SUCCESSFUL TEACHER PRACTICES FOR REDUCING MATHEMATICS ANXIETY IN ...

181 Pages·2017·1.53 MB·English

by  Stephanie Taylor

SUCCESSFUL TEACHER PRACTICES FOR REDUCING MATHEMATICS ANXIETY IN
SECONDARY STUDENTS

A Dissertation
Presented to
The Faculty of the Education Department
Carson-Newman University

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the
Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education
By
Stephanie Renee Taylor

March 2017
© Copyright 2017
Stephanie Renee Taylor
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ii
iii
PERMISSION STATEMENT

Title of dissertation: Successful Teacher Practices for Reducing Math Anxiety in Secondary
Students

Author: Stephanie R. Taylor

I hereby grant Carson-Newman University and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive
and make accessible my dissertation in whole or part in all forms of media in perpetuity. I retain
all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation. I also retain the right to
use in future works all or part of this thesis or dissertation.

Stephanie Renee Taylor
Date: March 8, 2017

iv
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this qualitative study was to find what teacher best practices are being
implemented to reduce the effects of mathematics anxiety on secondary students in grades 6
through 12. Semi-structured interviews were set up to gather data from 15 educators responsible
for instructing mathematics in one East Tennessee school district. The findings gathered from
this study developed a list of implemented teacher best practices for the environment, instruction,
and student growth areas of mathematics education. Environmental best practices included
strategies focused on giving praise, creating a safe atmosphere, talking to students, offering
friends for assistance, building relationships, modeling expected behavior, and adding humor to
the classroom. Instructional best practices included creating a daily routine of structure,
providing teacher and student assistance, adding games and activities to lessons, and teaching
self-regulating of stress techniques. Student growth and reflection best practices included
addressing internal obstacles like no motivation or little confidence, addressing academic
obstacles like previous bad experiences and learning gaps, modifying assignments, reviewing
previously learned topics, giving time for peer interaction, and allowing time for individualized
meetings with students on their progress. The researcher found that when used in conjunction,
these best practices help in the alleviation of mathematics anxiety.

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Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank my parents. They have always pushed me to do my best and to never
settle for anything less. Their patience with me through this process was nothing shy of the love
they have always bestowed upon me. They looked past my sudden mood changes and lack of
sleep and continued to love me.

Second, I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Brenda Dean, who listened non-stop to
my worrying and crazy fears. She stuck in there with me when I thought I wanted to go crazy.
Without her continuous support, I would have been lost in this journey.

Next, I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. P. Mark Taylor and Dr. Sharon Teets,
for their amazing feedback and support that they gave me during this process.

Also, I would like to thank my best friend, Joey Lynn Byrd, for staying by myside through this
long journey. She was my words of encouragement when I felt like quitting, and I was hers
when she felt like quitting. She made this journey easier just being by my side.

Finally, I would like to thank my amazing editor, Anne Louise Spangler. She not only made me
sound so much smarter, but she went above and beyond in helping me. She is truly an amazing
individual.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE .................................................................................................................................. i
COPYRIGHT ...................................................................................................................... ii
RESEARCH COMMITTEE .............................................................................................. iii
PERMISSION STATEMENT ........................................................................................... iv
ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................................v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... vi
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES....................................................................................x

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1
Introduction of Problem ...........................................................................................1
Background of Problem ...........................................................................................4
Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................4
Classroom Environment...............................................................................5
Instructional Styles.......................................................................................5
Growth and Reflection Elements .................................................................7
Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................8
Changing the Environment ..........................................................................8
Changing Instructional Strategies ................................................................9
Giving Time for Growth and Reflection ....................................................10
Research Problem ..................................................................................................10
Rationale for the Study ..........................................................................................11
Purpose of the Study ..............................................................................................12
Research Questions ................................................................................................12
Definition of Terms................................................................................................13
Limitations and Delimitations................................................................................14
Background and Relationship to Researcher .........................................................14
Organization of the Document ...............................................................................17
Summary ................................................................................................................17

