An Antidote to Parentsâ Math Anxiety
Whether youâre a parent gearing up for another year of nightly homework battles or an educator wading through an onslaught of parent queries around math instruction, a recent University of Chicago study on the relationship between parentsâ math anxiety and their childrenâs academic achievement might pique your interest. Â
After observing several hundred elementary students and their caregivers over the course of a school year, the research team, led by psychologists Sian Beilock and Susan Levine, discovered that when math-anxious parents provide homework help, their children learn less math and are more likely to experience math anxiety themselvesâa finding that has big implications not just for parents, but for the districts and schools working to support them.
Erin A. Maloney, the studyâs lead author, emphasizes that parents are their childâs âfirst and most sustained teachers.â She also notes that schools consistently message to parents that their involvement in the learning process is key to their childâs success. Unfortunately, parents are rarely provided with the tools and resources they need to support their childâs learning with confidence. As a slew of news items and viral posts on social mediademonstrated last school year, parental math anxiety is a reality that has only been exacerbated by the use of unfamiliar teaching methods and new standards, leaving parents everywhere frustrated and discouraged.
So whatâs to be done? Maloney suggests that schools combat parentsâ math anxiety by providing them with âstructured activities that allow [them] to interact with their children around math in positive ways ⌠in the form of math books, computer and traditional board games, or Internet apps.â
She says families might also benefit from general tips for homework help and video models of effective teaching. Resources like these can act as a lifesaver for parents who feel lost at sea when faced with number lines and area array diagrams, but want desperately to connect with and encourage their childâs learning.
Creating and distributing resources to support parents is a huge job (especially when you consider that many parents of elementary school kids donât speak English as their first language). Yet forward-thinking school districts across the country are making significant strides in supporting their parents. For many, Upraised Math is a key element of their strategy to build parent capabilities by explaining new teaching methods in parent-friendly language, and encouraging structured at-home learning experiences. Upraised offers an exciting opportunity for schools to lower parentsâ math anxiety and drive student achievement simultaneously.
If youâre a teacher or administrator, weâd love to tell you more about how we help districts and schools provide all families with the resources they need to confidently support their childâs math success. If youâre a parent in search of an antidote for your own math anxiety or you think Upraised Math would be helpful to your school community, weâd love to hear from you too!  Send us an email at [email protected], tweet us at @upraised_org, or call us at 347-331-0500. Â












