04/01/2026
Something I hear all the time as a teacher from girls, “I’m not good at math. My mom says she’s not good at math either. But my dad is!”
Friends, no. The amount of times I’ve heard this would lead me to believe that a large swath of the population is out here doing horrible math just with wild abandon. This is just bad messaging and it starts immediately upon entering a classroom, I think. The second math feels confusing or frustrating, girls start to feel math anxiety which turns into outright fear which turns into the refrain, “I am bad at math.”
I told a learner today. “No, you aren’t bad at math. I think you’re a little scared of math. That ends here.” So much of school success, in general, and in terms of math, has to do with confidence. We build confidence here. Every day, I connect with every student. I want them to feel seen, heard, and loved. If they don't, I need to do a better job.
It is my goal every day (and some days it goes better than others) to help take the fear and anxiety out of math, particularly for girls.
Just some thoughts from my desk (which is wet) outside on the deck. :) Have a great Wednesday!
And here is a bear!
