Dear Warrior Families,

Over the past few weeks, as the math and science curriculum coordinator, I've had the pleasure of working in some classrooms where your children have been learning about the growth mindset in their math class. We want them to see math not just as numbers on a page, but as an exploration of the patterns God has placed in creation. Mathematics, at its heart, is playing with patterns—and when children engage with math this way, they are exploring God’s handiwork. The wonder of seeing relationships between numbers or shapes is more than solving a problem; it’s participating in the order and beauty of God’s world.

Of course, exploring patterns isn’t always easy. Struggle is part of the process. Stanford professor Jo Boaler has shown that students’ brains grow stronger when they make mistakes and push through challenges. Mistakes are not dead ends but opportunities for the brain to build new connections. Similarly, Carol Dweck, a Stanford professor and Boaler’s colleague, developed her growth mindset research through years of study at Columbia and Stanford, showing that real learning happens when children persevere, not when they get everything right on the first try. The act of persisting, wrestling with ideas, and trying again forms habits that are more valuable than any single correct answer.

This is why at school we are encouraging your children to try, ask questions, not give up, and enjoy the journey of problem-solving. Struggle in math is not a sign of failure—it’s a sign of growth. Every wrong turn is a chance for deeper understanding, every challenge an invitation to discover something new. Teachers are creating safe spaces where students learn that math is not always about speed, but about curiosity and persistence.

You can help nurture this mindset at home. When your child says, “This is hard,” remind them, “Yes, and that means your brain is growing.” When they make a mistake, celebrate it as part of learning. And when they persevere through a tough problem, praise their effort as much as their answer. To make this even more tangible, I’ve included some resources with rich puzzles and games you can explore together as a family. These are not worksheets to finish quickly, but opportunities to slow down and play with math. They invite children to notice patterns, make mistakes safely, and build perseverance in joyful ways. Working through a puzzle at the dinner table or playing a math-based game before bed shows children that math is not confined to the classroom—it is part of life and a gift worth enjoying.

As Christians, we see an even greater purpose in this. The Bible reminds us that Christ is the source of all creation: “Through Him all things were created… in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15–17). When children look for patterns and order in math, they are glimpsing the design of God Himself. The regularity of numbers and the beauty of geometric shapes are reflections of His wisdom and order in creation. Math gives children a window into the way God sustains and governs the world.

And the lessons learned in math extend far beyond academics. When children persevere through a math problem, they are also training their hearts in the kind of resilience that will serve them in life. Scripture points us to this truth: “…we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3–4). The persistence they build when wrestling with multiplication, fractions, or puzzles is the same persistence that forms character and eventually leads to hope.

So if your child has come home saying math felt tough this week, take heart—that’s wonderful news. They are not only learning math but also learning perseverance, building character, and discovering hope. And as they do, they are also being invited into the joy of seeing God’s handiwork in the patterns and order that surround us every day. Happy Struggles!

Math Resources to Help Your Child Persevere

Boaler’s Youcubed website contains a wealth of resources including articles about the Growth Mindset.

On Math for Love, you can click a puzzle title, read the short story with their child, and solve it together like a fun math mystery game.