Math. For some, its mere mention is enough to bring on pangs of anxiety from schooldays gone by.

In December, the NY Times published an article talking about the state of math education (specifically in relation to STEM careers) across the country. The bottom line, according to the Times: math education in the US is boring. Its system has remained unchanged for so long, with very few mechanisms to spark interest and encourage creativity, that most students can’t fathom pursuing the subject past what’s required.

Maybe the reason so many students are uninterested is because they believe—possibly they’ve been told—that they’re just no good at math. Miles Kimball and Noah Smith at The Atlantic argue that while genes might play a small role in a student’s distaste, for most it comes down to preparation and the fact that most students haven’t worked with numbers and concepts enough to realize they can succeed. In the competition of prepared  vs. unprepared students, the latter group falls into a nasty spiral of discouragement as they fall further and further behind. This “I’m not good at math” group falls victim to a self-fulfilling prophecy that because their performance was/is lacking, they see no point in trying to catch up and perform better. The authors of the Atlantic article argue that by presenting math intelligence as malleable—as a subject that will improve with practice—more students will overcome their fear and realize the long-term benefits of putting in a bit of extra work in the subject.

At CEWD, we’re constantly researching and redefining systems to get disconnected learners back into the role of engaged student. Do you have experiences from the field? Have you seen students transform from severely math-phobic to successful, maybe even enthusiastic, learners? Tell us your story!