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ......................................................................18
Modern History of Mathematics Education ...........................................................19
The 1950s ...................................................................................................19
The 1960s and 1970s .................................................................................19
The 1980s ...................................................................................................20
The 1990s ...................................................................................................21
The 2000s ...................................................................................................22
An Existence of Mathematics Anxiety ..................................................................24
Mathematics Anxiety Defined ...................................................................24
Symptoms of Mathematics Anxiety...........................................................25
Misconceptions about Mathematics Anxiety .............................................27
Causes of Mathematics Anxiety ................................................................29
Stress ..............................................................................................29
Instructional Strategies...................................................................29
Abstract Mathematics Ideas ...........................................................30
Teacher Ability and Confidence ....................................................30
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Individual’s Confidence .................................................................31
Measuring Mathematics Anxiety ...................................................33
Teacher Instructional Strategies ..............................................................................35
Lectures ......................................................................................................35
Interactive and Individualized Methods .....................................................36
Homework..................................................................................................38
Best Practices in the Reduction of Math Anxieties ................................................39
Instructional Strategies...............................................................................41
Constructivist Approach. ...............................................................41
Individualized Instruction ..............................................................42
Types of Learners ..........................................................................43
Active Learning .............................................................................44
Proper Assessment Practices..........................................................44
Real-World Application .................................................................45
Offer Challenges ............................................................................46
Environmental Changes .............................................................................47
Suffering in Silence........................................................................48
Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication .......................................49
Outside Environment Factors ........................................................49
Classroom Characteristics ..............................................................50
Breaks and Movement ...................................................................52
Growth and Reflection ...............................................................................53
Journaling ......................................................................................54
Goals and Expectations ..................................................................54
Conclusion .............................................................................................................56

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................58
Description of Qualitative Research ......................................................................59
Description of the Specific Research Approach ....................................................60
Description of Study Participants and Setting .......................................................61
Data Collection Procedures....................................................................................61
Interviews ...................................................................................................62
Observations ..............................................................................................63
Student Data ...............................................................................................64
Ethical Considerations ...........................................................................................64
Data Analysis Procedures ......................................................................................65
Summary ................................................................................................................66

CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS OF DATA ...............................................................................68
Presentation of Descriptive Characteristics of Participants ...................................69
Presentation of Results: Defining Mathematics Anxiety ......................................71
Presentation of Results: Research Question 1 ......................................................75
How Do You Address Students with Anxieties? .......................................75
What Stresses Students? ............................................................................78
What Classroom Elements Relieve Anxiety? ............................................81
How Do You Use Humor to Relieve Anxiety? .........................................84
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Presentation of Results: Research Question 2 ......................................................88
Describe a Daily Routine ...........................................................................88
What Instructional Strategies Do You Use on Anxious Students? ............91
How Does Group Work Impact Your Anxious Students? .........................94
How Do Your Students Know Your Expectations? ..................................97
What Self-Regulating Strategies for Anxieties Do You Teach
Students? ..........................................................................................100
Presentation of Results: Research Question 3 ....................................................103
Why Do Some Students Have Anxiety Over Others? ..............................104
How Do You Help Anxious Students Reduce Anxiety and Improve
Achievement? ...................................................................................107
What Do You Do to Help Students Maintain Academic Progress? .........110
How Do Anxious Students Respond to Strategies Used to Maintain
Academic Progress? ...........................................................................113
What Do You Do to Gain Student Feedback From Your Class? .............116
Presentation of Findings: Observation and Data Collection of Teacher A .........120
Successful Best Practices ..........................................................................120
Behaviors Observed ..................................................................................121
Data Collection .........................................................................................121
Presentation of Findings: Observation and Data Collection of Teacher C .........122
Successful Best Practices ..........................................................................122
Behaviors Observed ..................................................................................123
Data Collection .........................................................................................124
Presentation of Findings: Observation and Data Collection of Teacher L .........125
Successful Best Practices .........................................................................125
Behaviors Observed .................................................................................126
Data Collection ........................................................................................127
Discussion ............................................................................................................128
Summary ..............................................................................................................129

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................130
Summary of the Study .....................................................................................................130
Findings............................................................................................................................131
Research Question 1 ............................................................................................131
Addressing Student Anxiety ......................................................................132
Addressing Student Ability ........................................................................132
Building Relationships ...............................................................................133
Maintaining an Effective and Consistent Classroom .................................133
Adding an Element of Humor ....................................................................134
Research Question 2 ............................................................................................134
Daily Routine ...........................................................................................135
Teacher and Student Provided Assistance ...............................................136
Lesson Additions .....................................................................................136
Self-Regulating Strategies .......................................................................137
Research Question 3 ............................................................................................138
Addressing Internal and Academic Obstacles .........................................139
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Giving Academic Modifications ..............................................................139
Giving time for Peer Interaction ..............................................................140
Giving Time for Teacher-Student Interactions ........................................141
Best Practices in Action .......................................................................................142
Teacher A .................................................................................................143
Teacher C .................................................................................................143
Teacher L .................................................................................................144
Conclusions ......................................................................................................................145
Environmental Best Strategies .............................................................................146
Instructional Best Practices ..................................................................................147
Time for Reflection and Growth ..........................................................................148
Limitations .......................................................................................................................149
Recommendations for Future Research ...........................................................................150
Summary ..........................................................................................................................151

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................153

APPENDICES .................................................................................................................161
APPENDIX A .......................................................................................................162
APPENDIX B .......................................................................................................164
APPENDIX C .......................................................................................................166
APPENDIX D .......................................................................................................168

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