MATH ANXIETY: A CLASSROOM REALITY

Abstract

We are faced with diverse educational realities in classrooms which are full of expectations for both teachers and students, it is in them that relationships between them are established and sometimes it generates traces in the subjects that are not always positive, but, on the contrary, generate discomfort, fears and anguish. From this point of view, we speak of mathematical anxiety, which is marked by negative attitudes that come from unpleasant school memories. This article aims to describe the concept of anxiety towards mathematics, the possible factors that trigger it and finally some approaches that have been initiated to confront it and recognize it as a problem to be solved. A review of several articles has been carried out considering their year of publication and the significant contributions to the subject, always taking into account educational contexts, observing references to students and teachers. Anxiety towards mathematics is a reality that has been present for many years, whose consequences are perceived outside the academic context, since the symptoms that anxiety triggers continue to manifest throughout life when facing a mathematical situation. It should be noted that research is concerned with finding strategies that allow anxiety towards mathematics to be faced and controlled. Finally, it is highlighted that participatory and democratic environments are a starting point to overcome this difficulty.