This study tried to replicate Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez and Levine (2010) who found that math-anxious female teachers may have a negative impact on female students’ math achievement through the...Show moreThis study tried to replicate Beilock, Gunderson, Ramirez and Levine (2010) who found that math-anxious female teachers may have a negative impact on female students’ math achievement through the stereotypical belief that women do worse in maths than men. In addition, this study examined whether parents’ endorsements of gender stereotypes moderate the relation between teachers’ math anxiety and girls’ math performance. Furthermore, this study investigated the link between parents’ and children’s gender stereotypical thinking. Thirty female teachers completed the Mathematics Anxiety Scale. Children (n = 195) from 6th to 8th grade and their parents (n = 118) completed the Student Attitude Questionnaire, which measured stereotypical thinking. Children’s test scores of the Institute of Educational Measurement represented mathematic performance. Our results indicated no relation between teachers’ math anxiety and students’ math achievement. Nor did we find that stereotypical thinking was a mediating factor. Hence, there was no protective role to play for parents. Furthermore, parents’ degree of gender stereotypical thinking could not predict the girls’ gender stereotypical thinking. Thus, in late elementary school, teachers’ math anxiety is not negatively correlated to girls’ math achievement or gender stereotypical thinking. Moreover, we did not find evidence to suggest a relation between gender stereotypical thinking of parents and children. Based on the current sample, there is no reason for concern regarding the attitude of teachers in the field of mathematics. Future research in the Netherlands is recommended in which children of different ages are involved and gender stereotypes are measured both explicitly and implicitly.Show less
This research had generated insight in the relation between math anxiety of parents and teachers and genderstereotyped thinking of parents, teachers and pupils on pupils’ math performance. In total...Show moreThis research had generated insight in the relation between math anxiety of parents and teachers and genderstereotyped thinking of parents, teachers and pupils on pupils’ math performance. In total 42 teachers (nwomen = 30), 279 pupils (ngirls = 156) and 206 parents (nmothers = 188) participated during this research. The pupils have been asked to fill in a questionnaire based on the Student Attitude Questionnaire. For the parents and the teachers this questionnaire was expanded with the Math Attitude Scale. There was also asked for pupils’ math skills from the Leerlingvolgsysteem. The first result showed that boys were better in math than girls (p = .03). Secondly no relation was found between teachers’ math anxiety (p = .41) and genderstereotyped thinking of teachers (p = .58) and pupils (p = .45) on pupils’ math performance. The same relations were found for male and female teachers on pupils’ math performance. Opposed to this, parents’ math anxiety had a negative relation with pupils’ math performance (p = .01), but the genderstereotyped thinking of parents (p = .75) and pupils (p = .70) did not predict pupils’ math performance. In conclusion, the influence of parents on pupils’ math performance is larger compared to the influence of teachers. For further research is suggested to include more male teachers and fathers. In addition, it would be interesting to investigate the difference between male and female pupils and the input of pupils own math anxiety to get insight in their own influence on their math performance.Show less
