Front Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
Copyright......Page 3
Contents......Page 6
1 Do You Really Have Math Anxiety?......Page 26
Goals for Success......Page 29
Exercise 1-1: My Plan for Math Success......Page 32
Exercise 1-2: Collaborative Learning: Share Your Math Goals and Action Steps......Page 36
Summary......Page 37
2 The Math Anxiety Process......Page 38
Embarrassments......Page 39
Negative Life Experiences Associated with Learning Math......Page 40
Desires to Be Perfect......Page 42
Poor Teaching Methods......Page 43
Negative Math Games People Play......Page 45
Cultural Myths......Page 46
Gender Stereotyping and Socialization......Page 48
What Is Your Math History?......Page 50
Exercise 2-1: Your Math Autobiography......Page 51
Exercise 2-2: Collaborative Learning: New Insights and Revelations......Page 53
Picture the Math Anxiety Process......Page 54
Exercise 2-3: Math Journal Writing......Page 56
Exercise 2-4: Collaborative Learning: Share Insights from Your Math Journal......Page 58
Summary......Page 59
3 Learn to Manage Anxiety and Improve Working Memory......Page 60
Anxiety Can Affect Your Long-Term and Working Memory Systems......Page 61
Fine-Tune Your Anxiety Level......Page 65
Exercise 3-1: The Calming Breath......Page 66
Exercise 3-2: Deep Abdominal Breathing Technique......Page 67
Summary......Page 69
Exercise 4-1: The Wall Fantasy......Page 70
Exercise 4-2: Analyze Your Fantasy......Page 71
Getting Through the Wall......Page 72
Exercise 4-3: Word Problem Log......Page 74
Math Self-Concept and Math Self-Efficacy......Page 75
Exercise 4-4: Your Math Self-Concept: A Self-Assessment......Page 76
Summary......Page 78
Do You Have an Attitude Problem?......Page 79
Exercise 5-1: Positive Affirmations for Succeeding in Math......Page 80
Exercise 5-2: Poster Your Wall......Page 82
Create Personal Metaphors......Page 83
Exercise 5-4: Create Personal, Positive Metaphors......Page 85
1. Delve into Math More Deeply......Page 86
2. Every Time You Do Math, Liven It Up......Page 87
4. Give Yourself Pep Talks......Page 88
Exercise 5-5: Collaborative Learning: The Math Winner’s Ad Campaign......Page 90
Exercise 5-6: Develop Your Personal Winning Language (Optional)......Page 91
6. Deal with “Math Downers”: Don’t Let Negative Thinkers Pull You Down......Page 92
Exercise 5-7: Caution: Beware of Negative Math Thinkers......Page 93
Exercise 5-8: Identify Your Math Support Group......Page 94
Exercise 5-9: Rewrite Disempowering Math Beliefs......Page 95
Exercise 5-10: Collaborative Learning: Believe in Yourself......Page 96
Exercise 5-11: Identify Your Math Rights......Page 97
Summary......Page 98
6 Win with “Success in Math Visualizations”......Page 99
Program Yourself to Succeed......Page 101
Exercise 6-1: “Success in Math Visualization”......Page 103
Exercise 6-2: Rehearse a Forthcoming Math Situation......Page 104
Exercise 6-3: A Memory Bank of Positive Images......Page 105
Anchor Confidence......Page 106
Exercise 6-4: Anchor Confidence in Math......Page 107
Exercise 6-5: Visualize Metaphors for Success......Page 108
Exercise 6-6: My Brilliant (Math) Career......Page 109
Summary......Page 110
7 Enhance Your Learning Style......Page 111
Perceptual Learning Channels......Page 112
Exercise 7-1: Your Perceptual Learning Channels: A Self-Assessment......Page 113
Visual Learners......Page 115
Auditory Learners......Page 117
Kinesthetic/Tactile Learners......Page 118
A Sequential versus a Global Learning Style......Page 120
A Deductive versus an Inductive Learning Style......Page 123
Doers......Page 124
Exercise 7-2: Collaborative Learning: Share Your Insights on Learning Styles......Page 125
Time of Day......Page 126
Exercise 7-3: When Is Your Mental Energy at Its Highest?......Page 127
Exercise 7-4: How Does Sound Affect You? (Optional)......Page 128
Temperature......Page 129
