overcome math anxiety

I was anxious as soon I to do anything other than simple adding or subtraction. But I got help from a former math teacher, she learned me to count in base 8 without telling me that is was considered advanced math or I wouldn’t even had tried it. I had a blast and she told me that not only did math and me match but I was gifted in the subject. I started to take math classes for adults and things started to fall into place when I wasn’t busy worrying that I would be to stupid to understand the material. Right now I’m a bit over worked I fell behind in math class in the beginning of the semester due to illness and then caught up and did the major part of the class in just a month. But I will get over it and find my love to math again because it’s FUN!! I want to learn to count in say base 13 though :)

Down: My teacher was absent a few times and decided to give us a test without any forewarning. It took me a while to even start it and left half the test blank. I received a 68 (which isn’t so bad, especially in comparison to what I used to get…that would be a dream grade for me previous years). For a while I also didn’t receive anything above an 80 (one was close, 78).

Last year, I tackled this goal by doing my homework with my dad. I would actually do every problem repeatedly until I could do the entire assignment without any mistakes. (Comprehension) Mid-year I decided to end this because I couldn’t take his insulting remarks anymore (calling me stupid, etc.) I felt I would rather fail than have to suffer/sit through it.

I still don’t completely understand everything (especially since we learn new concepts often) but that is something I just have to work on. I still refuse to ask my teacher for help or stay after school for tutoring. :/

The other day I got an 88 on quiz. Minus 6 for accidently skipping a problem/concept I didn’t understand (even though she explained it to us twice!). Minus 2 for a careless mistake but plus 2 from the bonus.

It is a pretty good grade (almost an A-). I knew I didn’t understand that type of problem before I took the test. I always know what section I don’t get. I have to work on learning it before the test. (I also need to learn basic concepts of math…) Otherwise, I have made a great deal of progress over the years. (From a 34/54 to a 88/98)

When I first received a study guide for my test I felt a bit intimidated. As if I needed to re-learn everything or at least review everything I had learned.

I didn’t remember it so I did the easiest problems (the ones I already knew how to do before this class). When, I got home and I tried looking at some old notes and examples and I “worked at it” (after stressing about it, of course)...and I finished it.

I had the test yesterday and I got an 89 and the quiz before that I had a 98. :P! I just usually don’t know how to approach a problem at first and because of that I rely on examples.

resonates with me…”When I look at a math problem, my mind goes completely blank. I feel stupid, and I can’t remember how to do even the simplest things.”...and I’ve been feel this way a great deal lately. Even tonight with my graded assigment and homework.

...I majored in History!