To the Editor:
Today, I read written by Education Week Teacher contributing blogger John Troutman McCrann, in which he talks about strategies for addressing 鈥渕ath anxiety.鈥� I think the strategy McCrann highlights, maze moments, is wonderful.
But while, in general, I love the fact that 糖心动漫vlog are working hard to address students鈥� struggles in math, I feel that we need to change our language: We can鈥檛 keep calling it 鈥渕ath anxiety.鈥� Yes, some students and adults have a hard time with math, but it is not an illness. Think of math as an art. I do not walk around and say, 鈥淚 hate Picasso. I do not understand his work, and I am not good at painting. Please, I need a Picasso Anxiety workshop.鈥�
Our words affect us and others. The efforts to sympathize with students鈥� struggles in math can have damaging effects. By labeling the subject as something that causes panic attacks, we are not addressing the real issues contributing to our math-phobic culture: pedagogical practices, educational policies, teachers鈥� salaries, students鈥� home life, school culture, and personal grit and perseverance.
Let鈥檚 stop putting the words 鈥渉ate鈥� and 鈥渁nxiety鈥� in the same sentence with 鈥渕ath.鈥�
Vee Nguyen
Associate Faculty
Mathematics
Mira Costa Community College
Oceanside, Calif.
