Talking Maths Anxiety and Confidence with Dr Heidi Kirkland

In our very first episode, we’re joined by Dr Heidi Kirkland - teacher, researcher, and co-author of Maths Anxiety: Solving the Equation - to explore why even confident mathematicians can feel anxious about maths, and what we can do about it in the classroom.

We chat about:

• Why self-belief matters more than ability
• What anxiety might look like in a maths lesson (spoiler: not always what you expect)
• The role of language, teacher behaviour, and culture in shaping confidence
• How to build a classroom where all learners feel safe to think, try and talk about maths
• Heidi’s experiences of teaching abroad and launching her platform, Mindful Maths

🧮 The Maths of Life

Jon and Becky explore real-world maths moments: booking holidays abroad, dodging dodgy exchange rates, and working out the perimeter of the Isle of Wight while stuck in a ferry queue.

🛠️ Resource of the Week

This week’s pick: Mastering the Mountain – a Twinkl Originals picture book for KS2, designed to open up conversations about maths anxiety through storytelling.

📚Visit ‘Mastering the Mountain’ on Twinkl to read the ebook and access accompanying resources.

💬 Join the Conversation

Have a maths anxiety story or a question for Heidi, Jon or Becky? Email us at: primarymathspodcast@twinkl.co.uk

🔗 Links

Find Heidi on LinkedIn

Her website, mentioned on the episode: Mindful Maths

📅 New episodes every Tuesday during term time, brought to you by Jon Cripwell (Primary National Education Lead for Primary Maths and Becky Brown, Educational Content Lead at Twinkl Educational Publishing.

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