JOHNSON CITY – Fear of math, or “math anxiety,” is such a common phobia that a lot of individuals never give much thought to when their fear actually began – and for many of us, it began in elementary school.
When the teacher called us up to the blackboard to work a problem in front of the class of usually less-than-understanding peers, the dread began. One mistake in the calculation and there it was on the board for the whole world to see how dumb we really were. Little did we know that the teacher might have the same fear buried deep inside from her early school years. And so the vicious cycle continued, until now.
Thanks to a recent grant, several East Tennessee State University professors have decided to attack math anxiety at its roots by catching budding elementary teachers early and working with them on understanding different learning styles they might encounter in the classroom.
According to Dr. George Poole from the department of mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. George Mehaffrey, president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, submitted a preliminary math grant proposal to the National Science Foundation. The focus of the grant was to bring together colleges and universities interested in brainstorming better methods of math preparation for elementary teachers.
Poole and Dr. Rhona Cummings from the College of Education's department of curriculum and instruction, received their surge of inspiration at San Diego (Calif.) State University while attending “Improving the Mathematics Subject-Matter Preparation of Elementary School Teachers” with 80 educators from across the country. Only 23 colleges and universities were invited to send participants. In addition to ETSU, Western Carolina in Cullowhee was selected to participate from this region.
He notes, “From the very first, the faculties from ETSU and Western Carolina assumed a vocal, influential role in setting the tone for the brainstorming to follow.”
Poole says he is revamping his whole method of teaching college math to concentrate on learning styles and collaborate with College of Education colleagues who are preparing future school teachers.
Particularly insidious, he says, is a widespread assumption that because mathematics topics covered in grades K-6 are so basic they must also be easy to learn, and therefore easy to teach.
“Nothing could be further from the truth! Published education research during the last decade clearly shows that substantial mathematics training is needed even to teach whole number arithmetic to first graders with understanding, and to teach it well.”
Poole says many prospective and current elementary teachers admit, although reluctantly, that their weakest subject area is math. This weakness is compounded by their lack of confidence and poor attitudes toward the subject. He also says many of these teachers attribute unhappy, negative experiences in the “early grades” as sources of their weakness.
“Whatever the reasons, educators should not foster 'negative feelings' about math. They should implement programs that enhance learning about, and improve attitudes toward, the subject of mathematics, particularly for prospective elementary teachers.
“Research shows young minds learn and apply mathematics in different ways. Elementary teachers must be 'comfortable enough' in the subject to respond positively to these new ways to learn and apply mathematics. Prospective elementary teachers must achieve a level of 'profound understanding of fundamental mathematics,' or PUFM, to 'be at home' in the classroom no matter what new ideas, strategies and problem-solving methods emerge from these young minds.”
Poole admits it is all too easy for a teacher to tell a second grader that his or her way to view a solution to a problem is incorrect without fully hearing them out. “Great teachers can learn much from their students.”
For instance, he says there are several different ways to find the sum of 27 and 19 without using the common, “boring” addition algorithm. “Elementary teachers need to understand mathematics well enough to know what is right, what is wrong, and when to praise students for unusual, even ingenious ways of solving problems.”
Poole says that ideally, “Prospective teachers of mathematics, including elementary teachers, should learn arithmetic and mathematics from five basic perspectives – symbolically (as numbers), literally (as words), conceptually (with full understanding), pictorially (through manipulatives), and through applications to real (not fake) problems.”
He says obtaining a PUFM is essential to being a good teacher, and it is equally important for elementary teachers who first “touch the minds” of young people in the realm of mathematics to achieve PUFM. “Exploring mathematics should be just as interesting and exciting to our kindergarteners and first graders as exploring the earth beneath our feet, the ocean depths or the vast expanse of our universe.”
Poole believes that the ideas emerging from the two departmental faculties at ETSU appear to be ahead of the other schools at the meeting in California.
Both departments agree that a third math course, beyond the currently required two, is needed to assist prospective teachers in becoming better prepared to read and teach out of the new texts being written for elementary students. Also, both agree more focus on the use of technology to excite students and enhance learning will become a part of the new program for prospective teachers.
Poole says the new program should include a “mathematics early field experience” for teachers to discover how children of early grades actually learn in the classroom. And, third year and “seasoned” teachers should be invited to ETSU for a workshop on behalf of prospective elementary teachers. This type of workshop will enable these prospective teachers to learn from the “young veteran” teachers just how children actually learn mathematics.
And finally, a content mathematics course should be integrated with a teaching methods course to be jointly taught by a mathematician and a mathematics educator.
Poole concludes, “Nine decades ago, as a fledgling 'normal school,' East Tennessee State sought to train prospective teachers in the art of pedagogy. And now, 90 years later, the faculty of curriculum and instruction and mathematics wish to continue equipping prospective teachers with the skills and attitudes required to create exciting learning environments for the students of the region. ETSU's current focus is on teachers who are entrusted with the responsibility of first introducing young minds to the world of mathematics, namely our elementary teachers.”