THINKING ORGANIZEDI’ve never been good at math. It doesn’t make sense to me, and I would be lost without a calculator. And as the prophecy foretold, most of the math that I learned in school hasn’t made an appearance in my adult life.
While this type of thinking is fairly common among parents, did you know that it’s actually detrimental to your children’s feelings about math? A few weeks ago, NPR published an article explaining how a parent’s casual remarks to their children about how they themselves were never good at math “can send a signal to kids about whether they can succeed.” When parents discuss their own dislike of math, they create an excuse their children can latch onto to explain away their own troubles and hinder them from putting forth their best efforts. If their parents don’t understand the material, then how could they possibly understand it?
When our children are having a difficult time with something, we often tell them that everyone has something that they’re not good at. Some people are gifted at playing soccer, some are great at playing the piano, and some are math wizzes. Placing people into these sorts of categories sends a message to your children that there are some things they are simply incapable of succeeding at, and this reinforces a belief that there’s no point in trying at something that does not come naturally to them. It’s important to help your children realize that even if they’re struggling to understand something right now, that doesn’t mean they’ll never get it; they just need to utilize the resources around them and keep an open mind.
It may seem like a small thing, but children’s first role models are usually their parents, so they will often mimic their parents’ attitudes towards particular subjects. Even if you do have negative feelings about math, it’s crucial to project an upbeat attitude about the subject. If your children are struggling to grasp a particular mathematical concept, don’t agree that it’s too difficult to learn; instead, help them pinpoint which elements of the concept are confusing, and encourage them to meet with their teacher for help or to use an online resource like Khan Academy. Creating this positive environment will motivate your children to embrace math and learn that they are capable of accomplishing anything they set their minds to.
Jessica: I recently read A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman after it was recommended to me by my mother, who was suggested to read it by her fellow teachers at her middle school. The fictional book follows the daily life of a middle-aged man who’s a bit of a curmudgeon (well, more than a bit!). Ove is a man of strong principles and strict routines, and he does not hold back when forcing his views onto everyone in his neighborhood within earshot. In each subsequent chapter, Backman reveals more of Ove’s backstory, including the trials and tribulations he faced during childhood and marriage, making Backman’s story much more compelling as you start to have sympathy for the bitter old man by the end of the book. A Man Called Ove is an easy read, but a thoroughly entertaining one at that, and I recommend the book to anyone interested in a pleasant escape from the daily grind of work or home life.
Kristin: I just finished re-reading Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s novel Good Omens. There’s a TV adaptation coming out next year, so I wanted to refresh my memory so I could see how well the show adapted the book. Gaiman and Pratchett have very distinct writing styles, so it’s fascinating to see them combine their talents (plus, it’s fun trying to figure out who wrote which parts). Good Omens follows an angel and a demon as they attempt to thwart Armageddon, but their plans are slightly spoiled when they realize they don’t even know where the Antichrist is. Gaiman and Pratchett create vibrant characters, and I’d recommend this book to anyone looking for something witty and funny.
Mallory: I am reading Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward. It is a beautifully-written book about an impoverished, fiercely loyal family facing Hurricane Katrina. Ward writes with a poetic, almost lyrical prose, binding love, resilience, and disaster from the perspective of a poor, pregnant teenage girl. I chose this book because I volunteered in Biloxi, MS post-Katrina and was touched by the courage and resilience of the families I met. Salvage the Bones is moving, at times heartbreaking, and reads like a song.
Stephan: Recently I have been reading a number of novellas by one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman. Gaiman has an incredible ability to build worlds that balance fantasy elements with relatable and intensely human characters. Odd and the Frost Giants is the story of a young Norse man who has lost his father and has been permanently injured in an accident. When he leaves his mother’s home to escape his stepfather, he encounters a group of animals who can talk. After discovering that they are gods who have been thrown out of their home, Odd sets out on an adventure to return them to their home and rightful bodies.
Jennifer: I recently read All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely after one of my students was assigned the novel for summer reading. This book focuses on the topics of racism and police brutality, and it became the most powerful book I read all summer. The alternating perspectives of Rashad and Quinn are explored as they navigate the consequences of a violent event that divides their community.
tin: Right now, I’m reading David Quammen’s new book The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life. Quammen is one of my favorite science writers, and I’ve been waiting months for this book to come out. It looks at the development of the concept of the tree of life and the changes it’s undergone thanks to breakthroughs in science. This book gives us a comprehensive look at the scientists responsible for altering our understanding of evolution, as well as what impacts this understanding has on our lives.
Tara: I’m reading Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler. It is a social psychology book that explores the way society makes various choices and provides suggestions for helping people make the best possible choices for themselves. I have always been drawn to these types of books, starting with Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner’s Freakonomics and Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink. I am fascinated by people’s thought process and the various influences that affect them. As someone who spends a lot of time with teenagers, I am always looking for ways to help my students make the best choices for themselves and their future.
