You’ve probably heard it a million times before. You may have even categorized yourself this way: “I am/am not a math person.”
The tale as old as time is that some people are born “just bad at math”. But think about it- no one is born good at anything. Except crying. Babies are really great at crying, actually. However, research shows that children who are raised to believe that math is a skill that can be learned through practice the same as any other topic are shown to score higher on their math examinations. At Victory Step we always emphasize practice precisely because of this reason; we don’t believe in Bigfoot and we certainly don’t believe in the myth of math people.
This is an important myth to bust is because it reflects how our mindsets about intelligence in general affect how we approach the opportunities presented to us in life. Don’t let you or anyone else you know spread the myth; let everyone know that math isn’t a boogeyman! Don’t let anyone tell themselves that they are exempt from the principle that practice makes perfect.
Don’t let ANYONE tell you that you are not a math person.
Check out this great article by The Atlantic if you need more convincing. Focus less on telling yourself or your child that they might not be “mathematically talented”, and instead reinforce the understanding that math is a skill you can improve in, just like any other subject.
Victory Step Education Team
