Math Anxiety: Responses to Empower Confident Learners

by Stephanie Gold

In an Education Week article, Sarah Sparks explored the roots of math anxiety, its impact on students and teachers, and how outdated beliefs about who is 'good at math' continue to shape math instruction today. Sparks wrote, “there aren’t ‘math people’ and ‘non-math people,’ only those who work through the challenging lesson and those who surrender too soon.” This idea invites us to reconsider how we define math ability and how we can better support all learners. Let’s take a closer look. 

Where does math anxiety come from? 

While math anxiety is often assumed to result from poor math ability, research tells a different story. You might be surprised to hear that emerging cognitive and neuroscience research (Barroso et al., 2021) finds that math anxiety is not a response to poor math performance. In fact, four out of five students with math anxiety are average-to-high math performers. Rather, math anxiety is linked to higher activity in areas of the brain that relate to fear of failure before a math task, not during it. 

Research consistently shows that anxiety can negatively impact academic achievement. When students experience math anxiety, their stress response takes over, making it harder for them to focus on solving problems (Eysenck et al., 2007). Instead of concentrating on the task, their attention shifts to their anxiety, often interpreting challenges as threats rather than opportunities to learn. This negative thought cycle can make it difficult to engage with the details of a math problem, as worries about failure or frustration take center stage. 

What to look for and how to respond 

Math anxiety can manifest in various ways, from subtle behavioral cues to more overt signs of distress. Students experiencing math anxiety may display avoidance behaviors, such as reluctance to participate in math discussions, hesitancy to attempt problems, or frequent requests for help on tasks they are capable of completing. They may also exhibit physical symptoms, such as tense posture, fidgeting, sweating, or even trembling when confronted with a math-related task, especially under time constraints. To identify students experiencing math anxiety, educators can observe these behavioral and emotional cues, listen for self-defeating language, and monitor how students engage with mathematical tasks. Recognizing these signs early allows educators to respond with strategies that build confidence, reduce stress, and foster a supportive environment where all students feel capable of engaging with math. 

One major barrier to overcoming math anxiety is the prevalence of a fixed mindset; the belief that knowledge or skills are static and cannot be expanded, in this case, the belief that some people are simply 'not math people' while others are naturally gifted. These attitudes take root in childhood and shape how students respond to challenges. When students see intelligence as fixed rather than something that can grow with effort, they may avoid risks, struggle with setbacks, and develop anxiety around math. Research shows that fostering a growth mindset, emphasizing effort, strategies, and persistence, can help break this cycle and build resilience in mathematics (Blackwell et al., 2007). 

How can Edmentum help?

• Digital learning tools with real-time progress monitoring, such as those in Edmentum’s products, can help teachers pinpoint when a student’s struggles stem from a lack of conceptual understanding versus when anxiety may be impairing their ability to demonstrate knowledge.
• Exact Path provides individualized learning paths based on diagnostic assessments. Students work at their own pace, reducing the anxiety that comes from feeling behind or rushed. They receive content that matches their skill level, helping them build competence before moving on to more complex concepts.
• With scaffolded digital lessons that break down multi-step problems and provide guided support, instruction is designed to reduce cognitive load, making it easier for students to focus on problem-solving rather than feeling overwhelmed by complex calculations.
• Edmentum encourages a growth mindset by giving students instant feedback on their answers and progress. Instead of focusing on whether they got an answer wrong, students see mistakes as opportunities to learn and improve.
• Low-stakes assessments and mastery-based learning paths measure progress through formative checks rather than high-pressure exams. Students can see their own growth over time, building confidence rather than feeling defeated by a single poor test score. 

By understanding the roots of math anxiety and addressing it through intentional, research-based strategies, educators can create learning environments where all students feel empowered to succeed. Tools like Exact Path not only provide personalized support and reduce pressure, but also help shift the narrative from fixed ability to growth and progress. When students are given the space to build understanding at their own pace and celebrate incremental gains, math becomes less about fear and more about possibility.  

References:

Barroso, C., Ganley, C. M., McGraw, A. L., Geer, E. A., Hart, S. A., & Daucourt, M. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of the relation between math anxiety and math achievement. Psychological Bulletin, 147(2), 134–168. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000307 

 Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit theories of intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal study and an intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x  

Eysenck, M. W., Derakshan, N., Santos, R., & Calvo, M. G. (2007). Anxiety and cognitive performance: Attentional control theory. Emotion, 7(2), 336–353. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.336 

About the author 

Stephanie Gold brings over two decades of experience in educational leadership, curriculum development, and digital learning to her role as a Learning Designer at Edmentum. With a deep-seated passion for transforming education through technology, Stephanie has held pivotal roles in STEM education, course design, and school leadership, notably influencing digital curriculum development across various educational settings.  

With a Master of Arts in Science Education from New York University and now pursuing a Master's program in Instructional Design and Technology, Stephanie is adept at integrating pedagogical expertise with technological acumen to craft educational experiences that resonate with both students and educators. Her journey through the educational landscape includes leadership positions in Independent Schools, Online Schools, and the development of Professional Learning Platforms.