First read Zazlafsky’s “Fear or Math, How to get over it and get on with your life”. Then write a one to two page response to it. Here are some questions to prime the pump:

What parts of it rang true for you – made you think “Yes, THAT’s how I felt or feel!” or “That explains how my friend Chris reacts to things!”

What parts of it left you kind of shrugging?

What fears might be prevented by teaching of the kind advocated by your textbook?

Alternatively, instead of a general response paper, take on the following:

Suppose you have a friend who is terrified of math and you aren’t sure why. Your friend could be persuaded to do a little reading, but probably not more than 15 or 20 pages. Which parts of the book would you photocopy for your friend, and why would they be your choices? This should include some comparisons with other sections, indicating why you think they would be less effective.