Students struggling with math may have math anxiety which impedes their capacity to focus and make sense of the assigned problems. They tend to reread the problems over and over and avoid having trouble making sense of the problems. This can be caused by math anxiety, a lack of understanding of the math concepts involved, or general comprehension issues leading to low performance. Low performance, in turn, reinforces a belief that they just don’t have the mathematics gene. Such students can make notable strides in improving their math identity and capacity to succeed in the subject when teachers provide explicit strategies to address the struggle students are experiencing.

1. Have students take two or three deep breaths before getting started, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth, which helps the body to relax and the mind to focus.
2. Reframe physical symptoms of anxiety—such as sweaty palms or racing heartbeat—as signals that they are excited and ready to work.
3. Explicitly identify effective and non-effective methods for making sense of the problem. For example, underline important words or phrases in the sentence that help make sense of the context and question.
4. Have students explain what the problem is asking to a partner to allow both students to make sense of the problem and discuss key information in the problem.
5. When assigning problems to students, consider offering clues to help them get started. If they feel stuck. Do NOT show them how to do the problem. That just makes them more dependent on others.
6. Consider what a ‘just right’ problem would be for each of your students to make sure they feel successful with the initial problem offered to build the confidence needed to tackle more difficult problems. This does not lower the bar, instead it provides access and an opportunity for success. Success generates confidence.
7. Focus on the ‘big ideas’ embedded in the problem rather than the procedures to find the answer.
8. Encourage students to try more difficult or complex problems when the stakes are low to build confidence when taking exams.

Some school kids use ineffective study methods that sabotage their test results and confidence, which is why it is essential for you, as an educator, to find out how your students study on their own. For example, passively reading through textbooks but not quite grasping mathematical concepts can result in “freezing” on exams and developing math anxiety over time. And then brainstorm with students effective ways to approach problems. (Journal of Experimental Psychology).

Read Education Week’s findings on math challenges here.