“I would rather have learning joined with virtue than all the treasures of kings.”
— St. Thomas More
When students are given challenging math questions or learn a new mathematical skill for the first time, this can feel like a daunting hill to climb, especially if solving the problem or learning the skill requires more than a couple of lessons and more practice than in other areas of the curriculum. Yet such moments of productive struggle are actually precisely where mathematical learning happens; they are an opportunity for students to connect their academic work to growth in virtue.
When a child is struggling in Mathematics, makes an error, or needs time to think through a problem, it can look (and sometimes feel!) like a failure. But actually, these moments of struggle are when learning happens, and the child grows in virtue. If answers are given too quickly to manage the struggle or alleviate feelings of anxiety, students will often miss the opportunity to notice mathematical patterns, to justify their reasoning, and to build their confidence in tackling future problems. It is vital for us to help students change their mindset and recognize that mistakes are part of learning, that thinking takes time, and that explaining how you got your answer is just as important as finding the right answer.
“When you seek truth, you seek God, whether you know it or not.”
— St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Allowing our students to experience productive struggle in mathematics also leads to spiritual growth. The philosopher Simone Weil once wrote:
If we concentrate our attention on trying to solve a problem of [mathematics], and if at the end of an hour we are no nearer to doing so than at the beginning, we have nevertheless been making progress each minute of that hour… The result may very likely be felt in some department of the intelligence in no way connected with mathematics…[And] it is certain that this effort will bear its fruit in prayer.
By engaging in productive struggle, students practice the skills of patience and attentiveness and learn the importance of perseverance, courage, and faith. These struggles are teaching our students that perseverance takes time and that sticking with a difficult problem shows courage. It takes courage to realize your mathematical mistakes and to try a new strategy. Faith will grow for our children as they continue to learn to trust that God’s challenges are given to us so we can grow in wisdom.
The beauty of our curriculum at St. Benedict Classical Academy is that our students learn the language of virtue at such a young age. As their teachers, we are given the opportunity to help them understand that they can apply the virtues to their academic work, and that their strengths and struggles in academics will help them grow in virtue as they continue to seek truth towards God.
I pray that my students and I can continue to look to St. Thomas More for guidance in our academics and to St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross to help us cultivate the virtues of perseverance, courage, and faith as we engage in the productive struggle that constitutes the study of mathematics.
AUTHOR: Michele McAvoy, Grade 3 Teacher
