Customer Reviews

Math Attack: How to Reduce Math Anxiety In The Classroom, At Work and In Everyday Personal Use

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this book because I am a ex-college professor who is concerned about math education. If this book is considered to be a significant contribution to the field of math education, as the professional reviewers would have us believe, then I understand why our education system is in such a sorry state.

The title of this book promises a great deal, "How to Reduce Math Anxiety in the Classroom, at Work, and in Everyday Personal Life", but only delivers on the first topic. To be fair, if you teach math to children, this book contains some useful ideas that will help you to do a better job. However, here is what you get on the topic of how to reduce personal math anxiety: three pages of tips on how to take math tests, and two pages of advice on how to study math. The balance of the book is either addressed to teachers, or is irrelevant. If you are trying to cope with your own math anxiety, I can't imagine how this book could be of much help. Don't waste your money.

The text of this book is only 75 small pages, in a large font. The first 8 pages contain a history of mathematics that contributes little to the topic at hand. Several paragraphs of reminiscences about the author's days in college are interesting, but their relevance to the history of mathematics is dubious.

In the 'literature review', the author explores what are said to be the seven styles of learning that students exhibit. She laments that most teachers only address two of them. She then describes three other styles of learning that are neglected by teachers. What about the other two? Don't they even deserve a mention? Ms. Curtain-Phillips needs to be reminded that 7-2=5, not 3.

The most distressing aspect of this book is that it is so badly organized and poorly written. I could write pages on this topic. However, I'll restrict myself to just two examples. What are we to make of this sentence? "Other teachers have noticed the author higher student success rate (less failures) at the end of the first nine weeks marking period." Even if you insert a verb into that sentence, it still leaves something to be desired. "While researching for this book, the author will determine through a survey whether these students are engaged in mathematics class and analyse their learning styles." I thought the book was already written. Good Lord Almighty, hire an editor! Wait, I'm telling a teacher with an M.Ed. to hire an editor because she can't write an English sentence? Think about it. I'm not sure if this book gives much insight into why Johnny can't add, but it does help show why Johnny can't read!

I am a 15 year old sophmore student at Dutch Fork High School who struggles with math. When reading this book, Math Attack, I felt conformable with approaching math anxiety. This book also gave helpful strategies with it.

I don't know what the other two reviewers are talking about. Math Attack is an excellent book. Before purchasing the book, I checked further and saw that it is listed with Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (enc.org) for Math and Science; the book is also located in my local library. Math Attack is also found at my daughter's college library.

I later attended one of Curtain-Phillips' math anxiety seminars at the SC Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She was informative, entertaining and well prepared. I would say to others check for yourself. She also has an excellent article on mathgoodies.com Her book is also listed as a recommended reading materialfrom this website designed for and by a mathematics teacher. Curtain-Phillips also has an informative website http://www.mathattack.7p.com which also list other reviews.

So I just suggest do not take the word of these two mathematics teachers, but check further and judge for yourself.

As a first year teacher, Math Attack is a book that I would recommend to another novice in the field. In the future I plan to use a great deal of concepts brought up to help students enjoy math more. Being a novice, there were many things that I was not aware of, but thanks to Math Attack, I hope to offer my students some ease so that they can give more back to me.

"I have been a professor of chemistry for more than twenty years, and have observed, repetitively, that poor mathematics preparation inhibits success in the sciences. Poor student preparation is due mainly to self imposed anxieties, which inhibit the joy of learning mathematics, and the failure of institutions to address and accommodate diverse learning styles. Book topics are excellent reading and discussion for pupils who are in early and beginning level arithmetic courses. This book is also useful for adults who are retooling for more competitive technical careers."

Albert N. Thompson, Jr., Ph.D., Chemistry Department Spellman College

An interesting and informative treatment of an important problem in contemporary education. The work presents many useful strategies for dealing with "math anxiety" and, in my judgment, would be a particularly valuable source for those planning to teach mathematics at the introductory or high school level.

"I have been a professor of chemistry for more than twenty years, and have observed, repetitively, that poor mathematics preparation inhibits success in the sciences. Poor student preparation is due mainly to self imposed anxieties, which inhibit the joy of learning mathematics, and the failure of institutions to address and accommodate diverse learning styles. Book topics are excellent reading and discussion for pupils who are in early and beginning level arithmetic courses. This book is also useful for adults who are retooling for more competitive technical careers."

Albert N. Thompson, Jr., Ph.D., Chemistry Department Spellman College

This book is a great reference for teachers. There were several great ideas presented. Curtain-Phillips gives educators much to think about in how important it is to address the different learning styles. I wish I had a teacher like her when I was in school. Maybe I would have become the nurse that I have always wanted to be.

This book is so poorly written that I cannot get beyond the grammatical errors. I feel as if I am reading the work of one of my eighth-grade students and should be correcting it as I read. Perhaps if it were well-written I would find it useful.