A COMPARISON OF PRE- AND IN-SERVICE PRESCHOOL TEACHERS’ MATHEMATICAL ANXIETY AND BELIEFS ABOUT MATHEMATICS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

This study was conducted to investigate pre- and in-service preschool teachers’ mathematical anxiety and beliefs about mathematics for young children. The sample included 100 pre-service preschool teachers (50 first grade and 50 last grade pre-service teachers) and 50 in-service preschool teachers. As data collection tools “Beliefs Survey” and “Math Anxiety Scale” were used. Findings indicate that in-service teachers had more mathematical anxiety score than pre-service teachers. Also in-service teachers had higher beliefs score than pre-service teachers. Indeed, last grade pre-service teacher who had taken the course about mathematics education in preschool had higher beliefs score than first grade pre-service teachers who had not taken that course.