Students' beliefs and anxiety about teaching mathematics: A study of a constructivist elementary mathematics methods course

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in preservice teachers' level of mathematic anxiety and beliefs about teaching mathematics after completing a mathematics methods course incorporating a constructivist approach to teaching. The study also determined the extent to which students incorporated more constructivist methods when planning a mathematics lesson plan. The targeted population for this study was three sections of elementary math methods classes at a small university in the northern plains.;The technique employed in researching included pretests and posttests to measure the preservice teachers' math anxiety levels, pretests and posttests to measure the beliefs that preservice teachers have regarding the teaching of mathematics, and pretests and posttests of the construction of a mathematics lesson plan for elementary children.;The findings revealed that a constructivist math methods class decreased math anxiety in preservice teachers, changed beliefs about teaching mathematics to conform more to the recommendations of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and increased the use and quality of constructivist approaches that students used in constructing lesson plans. There was no relationship shown between the level of math anxiety that preservice teachers possessed and their degree of constructivist beliefs and lesson planning regarding mathematics teaching. There was also no relationship between students' beliefs about teaching mathematics utilizing National Council of Teacher of Mathematics standards and constructivist planning in mathematics lessons.;The results of this study indicate that opportunities to experience constructivist approaches to teaching mathematics, combined with manipulative use, allows students to become immersed in the subject. When students experience mathematics in a constructivist environment, mathematics becomes more understandable and enjoyable. Math anxiety is lessened and strategies that create a constructivist environment in the classroom become techniques that preservice teachers embrace.