Chapter 3: Challenge Your Beliefs

Answer True or False: 1.I can’t do math. 2.Math is always hard. 3.Only smart people can do math. 4.Mathematicians always do math problems quickly in their heads. 5.If I don’t understand a problem immediately, I never will.

6.I am too shy to ask questions. 7.It is bad to count on my fingers 8.To complete my math requirements quickly, I should skip to the highest level math class that I can.

9.There is only one right way to work a math problem. 10.My memories of my negative math experiences will never go away.

“I can’t do math.” I can do some math. Some math I can’t do yet. Some math I need never do.

“Math is always hard.” There are both easy and hard math problems for everyone.

“Only smart people can do math.” Persistence in math helps more than smarts. Knowing how I am smart can help me to learn math.

“Mathematicians do math quickly in their heads.” Mathematicians can quickly do problems that they have practiced. When they learn new math ideas, they work very slowly and use lots of scratch paper.

“If I don’t understand immediately, I never will.” Understanding math takes time.

“There is only one right way to work a problem.” There are many right ways to work and think about each math problem.

“I am too shy to ask questions.” Feeling shy or reluctant to ask questions is common. I can seek out safe situations to ask what I need to know.

“It is bad to count on my fingers.” Using my fingers to calculate can be quick and helpful. In fact, I need to use whatever works for me.

“I should skip to the highest level math class that I can.” By taking math courses at my skill level I will complete my math requirements more quickly than if I jump in over my head.

“My negative math memories will never go away.” Negative math memories can fade and be replaced in time.