For many students, a special anxiety is associated with taking a math test. Students who believe they are not good at math probably won’t do well on math tests even if they study. Your job as a math teacher would be to help them cope with math anxiety. Here are some tips you can suggest your students to begin thinking about math – and math tests – in a different way.

Approach math through critical thinking. Mathematical or quantitative thinking is a problem-solving discipline. In math, critical thinking skills will help students analyze math problems. Ask them to do the following steps.

Approach math through critical thinking. Ask students to read the problem carefully. Note what it is asking, what information does the test have, and what information is missing. Ask them to draw a picture, if possible, to have a clearer illustration.

Name and explore potential solution paths. Have them think about similar problems that they understand and how those were solved. Ask them whether this problem is an example of a mathematical idea that they know. In their heads, let them try out different ways to solve the problem to see which may work best.

Carry out their plan. Let them choose a solution path and have them solve the problem. Let them check each of their steps.

Review their result. Have them check their answer, if possible. Make sure they have answered the question the problem is asking. Does their result seem logical? Are there other ways to do the problem?

See how math is similar to science. Perhaps the student has a higher comfort level in science courses than in math. Science and math actually have many similarities. Science involves a problem-solving process similar to math.

1. Observation. Examples (facts) observed lead to questions.

2. Hypothesis. From the examples, the observer comes up with an idea (hypothesis) that seems to fit the examples.

3. Experiment. The observer attempts, through experimentation, to find examples that prove or disprove the hypothesis. Results are gathered and examined.

4. Conclusion. From the evidence gathered through experimentation, the observer accepts or rejects the hypothesis.

Take basic steps toward success. In math, the most important factors are preparation, class participation, and reviewing. Encourage your students to do their homework, complete as many problems as they can, and to do research if they don’t feel certain about the concepts.