Did you know that when people think they’re “not a math person,” there’s usually a reason why? Maybe they froze during timed tests, felt embarrassed at the board, or decided that being slow meant being bad at math. These experiences can create a cycle of fear, anxiety, and avoidance that follows people LONG after math class ends.

In this interactive session, we’ll uncover why so many people feel anxious about math, how experiences shape the stories people tell themselves about their abilities, and what it actually means to be “good at math.” Together, we’ll try a few simple techniques designed to interrupt the anxiety spiral and help people experience math differently.

Whether you love math, hate it, or have spent your entire life avoiding it, you’ll leave with tools to help you and your community feel better about math starting RIGHT NOW!

General admission tickets are free with a suggested donation of $25 per ticket. Purchase a VIP ticket for $70 to get premium reserved seating and access to an exclusive social hour after the talk with our speaker over food and drink.

Known as the Lady Gaga of math education, Vanessa is the founder and director of The Math Guru, a boutique math & science tutoring studio in Toronto that’s changing stereotypes about what math education looks like. She is also the host of the Math Therapy podcast, author of the NEW bestselling book Math Therapy, and lead singer/keytarist for rock band Goodnight Sunrise. She has her Bachelor of Commerce, Teaching Degree, and Masters of Math Education. Her goal is to totally change math culture so that math is finally as cool as every single Taylor Swift song ever written. She failed Grade 11 math twice, which was the best thing that ever happened to her.

This event is presented as a part of Math Out Loud, SUMM’s new public lecture series designed to bring engaging mathematical ideas to life.