Carol Dweck on “I’m bad at math!”

Stanford researcher and Mindset author Carol Dweck says when kids utter this common refrain, one powerful word can change everything.

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team

Sadly, too many children say, “I’m bad at math!” or “Why am I so bad at math?” or the like. While math anxiety and all-out math hatred are a major problem in the U.S., there are things parents can do. In the moment, Stanford Researcher Carol Dweck advises parents to say, “No, you just haven’t learned how to do this yet.”

Watch how Dweck explains the power of “yet”.

But don’t stop there! Did you know that the number one way parents can help their kids with math skills is to have a positive attitude about math? Math anxiety is something we can pass along to our kids, but so is optimism about math! Think about the way you talk about math (and your own math skills) at home, and try to keep your language less negative, more neutral and/or positive.

Learn more about the best ways to help your child with math homework, how to incorporate math talk into daily life, how to help your child be good at math (even if you’re not), and check out these 10 great online math games. In addition, GreatSchools.org has hundreds of PK-5th grade math worksheets available for free!

Want more? How 4 other parenting experts say to respond…

Deborah Tillman
America’s Supernanny Deborah Tillman says that when a child is struggling with math — or any subject — parents need to step in quickly to help. Here’s how. Format: Video (1:20)

Danica McKellar
“Math isn’t for nerds!” says Danica McKellar, best-selling author of Kiss My Math. She wants kids, especially girls, to know they can learn to love math. Format: Article

Erica Reischer
Instead of focusing on whether they’re “good” or “bad” at something, help kids see the value of hard work, says parent coach and psychologist Erica Reischer. Format: Video (1:41)

Kalid Azad
Math whiz Kalid Azad says the best response to this lament is to help kids discover math in the world around them. Format: Article

About the author

The GreatSchools Editorial Team

GreatSchools.org is a national nonprofit with a mission to help every child obtain a high-quality education that values their unique abilities, identities, and aspirations. We believe in the power of research-backed, actionable information to empower parents, family members, and educators to help make this happen. For 25 years, the GreatSchools Editorial Team has been working to make the latest, most important, and most actionable research in education, learning, and child development accessible and actionable for parents through articles, videos, podcasts, hands-on learning resources, email and text messaging programs, and more. Our team consists of journalists, researchers, academics, former teachers and education leaders — most of whom are also dedicated parents and family members — who not only research, fact check, and write or produce this information, but who use it in our daily lives as well. We welcome your feedback at editorial@greatschools.org.