Lindsay Sirois, Student Achievement Officer

The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat

Math

Im not very
good at math.

Mindsets
We currently live in a society where it is acceptable to be math phobic. We
have embraced a culture of anxiety, stress and avoidance of mathematics.
There is safety in this cohort, as many students, teachers, administrators,
parents and the general population are members. How did this happen
to a subject that the ancient Greeks viewed as beautiful and the key to
unlocking the mysteries of the world? When and why did we develop such
a closed mindset to learning mathematics? What are the implications for
the students in our schools?
As educators, we have the most powerful impact on student attitudes
and achievement, and yet there is open admission at times of fearing
mathematics.
Many researchers are investigating this phenomenon. The consensus
is that a closed or fixed mindset is an important element of the problem.
Carol Dweck released a ground breaking book in 2006, Mindset: The New
Psychology of Success. According to Dwecks research, a person with a
fixed mindset believes that they are either smart or not. People who have
a fixed mindset believe they fail at tasks or make mistakes because they
just arent smart enough. They may develop traits such as avoidance of
challenges, problem solving evasion and lack of perseverance.
In traditional mathematics classes, we have placed value on the fastest
correct answer. This is a dangerous practice as it reinforces the concept of
intelligence and the ability to learn as being fixed. Dwecks research found
that a fixed mindset is evident across all achievement ranges, with the
highest proportion found in high achieving girls (Boaler, 2013). Educators
and parents inadvertently contribute to this problem. How often have we
heard, You are so smart! Look at how fast you answered the question!
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When a student fails at a task or isnt quick enough, a student (or adult)
views this as a failure and surmise that they are not smart enough.
We often reinforce this mindset in the classroom by ability grouping in
mathematics problem solving settings. Students are highly perceptive to
the fact they are judged and sorted on their abilities. Study after study
indicates that this practice is deeply damaging and creates a fixed mindset
in students (Boaler, 2013). In fact, the research shows, mathematics
classrooms influence to a high and regrettable degree, the confidence
students have in their own intelligence. This is unfortunate both because
math classrooms often treat children harshly, but also because we know
there are many forms of intelligence and ways to be smart and math
classrooms tend to value only one. (Boaler, 2008)
The opposite of a fixed mindset is a growth mindset. People who have
a growth mindset demonstrate the following characteristics: embrace
challenges, persist when faced with setbacks, see effort as the key to
mastery, embrace constructive criticism and find inspiration in the
success of others (Dweck, 2006). Failure is seen as an opportunity for
growth, to learn and improve. A growth mindset can be taught to students
and encouraged by the types of tasks students are provided. If students are
given math questions that are closed and require right and wrong answers,
the message that is communicated to students is that only a correct answer
is valued. Offering more open tasks allows students to see the possibilities
of high achievement and the opportunity to improve (Boaler, 2013).
Jo Boaler, Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University, has applied Carol
Dwecks research to the study of mathematics. She is particularly concerned
with the ways teachers treat mistakes in mathematics. The research is

I need to find
another way to
solve this problem.

Let me try to solve

this by substituting
other numbers.

clear mistakes in mathematics are powerful opportunities to learn and

grow. Brain research shows a plasticity of the brain to learn like a muscle.
When a mistake is made and then used as a teaching point, new synapses
are created. When an answer is correct, nothing happens. No new synapses.
And for many students the reinforcement of a fixed mindset. One of the most
powerful things a teacher can do to foster a growth mindset is to take the
time to look at wrong answers. This is where the key learning in mathematics
lie and it strengthens a growth mindset by modelling perseverance, effort
and learning from criticism. Boaler states, students and teachers should
value mistakes and move from viewing them as learning failures to viewing
them as learning achievements. (Boaler, 2013)

repositioning their understanding of a topic based on what information

their students provide them. This is a position of a growth mindset.
The extensive learning by teachers in Ontario around problem-based
learning in mathematics places the teacher as a co-learner along with the
students. Often, even with in-depth preparation for a three-part lesson in
mathematics teachers will be fascinated by a strategy a student used that
they didnt expect. When a teacher feels they hold all the knowledge and
it is their job to impart it to students it takes them away from a growth
mindset. They are less open to new learning and to seeing mistakes and
constructive criticism as a key tool in teaching.

