February Math with Ms. Miller

Hi Parents,

My name is Valeria Miller. I am here to support your student in math. Have you ever told your student this is not how I learned math in school?  The strategies that students are learning about in math today may seem overwhelming for parents. However, spending time now with students to help them develop a deeper understanding of place value, properties of operations, and the relationship between addition and subtraction will help them be successful in the future. Teaching students multiple strategies to solve problems develops mathematical thinking and motivates learning.

I came across this article in EduGains about having a growth mindset. In general, a growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and ‘smartness’ can also be learned and that the brain grows from experience and effort.  The opposite, a fixed mindset, is the idea that you are smart, or you are not. In math, that translates into “some people are good at math, and some are not.” Did you know that praising efforts rather than intelligence or results can impact your child’s ability to persevere in challenges?! The goal is to have children thrive on challenges and see failures, not as a sign of low intelligence, but as a learning opportunity.  Brain research tells us that making mistakes actually wires more connections into the brain! When a person has a growth mindset, they accept challenges, see their efforts as worthwhile, and are open to learning from mistakes. Students with a growth mindset achieve at higher levels than those with fixed mindsets. How can you help? Some simple ways:
●    Adding “yet” when they claim they are “not good at this” (Respond: “You are not good at this yet.”)
●    Ask questions that focus on their effort and choices and get them to reflect on satisfaction of that effort (e.g. What did you learn today? What mistake did you make that taught you something? What did you try hard at today?)
●    Model this yourself as you share about your day

Please email me at valeria.miller@dodea.edu if you have any questions or want additional practice for your student. Please include your student's name, grade, and teacher in the email. I am happy to help!

Sincerely,
Valeria