(Authors Logic) http://www.mathgoodies.com/articles/how-to-reduce-math-test-anxiety.html Author: Ryan Rivera has been a proponent of teaching anti-anxiety strategies to youth and adults, and has additional information about anxiety at calmclinic.com.
It's not unusual for a child to struggle with math during their early school years. As a child's brain develops, they start to learn how to solve logic problems and apply analytical reasoning – a development that is in part nurtured through their ability to solve mathematical problems. Their brains want to find they answer – their brains know that an answer is there – but while they're starting to make those connections, solving math problems can provide considerable stress and anxiety.
This is especially true when taking a math test, because there is the added pressure of knowing that the test itself is gauging whether or not they have been successful at learning. That pressure can cause a lot of anxiety, and it's not uncommon for the child taking the test to feel these effects, including:
Cloudy Mind – Anxiety has a tendency to reduce focus and clarity. This can be troublesome when the child is trying to figure out complex math problems, and that can lead to more anxiety.
Physical Stress – Math anxiety during a test can also cause physical discomfort. Children that are attempting to sit and focus on solving a problem often find this discomfort to be overwhelming, and may prevent them from putting all of their efforts on the test.
Time Perception – Scientists are mixed on whether or not anxiety alters the perception of time. But subjectively, many people report that time can feel like it's passing too slowly or too quickly, and both can affect the student's ability to complete the test.
Self-Doubt – You need confidence to solve math problems. Doubt yourself, and it becomes much harder to find the right answer, because you'll worry that another answer is out there. Anxiety