This class is going to be more challenging than most of the previous classes your child has been in. This may be the first time that they do not understand immediately or that they struggle to truly grasp a topic. THIS IS A GOOD THING! This is a class where we are looking to build skills of critical thinking, perseverance, resiliency, and grit. Math needs to be thought of deeply and is different than other courses. A common thing we hear is people saying, "I'm just not a math person!" This is an excuse and an out. Anyone can be a math person because math is different than other subjects. Your brain is utilized differently when doing math than other courses. (See the website Mathematic Mindset for details). Mathematics is beautiful because it is the same as playing a sport, riding a bike, playing an instrument, cooking or dancing. The more you practice and do these things, the better you become at them. You cannot study math, you have to do math and the more you do it, the better your become at it. Scientifically, this happens because you create stronger neural connections in your brain. If you view the Growth Mindset website you will find explanations of how our brain grows and what sections are utilized while doing math. Math is essentially a weight room for our brain and it will help develop sections of our brain, namely the prefrontal cortex, which is essential to problem solving, critical thinking, logic and reasoning.