Part 2: CUTV News Radio Welcomes Back Author Sheila Tobias

Tuscon AZ - Sheila Tobias is lifetime proponent of “math mental health”, the author of 14 books on topics women don’t usually write about: science, defense policy and mathematics. Her books include: “Overcoming Math Anxiety,” “Science Teaching as a Profession: Why It isn’t why it could be”, “Succeed with Math” and “The People’s Guide to National Defense.”  But she’s especially committed to and famous for “demystifying mathematics” and for trying to find out why otherwise intelligent women and men are underperforming in mathematics.

“Thirty years ago math anxiety was not recognized either by teachers or by scholars,” says Sheila.  “ I coined the term, as a way of explaining to myself and others why women – whose brains were in every way equal to men’s -- experienced mathematics differently. For me it was a feminist issue because lack of math confidence locks us out of the higher levels of science, business, architecture, and engineering. Even more damaging was the general explanation: math avoidance is in our genes. We were supposed to accept males’ general superiority in math. “

Today, math avoidance has become a national problem for female and male students, some of whom are literally changing fields to avoid college algebra and limiting their career options in other ways.

What makes Sheila’s recommendation so basic and effortless is she’s not urging people to go back to school or read her books she’s simply advising you to get a trainer, just the way you would for a 5 k marathon.  Don’t live one more year disabled by math anxiety.”

For more information on Sheila Tobias visit www.sheilatobias.com