Mathematical Myths

Im sure we have all heard at least one mathematical myth in our lives. Did we believe it? Did it stick with us for years? Did it deter us from exploring mathematics altogether?

The Using-Tools-Is-Cheating Myth

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One of the great mathematical myths is that we should do all of our maths mentally, in our heads. WHY?

What is so wrong with using a calcualtor, or better yet our own hands?

When you are learning a new maths problem and it just makes no sense why can’t you try out every tool and strategy possible to help you to understand the problem. When children are told ‘no using your fingers’ and this is the only way that they can understand, how does it make them feel? That the teacher is their barrier, that they want them to fail? Ultimately that child will stop trying.

 

The Genuis Myth

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Who says that you need to be clever to be able to do maths? Or who says cleverness is defined by mathematical ability?

I have heard so many times from young children, ‘I can’t do this because i’m not as clever as them’. Where do they get this from? I would imagine that it would have stemmed from hearing this myth at some point in their life.

Belief in this myth will cause children to simply give up, not just on mathematics but on anything. A child struggling with mathematics who has belief in this myth will put their struggle down to just not being clever. And because they are ‘not clever’ they will adopt the mindset that they cannot do mathematics, no matter how hard they try, and so why bother.

Similarly if a child is really trying to get to grips with mathematics but despite their efforts doesn’t quite get it, they will adopt the attitude of, well if I can’t do maths then I must not be clever. This attitude can lead to low self esteem and can also mirror in other subjects.

This is why it is so important in our classrooms that we do not allow this myth to be instilled into our children. Everyone can do maths!

And last but not least…

The Who-Needs-It-Anyway Myth

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This is the myth that is most well known and most embedded in our soceity. I have even said it myself sat in a maths class looking at a ridiculously complicated formula and saying when am I ever going to use this again.

But as I identified in my previous post we use maths every day! And we often don’t even realise.

As teachers it is our responsibility to eliminate this myth by introducing mathematics in relevent contexts to show children that we DO use maths and that it is important.

We need to work hard to eliminate all mathematical myths which deter our children from exploring the subject. I have identified the importance of mathematics in my life through this module but not everyone has explored it like I have.

We cannot let people live their lives by these mathematical myths, and this starts in the classroom.

One thought on “Mathematical Myths

  1. Thanks for this Amy. I agree it is really important that we start to challenge some of these myths. If maths was seen as intriguing, and creative and all the things it can be (and not just numbers) then I think far less people would be anxious about maths. So my question is what can we do to challenge these issues in society? School can be a start point but then what? I’ll let you think about that!

    Reply

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