"I don't value students' working quickly; I value their working in depth, creating interesting pathways and representations.'
This resonated with me because many students believe that being "good at math" means being fast. At this age students are developing confidence in their abilities, and speed can create unnecessary pressure and anxiety. By valuing depth over speed, a teacher can shift their classroom culture to focus on understanding, reasoning, and multiple strategies. This helps students feel more comfortable taking risks explaining their thinking, and learning from mistakes, which are key components in building a positive math mindset and reducing the "I am not a math person" narrative.
This resonated with me because many students believe that being "good at math" means being fast. At this age students are developing confidence in their abilities, and speed can create unnecessary pressure and anxiety. By valuing depth over speed, a teacher can shift their classroom culture to focus on understanding, reasoning, and multiple strategies. This helps students feel more comfortable taking risks explaining their thinking, and learning from mistakes, which are key components in building a positive math mindset and reducing the "I am not a math person" narrative.