Room Design......Page 130
Exercise 7-8: How Does Food Affect You? (Optional)......Page 131
Clothing......Page 132
Summary......Page 133
8 Effective Math Study Skills: The Fuel of Excellence......Page 134
Exercise 8-1: My Personal Math Study-Skills Inventory......Page 135
How Do You Approach Learning?......Page 137
Which Math Class to Take?......Page 138
Schedule It Right......Page 139
Teacher Selection: Satisfaction Guaranteed......Page 140
Stay Current......Page 141
Take Class Notes......Page 142
Questions That Count; Answers That Add Up......Page 143
The Magic of “Now” Improves Memory......Page 144
The Birth of Excellence: Say and Do......Page 146
Visualize the Problems......Page 147
The Ten Commandments of Work Checking......Page 148
Practice, Practice, Practice......Page 149
From Acquisition to Understanding......Page 150
Take Breaks......Page 153
Part 1: Keep Taking Little Bites......Page 154
Part 3: Use a Kitchen Timer......Page 155
Exercise 8-2: Shift to Super Action Self-Talk......Page 156
Read the Chapter Before and After Class......Page 157
How to Read Your Math Text......Page 158
Flashcards for Quick Recall......Page 160
Use Additional Resource Materials......Page 161
Get Help Fast......Page 162
Study Buddies......Page 163
Clear the Minefield......Page 164
Helpful Strategies for Dealing with Dyscalculia......Page 166
Exercise 8-3: Collaborative Learning: My Commitment for Improvement......Page 168
Summary......Page 169
Exercise 9-1: Symptoms of Test Anxiety......Page 170
Test Preparation and Test-Taking Strategies......Page 171
Exercise 9-2: Your Next Math Exam......Page 172
Exercise 9-3: Design Practice Math Exams......Page 173
Exercise 9-4: Your Typical Math Errors......Page 174
Exercise 9-5: Your Math “Cheat Sheet” (Optional)......Page 175
Deal with Psychological Pressures......Page 176
Reverse Negative Self-Talk......Page 178
Exercise 9-6: Become Aware of Continuous Inner Dialogue......Page 179
Exercise 9-7: Negative to Positive Self-Statement Shifts......Page 180
Exercise 9-9: Positive Statements for Academic Success......Page 181
Exercise 9-10: Practice the Calming Techniques......Page 183
Visualization......Page 184
Exercise 9-11: A “Math Test Anxiety Reduction Visualization”......Page 185
Performance Health Tips......Page 188
Be Your Own Exam Coach: Put It All Together......Page 191
Exercise 9-12: Collaborative Learning: The Best Coaching Practices......Page 192
Exercise 9-13: Math Test Anxiety Reduction Checklist......Page 193
After Your Next Exam......Page 194
Exercise 9-14: Characteristics of Optimal Test Performance: A Self-Assessment......Page 195
Summary......Page 196
10 Be a Successful Problem Solver......Page 197
Exercise 10-1: Are You a Left-Brain or Right-Brain Problem Solver?......Page 199
Exercise 10-2: Practice Logical Sequential Thinking......Page 202
Polya’s Problem-Solving Tricks......Page 203
Step 3: Carrying Out the Plan......Page 205
Tackle Word Problems: Develop Your Own 12-Point System......Page 206
Identify the Exotic Animals and Deal with Algebra Problems......Page 210
Build Metacognitive Strategies......Page 212
Exercise 10-3: Metacognitive Strategies for Success in Math......Page 213
Summary......Page 215
11 Math Is the Future......Page 216
Why Math?......Page 217
Today’s Lucrative, Exciting Careers......Page 221
Exercise 11-1: Career Opportunities with Math......Page 222
Enjoy Greater Academic Success......Page 223
Score Higher on Exams......Page 224
Math in the 21st Century......Page 225
Math in Transportation, Weather, and Disaster Relief......Page 226
Math in Home Entertainment Systems......Page 227
Math in Music, Art, and Design......Page 228
Math in Finances......Page 229
Exercise 11-2: Collaborative Learning: Make a Commitment to Take Action......Page 230
Summary......Page 231
References......Page 232
Suggested Readings......Page 236
Index......Page 237