Math Myth #1: Math Success Requires High Intelligence

We try to instill confidence by telling learners they are smart when they correctly answer a math question. Although teachers and parents have the best of intentions, this feedback easily can mislead a learner into thinking they’re dumb when they get the next question wrong. Every wrong answer is a negative reinforcement, underscoring the idea that “I’m dumb at math” and setting up the learner for continued failure.

Instead of associating math skills with intelligence, and lack of math skills with lack of intelligence, emphasize practice and study. When students get a correct answer, emphasize things they can control, like practicing sample problems or checking their work, not something out of reach like innate intelligence.

“Right! Good job. You must be practicing. I can always tell.”

“Math is like everything else — ten percent theory, ninety percent practice.”

“Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.”

Math Myth #2: You Must Never Be Wrong

People with math anxiety have no tolerance for mistakes. They berate themselves when they forget to carry a three, or are off by one decimal place. They see success and failure as the only possible outcomes of a math question. In their view, there is no other option, so every mathematical operation is an opportunity for fleeting success or plumbing the depths of new humiliations.

Teachers and parents can help learners overcome this myth by not allowing them to fail. Find something positive in every “failure.” Find something to praise in every incorrect answer.

“So what if you are off by a decimal point? You did the computation correctly, and that is the hard part. Putting the decimal point in the right place is easy next to computing a formula. You’ll figure it out.”

“What do you mean you’ll never get math? Two weeks ago, you hardly knew what a fraction was and now you’re multiplying them! That’s pretty impressive even if you are making mistakes.”

“Every time you get a wrong answer you also get the opportunity to learn how not to repeat the mistake. It’s OK to make more than one mistake before you learn how to get it right. How do you suppose you learned to walk?”

Math Myth #3: You Must Be Fast

No, you don’t need to be fast. You need to be methodical. Do the problem, and then do the proof. The entire reason for doing the proof is to see if the original answer is correct. If it is not correct, look for an error in the equation and in your calculations.

Being in a hurry lends itself to feelings of anxiety, when the key to doing well in math is to be relaxed. There is no rush about this. Encourage learners to go at a slow, even leisurely, pace. This introduces the idea that math can be fun.

Also, it is OK to take breaks, whether they be short excursions to a social networking site or a short walk. Our brain is like any other part of our body. It gets fatigued by use. Encourage learners to study hard for no more than about 20 minutes at a stretch. Forcing yourself to study for longer than this just makes learning harder.

Teachers should avoid timed tests. What do timed tests measure, anyway? Do scores reflect math skills or are they a better measure of anxiety levels and frustration management? Timed tests have no relation to the math challenges students will encounter in the real world. They do little more than create anxiety and lower scores. Avoid them. Instead, preach the virtues of a slow and methodical approach to math problems.

Math Myth #4: You Know How Good You Are By Comparing Yourself to Others

Researchers find that learners have one of two orientations: a performance orientation and a mastery orientation.

Learners in the performance orientation measure their performance by comparing themselves with others or against set criteria. Learners with a performance orientation tend to suffer from math anxiety more often, and to greater severity, than learners with a mastery orientation.

Learners with a mastery orientation are motivated to learn by the intrinsic value of learning or for the personal satisfaction of knowing useful skills.

Formal education evaluates learners exclusively from a performance perspective. In this traditional view, students compete with one another against set criteria. The approach almost guarantees that a good portion of students will face huge learning challenges.

The good news? Parents and teachers can easily address this issue by helping learners adopt a mastery orientation. Adults should emphasize improvements over time for individual students. The message should be one not of competition, but growth.

Math Myth #5: Poor Math Skills Are Signs of a Learning Disorder

The only proven learning disorder affecting math skills is dyscalculia. People with this condition often do not realize what a number represents: the amount of something in the world. They may not understand the concept of one quantity being larger than another, or that the number “5” refers to five different things.

Dyscalculia is very rare. People who think they have it most likely have garden-variety math anxiety. The only way to be sure is through comprehensive testing. However, if a learner shows they can improve their skills even minimally, they likely do not have a legitimate disability.

Study and practice are the only way to learn math. The more fun and rewarding teachers and parents can make it, the better learners perform.