A little boy or girl sits at a desk. The teacher calls them to the blackboard. Suddenly — a freeze. The heart races, palms sweat, thoughts jumble, and instead of a solution, scribbles appear on the board. Fear of the blackboard is not a whim. It is a real problem that plagues many children in elementary school. It ruins grades, kills self-esteem, and can last for years. But it can and should be fought. Why Do Children Fear Answering at the Blackboard There are several reasons. The first is the fear of making a mistake. The child thinks, "I'll go up, solve it wrong, and everyone will laugh." Even if no one laughs, they seem to. The second is the fear of evaluation. The teacher will say "bad" or give a failing grade. A C is a catastrophe for such children. The third is the fear of public exposure. The child is not afraid of math; they are afraid that 20 pairs of eyes are watching them. They feel like they are under a microscope. The fourth is a negative past experience. Once they made a mistake, the teacher said "you're not ready" in front of the whole class, and this fear has taken hold. The fifth is uncertainty about their knowledge. The child has studied but not completely. They are afraid they will be asked something they don't know. The sixth is the perfectionist syndrome. Such children are perfectionists. They need everything to be perfect. If there is even 1% of doubt, they panic. The seventh is time pressure. The teacher says "faster," and the child starts to hurry and make mistakes. The eighth is personality traits. There are children who are introverted, shy, and anxious. It's hard for them to be in the spotlight. How Does Fear Manifest at the Blackboard Physically: the child blushes or turns pale, starts stammering, trembles, and their hands shake. They may twirl a button, chew a pencil, or rub their forehead. Some start crying right in front of the blackboard. Behaviorally: the child refuses to go to the blackboard, lies "I have a stomacha ... Read more