Abstracts Mathematics

Building Math Identity in Elementary School Teachers

by Nancy Carol Buck

Math anxiety is a problem in the United States which impacts 93% of thepopulation including elementary teachers. Since elementary teachers can pass their mathanxiety onto their students, it is important that they reduce their own math anxiety. Iftime were taken to develop the math identity of elementary school teachers, would itreduce math anxiety for elementary teachers? To ascertain that impact, I conducted amutual-collaborative action research study. I observed teachers in a graduate mathpedagogical course that had a focus on developing math identity. Based on the trends ofthose observations, I created an action plan to create a new math content course for thegraduate program to further develop the math identity of its participants.