The Danger of Saying, “I Don’t Do Math”
The way teachers talk about other subjects and about education in general matters. Words carry both direct and indirect meanings, and students often pick up on both of them. Being reflective and mindful of messages we are sending will help us to create positive learning environments and transfer associations across content areas.
Teacher: “Okay everyone, we have about fifteen minutes left of class, which gives us plenty of time to get started on our introduction paragraphs.”
Student: “Ms. Williams, it’s 2:55. We only have five minutes.”
Teacher: “Oh, sorry! That’s why I don’t teach Math.”
DISMISSIVE TALK
Perhaps you’ve heard comments like this before. Certainly, we’ve all had moments where we have said things in passing and didn’t realize how others would interpret it. It was after making one of these shallow comments myself that I reflected and thought, “That felt icky. Why did I even say that?” And I was convicted.
Tossing around statements that are dismissive of content areas we don’t teach (or those we do!) is dangerous territory. When an English teacher says, “That’s why I don’t teach Math” or a Math teacher says, “You don’t need ELA in life,” what exactly does that mean? Implied beliefs tip toe around those thoughts like sneaky little shadows.
Another example…
Mr. Zinsky is trying out Nearpod for the first time after his school ran a special professional development session on using Nearpod to increase student engagement online. Something goes wrong, and Mr. Zinsky is (naturally) perturbed. In exasperation, he throws his hands in the air and groans, “Technology! Why do we even need this stuff?”
Yes, it’s absolutely frustrating when technology snafus cause our best laid plans to take a nose dive. But, what do students hear when we say things like this? That technology is a barrier. It’s more trouble than it’s worth.
And over time, if students hear these comments enough both at home and at school, it becomes part of their internal dialogue as well. They become “team ELA” or “team Math,” feeling they need to take sides. They might not see the learning opportunities when it comes to trying something new, or they may not understand that some mistakes are worth celebrating if, after reflection and more effort, those mistakes result in growth.
THE TRUTH
The truth is that we DO need math. When we try a new recipe, make coffee, triple a recipe, calculate taxes, create a budget, balance our checkbook, and plan a vacation, invest for retirement, and make blueprints for landscaping or new house projects…we do math.
We DO need ELA in life. People need to be able to effectively and efficiently communicate with language and visuals. They need to comprehend deeply and think analytically, evaluating what they’ve read. Words are the vessel that can unite or divide us.
Technology? Every day, it’s more essential. Online bill pay, streaming services, and smart phones have all evolved to the point where it makes life challenging not to understand them. It’s not necessary to stress over learning all the new apps and fads, but it’s also not helpful to stereotype it as worthless in a moment of frustration.
IN THE MOMENT
In the moment, it can be tempting to make flippant comments to relieve frustration or evoke some comic relief. But, the implications of this type of talk are farther reaching than we realize.
About this antiquated stereotype – the “math person” or the “ELA person.” We know that that growth mindset is critical for student success in any subject. When educators emphasize the importance of open-ended problem solving, visual representations, revising incorrect work, and conceptual understanding when teaching, almost anyone can achieve high levels of success.
These classes students take aren’t just about transferring the exact day-to-day skill to life. They are preparing students for the next grade level and for success in related classes. They are teaching students to think…to problem solve, to do hard things. Our job is to help students gain confidence and give them descriptive feedback. It’s about modeling the struggle.
When we snap out a quick remark in frustration, annoyance, or anger, we are basically stomping on the hard work and progress that has already been made to build the growth mindset of the students sitting in front of us.
Of course, some people have to work harder at math, reading, writing, technology, (you name it!) than others, but when we model our ability to work through these things with humility, resilience, and open-mindedness, students will follow our lead.
Teachers, we have to fight the outdated perception that if we weren’t born with an innate ability, we can write it off as something unworthy of our time. Let’s stop inadvertently sending the message that certain content areas are not valuable. What we say matters. Kids are listening.
