SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT

Math Class Doesn’t Need To Be Tough

Remember when Barbie said "Math class is tough", and everyone got bent out of shape? A new study from the University of Chicago finds that female grade 1 and grade 2 teachers with math anxiety negatively impact their female students' math ability, via little girls' beliefs about who is good at math. It seems Barbie was on to something!

The Chicago study suggests that a vicious circle is operating whereby little girls catch math phobia from their female teachers, grow up to become primary teachers themselves, and then infect their own female students with math phobia. What can be done to break the cycle? In other words, how can we make female primary teachers less anxious about teaching math?

Stated that way, it seems obvious that we should consider providing primary teachers with more support in math. At present in Ontario, it is actually illegal for teachers to use well-sequenced and clearly-explained math textbooks, and the use of direct instruction and drilling is strongly discouraged, even though these teaching methods result in better student learning. If the province's primary teachers, especially the ones who are shaky in math, could use highly-scripted and effective textbooks and teaching methods, these teachers would feel more comfortable teaching math, and their confidence would begin to grow. The more confident they became, the more confident their female students would become. And, as an added bonus, the students would learn more math!