Modeling a Positive Math Attitude Can Make a BIG Difference!
Leah Valentine
“I’m not a math person.”

“Math is not my thing.”
“I hated math when I was in school.”
These are all phrases that students hear adults say, and I am one of those adults! Last fall, I attended a math seminar led by Cheryl Cook, and she specifically called attention to how Americans have normalized the idea that some people do not have “math brains.” Using negative phrases about math typically comes from a place of compassion and connection. But it’s doing more harm than good. When students hear a respected adult state that they are not a math person, it permits them to see themselves the same way and more importantly, to opt out of math. Hearing this insight during the presentation was an “aha” moment for me, and I have shared this easily changeable tidbit of advice with several friends and colleagues since. Let’s encourage math success for all students and eliminate the option of opting out! If we project a positive attitude and deliberately use positive words about math (regardless of how we feel), we can help students embrace learning math and lessen math anxiety.
Parents and educators can both work to make learning math a fun and joyful experience in the early elementary years. Encourage kids to play with numbers, focus on number sense, and incorporate math into everyday functional activities. Count and sort objects around the house, match numbers to quantities, compare groups, and figure out how three people can share a chocolate bar. Play number games and represent numbers in many different ways. When math tasks are complex, mistakes should be encouraged, and perseverance should be celebrated. Use phrases like “That was hard work, but you did it!” This approach lets kids understand they can do hard things and fosters a positive attitude toward math. Math is sequential, so sharing that chocolate bar sets the foundation for fractions, calculating money, and algebra!
Here are some more fun math activities to do at home:
- Play with dice, learn to recognize the amount on one die without counting (a critical skill called subitizing), take turns, and add the amounts until a targeted number is reached.
- Measure while cooking or crafting, involve kids in understanding measurement amounts, and discuss the numbers using the terms more, less, and equal.
- Go on a geometry scavenger hunt for either 2D or 3D shapes depending on your child’s age (2D for Pre K – K, 2D vs 3D for Grades 1-2). Compare the total number of objects found in each category. Which category has the most objects? Which category has the least?
- Use your bathroom scale to guess the weight of objects. Then, compare the actual weight to your guess using the terms “more,” “less,” and “equal.”
- Play hopscotch with young kids and hopscotch math (draw a giant calculator with chalk) with older kids.
- Play “I’m thinking of a number” in the car, designate the range (1-10, 1-100), and use the words greater than and less than to guess the number.
For students learning more complex math, instilling a growth mindset and focusing on encouraging effort and process is crucial. Ensure students know that learning new math calculations helps their brains develop critical thinking skills that can be used in many other areas of life. They are training their brains to make connections and navigate complex information. Even if they never use algebra as an adult, the skills they develop working through math equations are invaluable. Mistakes are good, and persevering should be celebrated, as they are stepping stones to success!
The phrases we use around older students can make a big difference. If we work on something challenging ourselves and use growth mindset statements, we can encourage them to approach their challenges similarly. Here are some phrases that can add math positivity to your household. Let’s work on turning this outdated mindset around!
Want to get notified when there’s a new World of Complex Learners blog post?