Program Core 6: School-Wide Math-Positive Initiative

Reducing math anxiety doesn’t end with individual interventions—it requires a shift in the overall school culture. When students see that math is celebrated, normalized, and approached with excitement rather than fear, they begin to adopt more positive beliefs themselves. This component of the CALM program aims to promote a school-wide movement that transforms the way students, teachers, and staff view and talk about mathematics. By celebrating effort, encouraging creativity, and making math fun and relatable, the program creates an environment where every learner feels welcomed and valued in the world of numbers. The objective is to cultivate a positive school culture that supports joyful and fearless engagement with mathematics, reduce the stigma and pressure commonly associated with math, and recognize student progress in math—regardless of skill level—reinforcing the message that improvement is success.

The first key activity, Math Appreciation Events, involves organizing Math Days or Math Weeks with engaging activities designed to make math fun and interactive. These events could include math scavenger hunts, puzzle stations, logic games, classroom math art exhibits, and inter-class math relays. Additionally, student performances such as spoken word or song parodies related to math can further enrich the experience, making these events inclusive and entertaining for everyone involved.

Next, Classroom Displays and Visual Campaigns will help foster a positive attitude toward math. Launching a “Math is for Everyone” poster series that showcases diverse student experiences with math and includes math-related affirmations can send a strong message about inclusivity. A “Wall of Growth” will allow students to post their math “wins,” such as learning new strategies, overcoming math-related fears, or improving their quiz scores. Additionally, displaying quote boards with affirming math messages like “Mistakes help me learn” or “Math is not a race” in classrooms can further reinforce a growth mindset and encourage students to view challenges as opportunities for growth.

The Math Achievement Recognition program will offer a non-traditional way of recognizing student success. Rather than only acknowledging high scores, this program will honor effort, improvement, teamwork, resilience, and the use of math-related coping skills. Simple certificates or “CALM Kudos” can be awarded to students who demonstrate persistence or offer support to their peers. Sharing stories of student growth during school-wide events like flag ceremonies, class meetings, or newsletters can help normalize the idea that success in math is about personal progress, not just perfection.

Finally, Cross-Curricular Math Integration aims to integrate math into other subjects, helping students see that math is relevant in various aspects of their lives. By collaborating with teachers from language, science, arts, and values education, students can be exposed to math in different contexts. Activities like math-inspired poetry, budgeting in values class, or creating math posters in the arts allow students to connect math with creativity and practical application.

Through these strategies, the CALM program works to foster a school-wide environment where math is celebrated, mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, and students are encouraged to engage with mathematics in a positive, fearless way.