CAUSES OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHERS' MATHOPHOBIA AND IMPACT ON PUPILS' LEARNING OUTCOME

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

There is no disagreement on the vital importance of mathematics to both the scientist, the technologist and even to every layman in his everyday life (Omenka, 2013). Mathematics is the key element and activity in the day to day living that every human being practices in one form or the other (Kurumeh, Akure, and Oguche, 2007). The knowledge of mathematics is an essential tool in our society (Baroody, 1987). It is a tool that can be used in our daily life to overcome the difficulties faced (Bishop, 1996). Due to this, mathematics has been considered as one of the most important core subject in a school curriculum. More mathematics lessons are likely to be taught in schools and colleges throughout the world than any other subject (Orton, Orton, & Frobisher, 2004).

The Nigerian education accorded mathematics a special position in the school curriculum. In fact, it made a core-subject for both Arts and Science pupils. All the junior primaryschoolspupils have to pass it at the junior primary school certificate examination before they are allowed to register for primary school examination. In other words mathematics is one of the core-subjects both at the primary school levels. It is also required that a pupil  gets a credit pass in it to get admission for science related courses in the universities.

However, the standard tests and evaluations reveal that pupils do not perform to the expected level. The pupil  under achievement in mathematics is not just a concern for particular countries, but has become a global concern over the years (Pisa, 2003).

Despite the relevance of mathematics and the efforts made by the government to improve the pupil ’s achievement in mathematics, the result is not yet satisfactory. The West African Examination Council,WAEC (2004) Chief Examiner’s Report shows that 1,090,503 candidates sat for external out of which only 10.5% passed. In 2005 out of 1464,301 candidates that sat for external only 15.2% passed mathematics. In 2007, out of 1,484,611 candidates, only 18.5% passed mathematics. National Examination Council, NECO (2006) reported that many of the candidates exhibited lack of knowledge of basic principles needed to tackle some of the mathematics problems.

High levels of mathophobia  can severely undermine an individual’s ability to acquire the mathematical knowledge needed for the 21st-century workplace (Hembree, 1990). Mathophobia  is a persistent fear, tension, and apprehension related to situations that require math. Individuals who are math anxious experience intrusive worries that disrupt performance (Ashcraft & Kirk, 2001). These worries manifest in everyday experiences as well as evaluative classroom situations (e.g., taking a test, answering a question in front of peers, etc.). Individuals who are math anxious also engage in avoidance behaviors that lead them to take fewer math classes and participate in majors with fewer math requirements (Hembree, 1990; LeFevre, Kulak, & Heymans, 1992) even if they possess the math skills and course experience to be successful in those majors.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Decades of research have led to a good understanding of the impact of mathophobia  amongpupils, but we are only beginning to understand the effects of mathophobia  among early childhood teachers. One might expect that early childhood teachers, who are tasked with being pupils’ primary mathematics instructors, would feel quite comfortable around math. Unfortunately, many elementary early childhood teachers have higher mathophobia  than individuals in other fields of study, such as business, physical science, and health sciences (Battista, 1986; Bryant, 2009; Hembree, 1990). The mathophobia  thatearly childhood teachers experience carries consequences beyond the individual as early childhood teachers who report high levels of mathophobia  also report a reduction in the belief that they are capable of successfully carrying out their teaching responsibilities to their pupils (i.e., teaching self-efficacy and confidence; Bursal & Paznokas, 2006; Gresham, 2008; Swars, Daane, & Giesen, 2006). Early childhood teachermathophobia  also impacts their own pupils’ math learning. Several quantitative (Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez, & Levine, 2010; Hadley & Dorward, 2011; Maloney, Ramirez, Gunderson, Levine, & Beilock, 2015)

1.3 Purpose of Study

1.    Determine the extent to which Early childhood teacher Mathophobia Predict Higher Nursey 2 Math test score

1       Assert Will Pupils’ Perceptions of Their Early childhood teacher’s Fixed Mindset Beliefs Explain the Relationship Between Early childhood teacherMathophobia and Pupil  Math Achievement After Controlling for Pupils’ Own Mindset

2       Determine if Early childhood teacher Mathophobia PredictPupils’ Perceptions of Their Early childhood teacher’s Mindset Through Process-Oriented Teaching Practices or Early childhood teachers’ Usable Teaching Knowledge More Generally

1.4    Significance of the Study

The findings of this research upon completion will help pupils to understand how their mathophobia towards mathematics can affect their performance in the subject and how their interaction with the society can influence their mathophobia and hence, their performance in mathematics. And also, to determinethe extentto which the early childhood teacher’s mathophobia towards teaching the subject can affect the pupils’ performance in Mathematics.

1.5    Research Questions

1.    Does Early childhood teacher Mathophobia Predict Higher Nursey 2 Math test score?

2.    Will Pupils’ Perceptions of Their Early childhood teacher’s Fixed Mindset Beliefs Explain the Relationship Between Early childhood teacher Mathophobia and Pupil  Math Achievement After Controlling for Pupils’ Own Mindset?

3.    Does Early childhood teacher Mathophobia PredictPupils’ Perceptions of Their Early childhood teacher’s Mindset Through Process-Oriented Teaching Practices or Early childhood teachers’ Usable Teaching Knowledge More Generally?

1.6    Scope of the Study

The study was investigated in five schools in Katsina-Ala L.G.A of Benue State, Nigeria. It consists of both primarypupils of these selected schools.

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