Challenge Your Beliefs

1
Chapter 3

• Challenge Your Beliefs

2
Answer True or False

1. I cant do math.
2. Math is always hard.
3. Only smart people can do math.
4. Mathematicians always do math problems quickly in
   their heads.
5. If I dont understand a problem immediately, I
   never will.

3

• 6. I am too shy to ask questions.
• 7. It is bad to count on my fingers
• 8. To complete my math requirements quickly, I
  should skip to the highest level math class that
  I can.

4

• 9.There is only one right way to work a math
  problem.
• 10.My memories of my negative math experiences
  will never go away.

5
I cant do math.
I can do some math. Some math I cant do yet.
Some math I need never do.
6
Math is always hard.
There are both easy and hard math problems for
everyone.
7
Only smart people can do math.
Persistence in math helps more than smarts.
Knowing how I am smart can help me to learn math.
8
Mathematicians do math quickly in their heads.
Mathematicians can quickly do problems that they
have practiced. When they learn new math ideas,
they work very slowly and use lots of scratch
paper.
9
If I dont understand immediately, I never will.
Understanding math takes time.
10
There is only one right way to work a problem.
There are many right ways to work and think about
each math problem.
11
I am too shy to ask questions.
Feeling shy or reluctant to ask questions is
common. I can seek out safe situations to ask
what I need to know.
12
It is bad to count on my fingers.
Using my fingers to calculate can be quick and
helpful. In fact, I need to use whatever works
for me.
13
I should skip to the highest level math class
that I can.
By taking math courses at my skill level I will
complete my math requirements more quickly than
if I jump in over my head.
14
My negative math memories will never go away.
Negative math memories can fade and be replaced
in time.