Mathematics anxiety in preservice elementary school teachers

The condition of mathematics anxiety as it relates to preservice elementary school teachers and how they deal with this anxiety in teaching mathematics were the major focuses of this study. This was an exploration into the hows and whys of mathematics anxiety and not just a confirmation of its existence.;A review of the literature helped to define the condition of mathematics anxiety, outline some possible causes, and identify some previous studies done on the subject. The need for this study was established when this review revealed a dearth of indepth qualitative studies concerned with mathematics anxiety and the preservice elementary school teacher.;The actual study consisted of six high mathematics anxious participants and six low mathematics anxious participants who were identified according to anxiety level through use of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale. Information about levels of mathematics anxiety, possible causes of mathematics anxiety and anxiety about teaching mathematics was obtained from the twelve participants through indepth interviews and self report journals. The information was then coded according to categories and analyzed.;A major cause of mathematics anxiety in these participants was teachers and teaching methods. Causes due to society in general were also acknowledged. The unexpected interpretation that evolved from the data was that the mathematics anxiety in these preservice elementary school teachers did not have as severe an impact on teaching mathematics as had been expected. It was also observed that the high mathematics anxious participants had some advantages over the low mathematics anxious participants in dealing with students with mathematics anxiety.;The intervention by the researcher that this study afforded, was viewed to be beneficial by all participants. Further research to investigate whether this type of intervention concerning mathematics anxiety could be part of the mathematics methods course was recommended.