| “I’ve never been good at reading.” | | | | be? If there is a math gene, then there must be |
| “I can’t help my kids at all with their | | | | a reading gene as well. Perhaps there is, but if |
| reading homework. Reading was always my | | | | this reading gene does, in fact, exist parents do |
| worst subject.” | | | | not invoke or acknowledge its existence as readily |
| “Anything after middle school English, forget it | | | | and as proudly as the reason why little David may |
| – I’m terrible.” | | | | not be a good reader. Not being a good reader |
| Have you ever heard a parent utter these | | | | is unacceptable in our current educational system |
| statements? Of course not, because to make a | | | | and in our society. Reading is now infused |
| statement such as, “I’m not that good at | | | | “across the curriculum” as any American |
| reading,” is socially unacceptable among the | | | | teacher knows. Schools have implemented |
| averagely educated, involved parents of school | | | | strategies such as nightly homework reading |
| aged children in our society. Which begs the | | | | requirements and the popular 100 book reading |
| question of, why then, is it socially acceptable to | | | | challenge as ways to help students improve |
| make such statements about math? Parents will, | | | | reading. When it comes to reading actual |
| almost proudly, say things to me like “I was | | | | practice is the norm as to addressing reading |
| terrible at math so I’m not surprised that little | | | | issues not the invocation of genetics. |
| David is having so much trouble with math.” | | | | As a high school math teacher, I have become |
| Further, not only is it acceptable to make such a | | | | very weary of hearing the myriad of excuses |
| statement, it is practically a badge of honor for | | | | that parents and students alike make to explain |
| some parents when making such a claim. | | | | poor math performance. As with reading, there |
| Would this same parent, proudly, say the same | | | | are two main things that we as a society and we |
| thing to little David’s English or reading | | | | as a collective American educational system need |
| teacher, or so proudly wear their ignorance of | | | | to adopt in order to address the math deficiencies |
| Reading like a badge of honor? Of course not | | | | of our students. First, we need to change our |
| because it is not socially acceptable to “not be | | | | mindset about one’s ability to learn |
| good at” reading. Why is this the case? | | | | mathematics. Just as we believe with reading, |
| I’m not exactly sure but what I do know is | | | | with math one becomes proficient through |
| that parents with school-aged children, who were | | | | practice, time on task, the expectation of success |
| not raised and socialized in our American culture, | | | | and the belief that learning math is within |
| do not make such claims. Parents who were | | | | everyone’s grasp. |
| socialized in Asian, Indian, Caribbean or African | | | | The math gene theory needs to be retired as our |
| cultures just to name a few do not make such | | | | national scapegoat regarding our children’s |
| claims about themselves or their children’s | | | | performance in math. We need to stop giving |
| lack of mathematics ability or aptitude. This type | | | | our kids permission to give up on a topic that can |
| of thinking in my experience is a uniquely | | | | be learned and mastered with practice, |
| American phenomenon. And the implication being | | | | perseverance and the proper “can do” |
| in all of this is the assumption that a person is | | | | mindset. Let’s support our kids with a |
| either inherently good at math, or not. Either a | | | | positive attitude towards math and encourage |
| person has the illusive “math gene” or not. | | | | them to succeed in mathematics instead of |
| | | | | making up excuses and being tacitly complicit in |
| So by extension does this mean there is a | | | | their failure. |
| reading gene as well? Why wouldn’t there | | | | |