Positive Math Identities
What does it mean to have a positive math identity?
A math identity is how a person views themselves in math and their abilities to do math. Students who view themselves as good or capable at math (positive math identities) are much more successful than students who don't think they are good at math.
Having a Growth Mindset helps (see that section for more information)
There is no such thing as being "good" or "bad" at math. Effort and persistence are key.
Math agency is the outward expression of one's math identity.
Anxiety Awareness
A parent’s emotions are connected to the student’s emotions, and positive emotions are connected to better performance.
Else-Quest et al., 2008
When parents are more math anxious and they help their child with homework, their child learns significantly less math over the school year and have more math anxiety by the school year’s end.
Meta-analysis by Maloney, et al., 2015
What can you do to help your student have a positive math identity?
ALWAYS be positive about math (Don't say things like- "I'm not good at math", "This new math doesn't make any sense", "I never understood math", "I don't like math").
Praise risk-taking and effort and help your student have a Growth Mindset. Say things like- "You haven't figured it out YET." "Do you have another idea to try?" "Tell me what you DO understand."
Openly share about struggling with a math problem and persevering until you figured it out or asked for help to figure it out.
Talk about strategies that you use when you feel frustrated (ex.-mindfulness breathing, taking a break).
Share about how math is used in different professions and share examples of diverse mathematicians (Click here for mathematician examples).
Help your child see mistakes are normal and are part of learning.
