Yosko's techniques aim to tackle that anxiety about math. In her lessons, she doesn't like to simply talk at her students -- she encourages them to have discussions with her, and have fun with math. Yosko asks students to list any negative feelings or experiences about math up-front, and visualize the future they'd like to have with math.
This open-forum style of teaching encourages students to crack jokes about the lessons they're learning. Openness makes math seem more relatable, and allows students to feel comfortable and alleviate their anxiety about the subject.