An Anxious Teacher: The Links between Teacher Math Anxiety and Student Achievement

• In Event: Battling Burnout: Time, Tech, and Teacher Wellbeing

Abstract

Some teachers struggle with math anxiety. This study combines teacher survey data with administrative records from Indiana students in grades three through eight to examine the association between teacher math anxiety and student math achievement. We find that students from underserved backgrounds—including low-income, Black, and Hispanic families—are more likely to be assigned to teachers with math anxiety. Student fixed effects models show that teacher math anxiety is linked to lower student math achievement, with stronger negative associations for female students, English language learners, lower-achieving students, and Hispanic and Asian students. These findings provide empirical evidence that teachers’ negative attitudes toward math can hinder student performance.

Authors

• NaYoung Hwang, University of New Hampshire

• Suzanne E. Graham, University of New Hampshire

• Mark Berends, University of Notre Dame