t be creative and good at math.  You have to be good at calculating to do math.  Doing math in your head makes you better at math.  Getting the right answers is most important in math.  I don’t need math.  I ‘ll never catch up.

5.  You don’t want to go to math class.  You are afraid to ask questions in math class.  You are uneasy about answering questions in math.  You worry that math is going to get too difficult.  You zone out in math class.  You forget what you learned in class once you get home.  You fear math tests more than other exams.  You are afraid you won’t be able to keep up.  You put off doing math until the last minute.  You lack motivation to do math.

6.  What was your first experience with math?  When did you begin to not like math?  Who or what made you not like math?  What other experiences have you had with math?  Why is it that you get math anxiety?

7.  Notice your handwriting when doing math. (Does it get messier when you are frustrated)  Know the basics-learn times tables (alternate methods are fine)  Don’t memorize, understand  Stay organized  Think of math as a foreign language.  Study before bed and again in the morning.  Practice a little everyday.  Take breaks when you get frustrated.  Use all your resources.  Ask questions  Do math work by starting with the easiest problems first.  THINK POSITIVE  Move when you study.  Form a study group

8.  Wanting results too fast. Make reasonable time lines.  Wanting answers too fast. Some of the learning is in the process.  Excuses  Frustration  Keep trying the same thing over and over again.  Negative self talk

9.  Rehearse healthy behaviors  Change irrational thinking  Write out choices or options  Positive self talk  Manage your time

10.  Breathing methods-chicken, nostril, in through nose out through mouth, breath walk  Drawing/Writing/Singing  Physical activity-walk, run, hike, yoga, tai chi  Stretch  Nutrition  Relaxation/Meditation/Visualization  Talk to others without getting negative  Become educated about areas of unknown that are causing stress.  Calm music  Eliminate unconstructive beliefs/negative self esteem

11.  Support networks  Laugh  Pets  Social support  Focus on the present  Get enough sleep  Limit caffeine and alcohol  Massage  Time outs  Accept that you can’t control everything

12.  Feelings such as sweaty palms, butterflies in your stomach, nausea, rapid heart beating that occur when a person is thinking about a test or taking a test. It limits a person’s ability to do well on the test even though the person has prepared adequately. This is not the same as having something on your mind and being distracted.

13.  Be prepared, work on keeping a calendar and improving study skills  Don’t cram  Learn vs memorize  Ask for help studying  Positive thoughts, avoid negative self talk  Take care of yourself, get sleep, exercise, eat well  Accept mistakes, learn from them  Once you feel prepared, do something relaxing  Don’t let the anxiety of others rub off onto you. Avoid those people.  Arrive to the test site early  See the test as a challenge rather than as a threat.  Promise yourself a reward at the end of the test.

14.  Prevent frustration by moving on if you don’t know an answer.  Look through the whole test before you begin.  Read all directions and all parts of multiple choice questions  Outline your answer to multistep problems.  Show any steps you know.  Estimate and check answers for reasonableness.  Work on easiest parts of the test first, make educated guesses on those you are not sure about  Manage your time, don’t spend all your time on one section  Change positions  Be neat and show work  Don’t panic when people begin turning in tests  If you are taking a essay test, just begin writing  Don’t rush  Stay positive

15.  Relax  Practice breathing techniques  Realize you are not alone and anxiety is not necessarily bad  Don’t dwell on the fear, let it pass  Break a pencil lead and sharpen your pencil (quietly)  Ask the teacher a question  Focus on the present, worry later  Tense and relax muscles  Remind yourself of the reward you promised yourself

16.  Learn from your mistakes.  Correct your errors.  Reward yourself.  Congratulate yourself.  Note what you did well in terms of managing anxiety.

17.  http://www.counseling.txstate.edu/resources/sh overview/bro/math.html http://www.counseling.txstate.edu/resources/sh overview/bro/math.html  http://www.radford.edu/content/LARC/home/l earning-guides/math/math-anxiety.html http://www.radford.edu/content/LARC/home/l earning-guides/math/math-anxiety.html  http://salsa.missioncollege.org/mss/stories/story Reader$9 http://salsa.missioncollege.org/mss/stories/story Reader$9  http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/anx iety/#strat http://www.mathacademy.com/pr/minitext/anx iety/#strat  http://www.math-anxiety.com/about-math- anxiety.html http://www.math-anxiety.com/about-math- anxiety.html  Sedler, Michael. Stress Reduction In Staff and Students. The Heritage Institute Course Material Packet for HE401m/HE501m.