There is no magic math gene that makes a person math savvy. I often hear about worries around helping children with math homework, or comments about a parent’s own feelings around math. Here are 5 ways to avoid passing on math anxiety, and to put them on the path to math success!
#1 Avoid Math Anxiety with a Growth Mindset
The goal for learning is having a “Growth Mindset.” A growth mindset is the belief that skill and ability can improve with hard work and persistence. Comments about math can send the message that math skill is somehow pre-determined by talent or genetics which is not the case. This belief is called a “Fixed Mindset” in which people believe success is based on innate ability. This is not true. Everyone can develop math skills with practice and instruction.
Parents can reduce math anxiety by promoting a growth mindset. We do this by focusing comments on effort rather than outcomes. Noticing that your student worked carefully, that they tried to apply their learning and that they were willing to attempt math problems are ways to encourage a growth mindset. Try shifting comments to:
“I noticed that . . . .”
“I can tell that you . . . .”
Having a growth mindset means recognizing that making mistakes is an important part of learning. One of the best things a parent can do is to let their child see them make mistakes and then fix them (or at least try to). A fun game to play at dinner is “My favorite mistake . . “ where you share things that didn’t go as expected or desired and what happened next. This is also helpful with math homework. If your child had trouble with some problems. Asking “What was your favorite mistake?” normalizes making errors in math and also encourages positive associations with mistakes.
#2 Check on your own feelings about math
I often hear negative comments from adults about math.
- “I’m not a math person”
- “Fractions, don’t talk to me about fractions”
- “I can’t do anything without a calculator”
- My kid’s math homework is so hard. I can’t help them.”
- “Yeah, my daughter hates math. She got that from me”
These comments, and others like them, pass on anxious attitudes which can pre-dispose students to develop a negative mindset around math from an early age. Parents and caregivers can help students avoid this by not voicing these thoughts and being aware that their words have an effect. While it is fine to acknowledge that a math skill may be hard, it is important to focus on the idea that students can succeed with effort and help.
#3 Focus on the solving process rather than the answer
A lot of math anxiety surrounds the idea of finding the “correct” answer. As a teacher, I stressed that the answer to a math problem was the least interesting thing about math. Why? Because there is just one correct answer but there are usually multiple ways to reach that solution. It is in the process of solving that you can really see the beauty and creativity found in math.
Let me illustrate with a mental math challenge.
Add 37+62+33
First the boring part–the answer is 132
Now, consider how you solved the problem.
Maybe you added 37 and 62 to get 99 and then added 33
Perhaps you noticed 37 and 33 added to 70 and then added 60 and then 2
Or possibly you added 30, 30, and 60 (the tens) for a sum of 120 and then added 7, 2, and 3 to get 12 and then added 120 and 12
No matter if you did one of the above calculations or another way, if you ended up with a sum of 132, your math was valid.
Focusing on how you solved math problems, rather than just checking if the answer is correct, has the double benefit of having more interesting math talk and it also takes the pressure off if your child gets the wrong answer. It makes it easier to say “Oh, that’s interesting. How did you get that answer?” While your child is explaining their process, it will be easier to know what they misunderstand and help them get back on track.
#4 Monitor Effort and Accuracy NOT Speed and Volume
If you have a student older than six, you have probably heard about the importance of fact fluency in math. Speed in addition and subtraction and multiplication and division facts is often thought to be a measure of math skill. However, focusing just on rote memorization of math facts will not create better mathematicians.
Students using and applying math facts regularly, with a focus on being accurate, will naturally improve their fluency while building their problem-solving skills. Don’t misunderstand me, if you can quickly recall math facts, it does make it faster to solve problems and can free up your brain power for more difficult math operations. My point is that the goal needs to be proper problem-solving techniques and math practice– not the number of math facts a student can do in one minute.
Most parents see frustration with math when students are trying to do homework. Teachers generally assign the same amount of homework to the class. If your child has to put a lot of effort into math, then it will be more important that they do a smaller number of problems with accuracy and thoughtfulness than finish the whole assignment.
If your child gets frustrated or overwhelmed by math homework try reducing the number of problems they are expected to do while also setting the expectation that they will complete those problems with their best effort. Teachers do not want your kid to be frustrated and upset about their homework. You can work with the teacher to reduce the workload in the beginning. Over time, the number of problems can increase with their skill and stamina.
#5 Make Math Visible in Everyday Life
We do more math every day than most of us realize. It can really help students recognize their skills in math if they understand how often they are “mathing it up!” Here are some examples:
- Sharing by dividing things (i.e. Give your brother half)
- Making pairs (putting socks together) or counting out silverware to set the table
- Comparing prices in the store
- Figuring out if you have enough money to buy something
- Drawing a house with a rectangle and a triangle
- Measuring anything!
- Deciding how long it will take you to drive or walk somewhere.
- Playing cards and board games
- Really once you start looking, you will see math everywhere.
You can also start making an evening walk into a fun “math walk” where you look for math in your community. Here are some ideas from the Erikson Institute to help get you started: