It's common for many children to have issues with learning Math. This perpetuates a recurring belief that there are just Math people and non-Math people. It's a dangerous myth that can prevent your children from recognizing their potential, especially since learning mathematics is mandatory.
Math skills are indeed essential for several occupations, and it can harm your child's future if they become afraid of it. The fear of being inadequate at Math should no longer be present in the next generation. Also, using Math as a standard of the only form of intelligence limits your children's potential in other disciplines.
Many of them grow up thinking that there's something genetically wrong with them by failing to comprehend equations like other children their age. This makes them resent anything that resembles math, which transfers to other subjects, such as sciences and economics.
Some people believe that a Math-learning gene exists and that people who don't have it just won't be learning Math at the same pace as they do. The reality is that it's mostly a myth that most people and parents tend to pass on to their children. It's unhealthy to think that some skillsets are beyond your child's reach, especially if they want to succeed in it. Accepting that Mathematical ability is genetic affects a larger belief that other skills in other intelligence sectors are also merely hereditary.
Patricia Linehan, a psychologist at Purdue University, notes that there are two orientations towards learning ability. She believes that students with incremental orientation consider intelligence as a malleable treat that increases with effort. In contrast, students with entity orientation think that abilities are fixed and non-malleable. This often damages larger sectors of society by developing prejudice on different fronts. Thankfully, this form of negative reinforcement can also work the other way around.
In short, the hard-to-swallow but scientifically backed truth is that your child can learn skills better through simple hard work. The longer answer is that there's a strong correlation between a person's improvement and their belief about intelligence.
Richard Nisbett recounts the study of psychologists Lisa Blackwell, Kali Trzesniewski, and Carol Dweck about convincing a group of minorities in junior high school with alternative beliefs about intelligence. The trio found that the respondents who believed that intelligence is malleable had higher grades than those who had a static belief of fixed intelligence. This supports the idea that personal and societal perspectives can significantly impact a child's learning ability.
Nisbett further recounts the students' positive response to realizing their mindset's effects on their math knowledge. This study proves that open perspectives and positive reinforcement are vital contributors to a child's learning ability. It's alarming how not many people believe that simple hard work and a positive mindset are the keys to overcoming learning obstacles. If a person's IQ can improve through hard work, then what more your child's math skills.
If your child asks you if they don't have the "Math gene," tell them that intelligence comes in different expressions. They can be more proficient in other aspects, such as being artistically inclined or spatially conscious of their surroundings. Whatever field they show an interest in, it's crucial for you as their parent to curate a positive learning environment. The less they think that intelligence is a fixed trait, the better they'll fare in breaking their personal learning barriers.
Helping your child get over their learning hurdles may require the help of professionals to develop their potential. If you need a math tutor in Edmonton to assist your child's hardships with numbers and equations, contact us today!
