Numerate Environment

Math Ability Can be Developed

Figure 1. Key attitudes and beliefs about math. (REL Northwest, 2017). Redrawn for web.

How do I Support This?

CONSIDER

Making “developing a positive attitude towards math” an essential outcome each day in the math classroom.

• Making the doing and learning of math more social (REL, Northwest, 2017). For example, allow small group work “for exploring concrete materials and games, finding error patterns, and solving problems” (Marzita, P., 2002). Small group work can create an environment where students are more likely to participate and take risks.
• Allowing students to talk about their feelings and struggles with math. A strategy to support can be to share stories and struggles of famous scientists, mathematicians and yourself as a  teacher of math  (REL, Northwest, 2017; Sun, 2018). 

• Using “process praise” (e.g. you really studied for that quiz, and your improvement shows it”) verus “person praise” (Wow, you are a natural at math!) (REL, Northwest, 2017, p. 3, Dweck, 2007). 
• Modelling a growth mindset by being aware of the messaging we are communicating about mathematics.

• Using scaffolding to support students’ progress on “meaningful and reasonably challenging math tasks” so that students can experience success (REL, Northwest, 2017, p. 6; Sun, 2018). The ability to experience success helps build students’ self-efficacy.
• Providing opportunities for students to observe others. For example, “when working on problem solving in small groups, groups are encourage to explore variations of the problem once they have solved the original problem. When all groups have solved the problem, a member of each group puts its method of solution on the whiteboard. The class discusses the varied approaches…” (Marzita, P., 2002, p. 3).

• Being aware of your own math anxiety and how you might be communicating to your students.
• Practicing mindfulness in the classroom can help combat math anxiety especially when done prior to stressful performance situations such as tests (REL, Northwest, 2017). 
• Recognizing that timed and public performance situations are linked to the creation of math anxiety in students. Minimize time pressured assignments and practices that place individual students in a public situation to demonstrate their understanding by using number talks instead of timed tests (Boaler, 2014).
• Talking about math anxiety as a class and acknowledge that this is a common experience.

Resources to use with your Class and Students:

Children’s Literature

Available in IMC

”The Girl With a Mind For Math: The Story of Ray Montague” by Julia Finley Mosca

”Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe

”The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Story of Paul Erdos” by Deborah Heiligman

”Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13” by Helaine Becker

“Everyone Can Learn Math” by Alice Aspinall