Bad at Math?: Dismantling Harmful Beliefs That Hinder Equitable Mathematics Education

Math really is for everyone―so let’s prove it.

You’ve heard it from kids, from friends, and from celebrities: “I’m bad at math.” It’s a line that society tends to accept without examination―after all, some people just aren’t “math people,” right?

Wrong. As we do with other essential skills, we need to expose the stereotypes, challenge the negative mindsets, and finally confront the systemic opportunity gaps in math education, and replace them with a new vision for what math is, who it’s for, and who can excel at it. In this book you’ll find

• Research on teacher and student mindsets and their effect on student achievement
• Audience-specific and differentiated tools, reflection questions, and suggested actions for educators at all levels of the system
• Examples from popular media, as well as personal stories and anecdotes
• Quotes, data-driven figures, and suggestions for deeper learning on all aspects of a positive and equitable vision of math education

Both social commentary and a toolkit of solutions, this bold new book directly challenges the constructs that have historically dictated our perceptions of what makes someone a “math person”. Only by dismantling those misplaced assumptions can we reform math education so it works for everyone. Because in truth, we are all math people.