REFLECTION

Formative Assessment 3 – Reflection paper on How can you be good at math, and other surprising facts about

learning.

Jo Boaler told us that what we have believed about our own potential has changed what we have learned,
and continues to do that, continues to change your learning, and your experience. Her claim or statement is also
supported by the research of Carol Dweck which is about our mindset, and it is shown there that if we believed in
our unlimited potential we will achieve a higher levels in math, and in life. All students should know this, they
should change their perspective or their minds about committing mistakes and tell them that making mistakes makes
us better and by that we can unlock our unlimited potential. And according to Mrs. Jo Boaler, there is no such thing
as a math person or math brain.

When we make mistakes in mathematics we think that we are not good at it. It affects us then brings our
hopes down and then the confidence that we have decreases. Instead of pushing forward and keep on going, we
intend to stop learning math. We, students, have that kind of mindset and we should stop it. If we made a mistake, it
doesn’t mean that you are not good at it, we just need to keep on trying and keep on doing it because we are still in
the process of learning. Making mistake is fine, we learn through it. It makes us better and we grow as a human
because of those mistakes. Our mind or brain grows as we commit mistakes. Mathematics is for everyone, we just
need to trust our own self and believe in our own potential.

Now, my question is how can we apply this kind of mindset in to other subjects? Will this mindset help us
solve the academic crisis in the whole world? How can educators or professors persuade those students - who does
not like math because they always commit mistakes - to go back and change their mindset about making mistakes is
good?