Thank you for coming back to my blog! I know it has been a
while since I have posted. I took some time off this summer to enjoy the finer
things in life, like family, friends and of course, math!
With the start of the new school year comes new classes and
new challenges. I am in a second year mathematics course and could not be
happier with the challenge my instructor has set out for us as teachers: having
a good math mindset. What does that mean? It means having a good attitude and
an open-mind when it comes to teaching and learning math. It means persevering
through the confusion and frustration that many of us face when doing math.
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| Scaffolded Math and Science (2018). We Are All Math People Growth Mindset [Poster]. Retrieved from TeachersPayTeachers. |
I'm sure I have mentioned before that I teach math, and in
doing so, I have seen students with and without this math mindset. The students
without it struggle because they lack the confidence to try in fear of failure.
Interestingly, they do not just struggle with math. They struggle with other
subjects too for fear of failure and looking dumb in front of their peers.
On the other hand, students with a math mindset overcome more than they can ever imagine! As I am writing this, there is one student in particular of whom I am thinking and he was performing well below his grade level in math. However, he never gave up, despite his dislike for math and the negative emotions he associated with math. He was always willing to try new problems and determined to get them right, even when it seemed he had tried every other wrong way imaginable. I am proud to say that he is now working beyond his grade level, and in some cases two grades, thanks to his math mindset and perseverance.
On the other hand, students with a math mindset overcome more than they can ever imagine! As I am writing this, there is one student in particular of whom I am thinking and he was performing well below his grade level in math. However, he never gave up, despite his dislike for math and the negative emotions he associated with math. He was always willing to try new problems and determined to get them right, even when it seemed he had tried every other wrong way imaginable. I am proud to say that he is now working beyond his grade level, and in some cases two grades, thanks to his math mindset and perseverance.
Seeing the effort and willingness this student has
demonstrated allowed me to see that all students can perform well in math. There
is no "math gene" in any of our DNA. We are all capable of doing math
and we are all capable of doing math well.
In the words of the infamous Jimmy MacElroy of Blades of
Glory, "If you can dream it, you can do it!"
Pun of the Post:
I'll do algebra, I'll do trigonometry, and I'll even do
statistics. But graphing is where I draw the line!
I, too, appreciate that we (as teacher candidates) discussed in class that anyone can do math. I wonder what techniques we can use in a classroom to eliminate the negative feelings towards math without just saying, “Everyone can do math! Okay?!” In this week’s class, we discussed the difference between telling and teaching, and I think teachers need to TEACH students that there is no such thing as being a “math person” or not being a “math person”. This is definitely a case where telling won’t convince the students. I really liked the technique we used in class where, in groups, we all found a different way to get the answer, and all of those ways were acceptable!
ReplyDeleteHi Miss Markes! I really liked the links to the resources you posted, the visuals really help solidify what you're trying to say. I like your emphasis on fostering a growth mindset in the classroom amongst yourself and with your students. You are the role-model for your students and the fact that you have a growth mindset will really help solidify this emphasis in the classroom; and you've seen first-hand how a growth mindset can really foster student learning and success! I am a lover of puns, and I couldn't help but smile at the end of your post!
ReplyDeleteGreat start to your blog. Thanks for sharing your success story. You must be so proud. I know your math mindset will benefit many students over the coming years.
ReplyDeleteLove the pun.
ReplyDelete