“Everyone is capable of mathematical thinking. It’s like an inheritance you get just for being human.” —Daniel Finkel, Founder of Math for Love.

Take a minute to think about your math autobiography. Who was considered good at math in your classrooms? What were the expectations in math class? How did math make you feel? Were these factors the same in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary school?

Reflecting on my math story, I remember taking timed tests that resulted in sweaty palms and anxiety, completing entire pages of even-numbered practice problems, and focusing solely on getting the correct answer. I memorized procedures, plugged numbers into algorithms, and trusted that I had the correct answer. Teachers didn’t push my thinking or ask why something worked. As a student, I wasn’t problem-solving or reasoning—I was merely calculating.

When we see statistics like “36% of American 4th graders score proficient in math, and by 8th grade, 26% are proficient” or “1 in 2 American public high school graduates has to retake high school math in college,” we must ask WHY. Our society has long accepted that there are “math people” and “not math people.” But how can we challenge and change this?

Positioning Students as Mathematicians

One step we can take as educators is to position our students as mathematicians. Helping students see themselves as knowers, doers, and contributors to math means empowering them to build confidence in their mathematical abilities. By doing this, we help our students make positive mathematical identities—”I am a mathematician, and I can do this.” Providing meaningful challenges and support for students involves creating opportunities for all voices to be heard and asking students to explain how they arrived at their answers. When we position students as the mathematicians in the room, we empower them to engage deeply with mathematics.

Promoting Sense-Making and Problem-Solving

Another step educators can take is to promote sense-making and problem-solving. We must model and encourage curiosity by asking questions like, “What if?” “How did you do that?” and “Why?” These questions help students make sense of the world around them and foster a deeper connection with math. As society transitions from an industrial age to an informational age, our classrooms must also shift. We need to move students from being passive spectators to active players in their mathematical journeys.

Learn More: Counted Out Screening

If you feel compelled to learn more about how math is everywhere and for everyone and the small steps we can take to change the status quo, join the Kent ISD mathematics team for a special screening of Counted Out on May 19, 2025. This film explores the risks of not transforming how students interact with mathematics through a mosaic of personal stories, expert interviews, and scenes of math transformation in action. Do we want an America where most people don’t consider themselves “math people” and math proficiency declines as students grow older? Or do we want a country where everyone can understand the math that supports our society—and help shape it? Register Here.

#MathForAll #EmpowerMathematicians #EquityInEducation #KentISDpd #WeLeadLearning #Innovation #Excellence #Learning

This blog post was written by Sammi TenHave, Math Consultant for Kent ISD and edited by Amanda Walma, T&L Marketing and Communication Specialist for Kent ISD.