A New Year for Math Identity
I recently listened to this episode of the Math and Other Things podcast titled Why Math Identity Matters, featuring guest Liesl McConchie, and it was exactly what I needed going into the new year. The episode highlights compelling scientific reasons why our emotional relationship with math is deeply connected to our academic relationship with it.
What impacted me most was the conversation around the 41-minute mark, where Liesl discusses how teacher belief in students has a surprisingly large effect on student success. In other words, a teacher’s own math identity and attitude toward teaching math cannot be ignored. Liesl shares, “You can make up for almost three years of academic growth just by believing that all of our students can learn math. Go find me an intervention program that can do that.”
That idea is easy to agree with and much harder to consistently practice. One simple way I plan to begin shifting my own mindset is by intentionally reminding students that the classroom is a safe place and that mistakes are a necessary part of learning. Is it going too far to actually celebrate mistakes? I don't think it is. When I model appreciation for my own mistakes and resilience in trying again, I believe students feel safer approaching learning with the same mindset.
I once visited a classroom with the mantra, “Mistakes are proof we are trying.” It was repeated throughout the day whenever learning felt tricky, time-consuming, or frustrating. That simple phrase gave students permission to try even if they didn’t get it right the first time.
❓As we move into this new year, how can we realistically reframe our thinking or actions to raise expectations for all students? What actionable steps are we taking to build and strengthen students’ math identities?