Why is mathematics such a polarizing subject? Why is it acceptable to

dislike math and be open about it? It is very rare that someone would
admit to disliking reading or brag about not being good at it. This
bravado is a deflection or a shield. If one states they are terrible at math,
then they cant be judged if asked to do it on demand. When splitting a
bill in a restaurant, when figuring out how much tile to buy at the home
improvement store and most unfortunately in schools. Many educators
today remember math instruction as a time to learn algorithms and apply
those procedures. Evaluation and assessment was based almost entirely
on how well a student could recall and apply those procedures. Remember
racing to the blackboard and waiting with chalk in your sweaty palm as the
whole class watched and waited until you found out which times table you
would be asked to record as fast as you could with the class watching? As
Carol Dweck would say, we believed math was about how good or correct
we were, not on what we learned and how much growth was exhibited.
This message is still being heard today. When teachers participate in
professional development, the idea is that teachers are always learning and

The same is true for educational leaders. A principal, who feels they dont
need to explore what makes an effective math program or doesnt challenge
traditional practices, is modelling those beliefs for staff. As a leader in an
educational institution it is imperative that in the subject of mathematics,
a growth mindset be first and foremost. A leader who colearns with staff
and students is one who demonstrates the importance of being a lifelong
learner. Principals who exhibit a growth mindset in mathematics are not
always mathematicians but are people who are open to new learning.
A Toronto principal commented recently about a math lesson she cotaught, It was a disaster! It became clear very quickly that the students
were well beyond the concepts. We had nothing to consolidate at
first but then we realized that it was OK. We didnt get the results we
were expecting, but we were able to use the student work as a starting
point to further the student learning. We agreed that it was a good
learning opportunity. We should expect more from the students and
let them struggle rather than providing easy work during a co-learning
experience. I think our ability to learn from this is vastly different than a
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few years ago. Back then, we would have given up and said problem-based
learning wasnt effective. Now, we realized that we werent asking the
right questions of our kids and pushing them hard enough.
In the past 10 years, there has been a remarkable change in the way Ontario
schools treat mathematics. It has become a focal point of instruction. The
mindset has gone from fixed to optimistically a growth mindset. Resources
flow steadily into the hands of eager teachers who flock to social media
to share what their students have come up with in class. Conferences like
the annual Ontario Association of Mathematics Educators (OAME) are
well attended, a prized event to hear researchers from around the world
speak about mathematics and what can be done to help support teachers
and students.
So what can a principal who is fearful or phobic about math do to overcome
this fear? It starts by admitting a fixed mindset about mathematics.
Admitting that one is intimidated by math and that there is much to
learn is a major step towards a growth mindset. Positioning oneself
as a co-learner in a professional learning community or joining in a coteaching opportunity is an excellent way to break the ice. We dont learn in
isolation, and that is the wonderful thing about schools there is a built-in
community that embraces learners at all entry points.
We need to change the culture of teaching and learning mathematics in
Ontario. Jo Boaler was a key note speaker at the OAME 2014 conference. She
received a standing ovation when she said that speed and silence are not signs
of effective math learning. Math is exciting and frustrating and challenging.
We need it to be all of these things and more. We need our students to learn
to love math and persist in the face of wrong answers. In order for this to
happen, adopting a growth mindset in mathematics is essential.

Thousands of Ontario students are returning to high school to upgrade

their math skills in order to access college and university courses that value
STEM skills. Future employment is at jeopardy for our young minds who
dont believe they are capable of taking pre-requisite courses to enter their
field of interest. The Toronto Star reports that students are not encouraged
to take these courses. The lacklustre pursuit of STEM education is a crisis
in the making (Nursall, 2013). Students were interviewed and commented
that had educators stressed the importance of mathematics to their future
they would not have to return to high school to upgrade their mathematics
skills, while placing their future plans on hold. School is about learning,
not about how quickly one grasps the concepts. So when a student receives
a mark or evaluation, is it fair to ask: Are they being judged on the product
or the journey?
The connection can be made to the educators beliefs in their students
abilities. When an educator has a fixed mindset about a students ability
to learn, it narrows the opportunities for the student to achieve. When the
educator believes that everyones ability to learn can grow and they provide
the opportunities, students will achieve at high levels (Boaler, 2013).

References
Ashcraft, M. H. (2002). Math Anxiety: Personal, Educational, and Cognitive
Consequences. American Psychological Society, 181-185.
Boaler, J. (1993). The Role of Contexts in the Mathematics Classroom: Do they
Make Mathematics More "Real"? For the Learning of Mathematics, 12-17.
Boaler, J. (2012, May). Don't let maths muddle you. Retrieved May 2014, from
http://yano.co.uk: http://yano.co.uk/2012/05/dont-let-maths-muddle-you-2/
Boaler, J. (2012). Timed Tests and the Development of Math Anxiety. Education
Week, 1-3.
Boaler, J. (2013). Ability and Mathematics: the mindset revolution that is
reshaping education. Forum, 143-152.
Boaler, J. (2014). The Stereotypes That Distort How Americans Teach and Learn
Math. The Atlantic, 1-5.
Dweck, C. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Succes. New York:
Ballantine Books.
Nursall, K. (2013, October 8). High School Students not taking science or math
costing Canada millions: report. Toronto, Ontario: The Toronto Star.
Popova, M. (2014, january 29). Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That
Shape Our LIves. Retrieved May 5, 2014, from Brainpickings: www.brainpickings.org