Increasing intelligence through effective effort
Scratching the surface in understanding my difficulties with mathematics.
A few weeks ago, the principal of the school where I work went to a meeting to discuss ways to close the gap between white and minority students. This is an area where schools are suffering universally, and a goal for improvement by our school board.
Before this meeting, given a photocopy of chapter two of Beverly Daniel Tatum’s, Can We Talk About Race?. After the meeting, she gave me a copy, which I found time to read today.
I found the studies and information in this chapter to be insightful, especially the discussion of the character of intelligence, whether it is fixed of expandable through effort. The overall consensus on that subject is that intelligence may be partially hereditary, but it is also shaped through a person’s interaction with their environment; meaning that that a person’s intelligence can be increased through effort.
Yesterday I finished a college algebra course. I struggled throughout this class, and passed the final exam by a hair (9 tenths of a percent). A colleague who is very well versed in math suggested I bring in the exam to review. To this I replied, after thanking him of course, that “I couldn’t care less”. The truth is that I could care less, much less. I have been thinking a lot about my struggles with math; trying to figure out what is behind them. Many of these thoughts were very well expressed by Tatum in the following section.
Many students, like many teachers, believe their intelligence (or lack of it) is a fixed, unchanging characteristic. Years of family members, friends, and teachers remarking, “What a smart boy/girl you are!” certainly reinforces this personal theory of intelligence. The alternate view of intelligence as changeable–as something that can be developed–is less commonly fostered, but can be. The educator Verna Ford has summed up this alternate theory for use with young children quite succinctly: “Think you can–work hard–get smart.” Research by the educational psychologist Carol Dweck suggests that those young people who hold a belief in fixed intelligence see academic setbacks as an indicator of limited ability. They are highly invested in appearing smart, and consequently avoid those tasks that might suggest otherwise. Rather than exerting more effort to improve their performance, they are likely to conclude, “I’m not good at that subject” and move on to something else. Students who have the view of intelligence as malleable are more likely to respond to academic setbacks as a sign that more effort is needed, and then exert that effort. They are more likely to face challenges head-on rather than avoid them in an effort to preserve a fixed definition of oneself as smart.” The theory of intelligence as malleable–something that expands as the result of effective effort–fosters an academic resilience that serves its believers well.
Honestly, I was more than a little amazed at seeing some of my own thoughts expanded and in black and white in the midst this chapter. From this, I gathered a few things about myself.
- While I think that intelligence is dependent on environmental factors, I never considered that my low aptitude in math is due to the my idea that my ability is limited. My idea of intelligence and the idea that I can expand my intelligence in a subject area are in conflict.
- I do avoid math, as my struggles in the subject do cause me to question my intelligence. This is a conflict as well, as I feel very capable in a multitude of other areas.
- I’m not academically resilient, especially in math. I’ve never had any real hope for improvement.
- I need to reverse the above points, and exert effective effort to improve.
There will likely be other math courses I will need to complete. Admittedly, I’m not looking forward to them; however, I know that I need to change this attitude and commit to succeeding in the subject. Part of this effort will be to study the malleability of intelligence, giving myself a foundation to work on.
4 responses so far
Well, said…there is great value in reflection, but it can also have a negative self-fulfilling result. I do BELIEVE you can do well in math…when you do.
Brain Based Learning: http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbru9905.htm
Stress and Rigor
http://www.chemistrycoach.com/page16.htm
Reducing Stress
http://learn2study.org/teachers/reduce_stress.htm
University of TX - Stress Management
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1439.html
Student Centered Stress Reduction
http://www.ispaweb.org/en/colloquium/nyborg/Nyborg%20Presentations/Philips.htm
Rich,
So…um…you think I’m stressed, eh? Thanks for the links. I’ll look into them!
- Joel
Joel,
Thanks for the insights. I’m getting ready to start the school year and have this exact discussion with my students. My school is focusing on Tatum’s book this year. We have a school that is very much caught in the achievement gap, and thankfully we are confronting that. Your post has been helpful and given me some ideas on how I can broach the topic with my students.
Rick
Rick,
Thanks for visiting and commenting. No Child Left Behind has forced many schools to identify and attempt to understanding the causes behind achievement gaps. With a definite overlap of ethnicity and economics, we wonder how we can best reach those students. Obviously targeting African American students who are on free or reduced lunches is not an option. Somehow teachers must teach to the whole, and yet utilize strategies to attempt to help students who are affected by that gap.
There is a lot of talk about differentiated instruction. We are trying, through the use of data, to target individual student weaknesses so they are given more opportunity to work on those areas. With the demands of classroom management, and other factors, I’m not really sure how well we are doing this. As a Data Support Specialist, I provide data to teachers based on testing. This data is meant to assist them in differentiation. However, as I am not in the classroom; I don’t know how the data is being used practically.
From Tatum’s work, I think the starting point is the top. Do principal’s believe that ALL students have the potential to succeed? How about the teachers? It’s a shifting in attitude that is required before we can even attempt to persuade students that they have as much opportunity as any of their classmates to succeed. They may need to work harder, and apply additional effort, but success is possible.
On the subject of my abilities in mathematics, I’ll readily admit that I haven’t been willing to apply the additional effort to succeed. However, I do believe that if I would if needed, and therefore have as much opportunity to succeed as any other person.
… I suppose that’s the first step.