Comment due Sunday, March 31
“I’m bad at math.”
Everyone on earth, probably
Contents
Background
“I’m bad at math.” This is something I’ve heard from a handful of students (in different classes) over the last few years. It’s devastating to me to hear anyone say this about themselves… let alone my own students, but it’s very common to feel this way, especially around exam time.
Here’s a big secret: I’ve said this about myself. I have a Ph.D. in math. I write math research papers and get invited to give fancy math research presentations. I’ve taught hundreds (maybe thousands?) of students math in my career. And I have said this about myself tons of times over the years.
Here’s another (not-so-big) secret: I’m bad at pushups. I don’t have a Ph.D. in pushups! I can barely do one pushup! I’m, like, definitely, objectively really really bad at pushups! But it doesn’t make me feel bad when I can’t do a pushup. I really don’t care. So what’s different about math?
There is something unique about math: it can make all of us feel bad about ourselves sometimes. The wife of my good friend (who got his Ph.D. in math the same week I got mine) says this: “You mathematicians…if you do understand something, you think it’s because it’s obvious and easy…if you don’t understand something, you think it’s because it’s impossible and you’re too dumb. When do you ever get to feel good about yourselves?” Doing math can be very humbling. (If you’ve never been challenged doing math, let me know and I’ll find a challenge for you.)
There are lots of intersecting reasons that so many people think they’re bad at math, even when they’re not…especially when they’re not. For example, do this right now: do a Google image search for “mathematician.” Scroll until you see someone who looks like you. Can you find anyone? I haven’t seen all of your faces on Zoom, but I’m willing to bet none of you look like this bro:
Assignment
Choose one of the following prompts. Then write a response of at least 5 sentences and drop it in the comments below.
- Read an article on “math anxiety” (for example this one). Math anxiety is a real thing and there have been tons of articles written on it! Summarize the article. What parts of it resonated the most with you? What is a situation during which you remember experiencing math anxiety in your life? Were you able to overcome it? How? Have your feelings about math changed as you’ve gotten older?
- Go back to the results of your Google image search for “mathematician.” Find a picture of a mathematician who looks like you. What is their name? Research this person’s biography and summarize it for us. What did you find most interesting about their life? What is a question you would ask this person about their life if you could?
- Okay, let’s get personal! Have you ever thought, “I’m bad at math,” yourself? Have you ever said it out loud? How often does this thought come into your head? In what circumstances? What do you do when it happens? Have any of your friends or classmates ever said this about themselves to you? What would you tell your friend if they said “I’m bad at math” to you? What do you think makes people think they’re bad at math? What do you do to challenge these thoughts? How can we support people when they feel like this? (Bonus: respond to someone else’s comment on this prompt; be nice.)
If your response is too long for a comment or if you want to include pictures (especially for prompt #2), feel free to submit your own new post. Use the category Bad at math and copy the link into the comments below.
You will earn participation credit for your comment.
Back to pushups
I mentioned in my introduction that I run a lot. I still can’t really do a pushup, but I’ve been doing a plank every day this year, and I’m actually starting to get stronger!
So here is one more question for you: why do you think am I talking so much to you about pushups in a math class???
(Prompt 3) I have thought that I am bad at math on multiple occasions, as well as saying it out loud. The thought comes into my head every time I have to do anything regarding any type of calculation whether its as simple as adding two things together or doing an elaborate problem on a math exam. When it happens I remind myself that it has to get done and give it my best effort. If my friend said they were bad at math I’d tell them to take it at their own pace and give it their best shot. Math itself has a lot of concepts that build off of itself and the lack of understanding of one concept causes the whole tower to fall down. To challenge these thoughts, just keep practicing as practice makes perfect and to support people who feel like this again, just keep practicing and doing your best.
Prompt 3
I have always said i was bad at math. I have said it out loud and told my friends and family numerous times. It comes to my head almost every week when i am taking a math course and don’t feel to confident. When i tell myself I’m bad i mostly just feel sad and sorry for myself. If i had a friend tell me they were bad at math i would just tell them honestly i am to but they should try to go to tutoring and get some help. I think what challenges these thoughts is when someone does bad on a homework or a test. But the best solution would be to practice and get some help.
I have definitely exclaimed multtiple times that i am bad at math. Whenever i mention the word math the phrase always follows suit. Everytime I enter math class I think i am bad at math. I always felt like i was inherently bad at math.Most people i speak too always say the same thing and there is a rare few amount of people who say they like math or are really good at math. If my friend told me they are bad at math I would say that I am too and we would have a laugh. I think that most people say that they are bad at math because math is a thing that requires a lot of practice. Most people are used too getting a school topic off the rip but math takes a lot of work that most people dont wanna put in(including myself). In order to counter act this tutoring should be much more widespread for math.
prompt 3
Math has always been a subject i’ve struggled with for many years. I first realized I was struggling with math when I took an algebra class in 7th grade and received a 60 while others around me seemed to pass the class with ease. Ive taken many math classes throughout high school and came to the realization that math just simply wasn’t for me. Now that I am taking a pre calculus course in college, I want to challenge these thoughts and feel confident about solving math equations without my past influencing my ability to succeed in math. If my friends came to me and told me they thought they were “bad at math”, I would encourage them to challenge that belief as well and seek tutoring or outside resources to help them.
Prompt 3
Whereas I truly enjoy math, for its gratifying feeling when I eventually figure things out. I often hit a wall where I feel as though I’m not performing to the best of my ability. I sure do love the challenge as it makes the accomplishment worth much more, but I’m quick to judge myself when I don’t get it right away. Though, this mindset has found its way into almost all aspects of my career, not just math.
Prompt 3
There have been times when I said I’m terrible at math. One time I said I don’t belong in this math classes because I kept getting a terrible grade on every tests. I’d say it whenever I get something wrong on webwork sometimes or when I get a failing grade on my test. If one of my friends says they’re terrible at math I’d say math takes time to understand and it doesn’t mean that you’re terrible. It just means that math is not something that you’ll understand in seconds. I think the math problems could make people think that they’re terrible at math.