This new splurge in our society on technology has added to our mathophobia problem. How many times have you seen a teenager whip out a cell phone to calculate how much of a tip to leave? Or even a simple math problem because they are just too "tired" to do it in their head? Thanks to the handy dandy contraptions we call calculators, mathophobia has become a greater issue after the elementary education levels. In high school teenagers are taught how to do basically everything on their calculator. Take it away from them and they have that oh so famous deer in headlights look about them. Naturally the first instinct for them is to go blank, and therefore begin to score worse on tests. Walking into the next test is going to completely psych them out to perform at a lower level than they are capable of yet again.
Can you imagine how much better test scores would be if students practiced mathematics without a calculator throughout all of their higher education? We, as students, would be forced to exercise our brains everyday. In the long run, it would provide us with better health as we grow older. Yes, it would take longer for us on a test if we were to write out everything we are doing step by step. It would also lead to a more challenging class for all the students. These classes would also show us that we are capable to do more than what we expect of ourselves. We would most likely become more independent since we won't be depending on a calculator to just chug out the correct answer for us to repeat to our teachers. It would make teenagers and young adults be not afraid to do simple mathematics without a calculator and it would raise their confidence in themselves.
Lucky enough for me I've never had mathophobia. Yes, doing computations without using the calculator is more difficult for me. At the same time, I'm not great with technology at all! So those graphing calculators that are required for high school, or my high school at least, I didn't like them at all. However, I do have slight test anxiety and that makes any test taking extremely difficult for me to overcome. Many people don't understand the difficulties of having test anxiety because it's just another test to them. However, people who have it tend to understand the long hours of studying that come with it. In a way, mathophobia isn't that different than test anxiety.
It may take more studying and more conferences with your teachers, but their is hope of overcoming both these psychological disadvantages during tests. All you have to do is find a way that works for you. It may be starting from the end of the test and working your way forward(that's how I usually do it), or maybe having a lucky pen/pencil. You have to find what relaxes you and go for extra help. Trust in your teachers enough to tell them you need help with overcoming your mathophobia. Friends are always there to help you as well. In the end, we can all do well. It just matters how hard your willing to try to go far in life.
