Promoting a Growth Mindset
“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” (Dweck, 2013)
"Before your child can learn mathematics, he or she needs to believe in his or her ability to do so. That’s where you come in. You can be your child’s 1st role model for learning. When you engage with your child in a supportive, relaxed atmosphere, your child will enjoy exploring the world of mathematics." (Doing Mathematics with Your Child, Kindergarten to Grade 6)
Activities:
Primary/Junior/Intermediate
Which One Doesn’t Belong is a great activity that promotes mathematical thinking because there are many “right” answers - it all depends on their reasoning.
Show your child this picture:
Ask them, “which one doesn’t belong? Why?”
For additional images, check out: Which One Doesn't Belong?
Another great way to get your child talking about math is using images and questions from Estimation 180. This website has a series of images and encourages children to think about answers that are too high, too low and just right (Goldilock estimates).
Here is an example:
How many total cheese balls in the six containers?
For additional images and prompts, please see: Estimation 180
To find out what your child will learn in math this year or to find other fun activities that you can do together as a family, please visitYRDSB's Math page. Be sure to also try our Problem of the Month.