Building Better Relationships with Math
Our most recent Mathodology Roundtable featured special guest Vanessa Vakharia—educator, author, and “math therapist”—for a refreshingly candid conversation about math identity and anxiety. Vanessa opened up about her own struggles with math as a student, describing how she internalized the belief that she simply wasn’t a “math person” until a single teacher challenged that idea and helped her rewrite her story. Her experience set the stage for a rich discussion about the power of mindset in math education.
A central theme of the roundtable was the emotional baggage that both students and teachers bring to math. Vanessa explained how math anxiety often takes root at a young age, shaped by subtle messages from school, media, and even family. She stressed the importance of fostering a sense of belonging in the classroom, and how small actions—like making eye contact, offering thoughtful compliments, and celebrating effort—can help students feel safe and valued, regardless of how quickly they get to the right answer.
Vanessa introduced her “Five Ms of Math Therapy”—Mindset, Moderate, Motivate, Makeover, and Measure—as a practical framework for supporting students and teachers in overcoming math anxiety. She encouraged educators to bust common math myths, dig into the roots of students’ beliefs, and celebrate even the smallest signs of progress. Small shifts, like changing the way we give feedback or allowing more quiet thinking time, can make a significant difference in students’ confidence and willingness to engage.
The conversation also explored the impact of math anxiety beyond the classroom, especially when it comes to parents. Vanessa shared her approach for working with parents, emphasizing that their empathy and encouragement matter more than being able to help with every math problem. For teachers who struggle with their own math anxieties, she recommended curiosity, self-compassion, and modeling a growth mindset by learning alongside students rather than feeling pressured to have all the answers.
Vanessa’s message throughout the session was simple but powerful: math anxiety is not a personal failing, but a learned response that can be changed. By building a classroom culture where mistakes are part of the process, effort is recognized, and everyone is welcomed, teachers can help students—and themselves—create a new, more positive relationship with math.
