Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: Can They Experience Mathematics Teaching Anxiety Without Having Mathematics Anxiety?

Abstract

Elementary pre-service teachers report high levels of mathematics anxiety (MA), but the construct less widely addressed is their mathematics teaching anxiety (MTA). This study investigated the frequency with which MA stemming from prior experiences leads to MTA. Fifty-three elementary pre-service teachers’ written reflections were analyzed, using a Framework for MA and MTA. The results showed that one-third of the pre-service teachers reported high prior mathematics anxiety but did not experience MTA, suggesting the relationship between MA and MTA is not always linked. Teacher educators must address this relationship to support successful mathematics teaching experiences for pre-service teachers.