Comments on: Another reason to throw out that “Math is Hard” Barbie Doll http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/ Parenting, Politics and News for the Perfectly Challenged Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:51:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Cristina http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4271 Cristina Mon, 23 Oct 2006 05:29:15 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4271 So THIS is why I've been bad at math all these years! So THIS is why I’ve been bad at math all these years!

]]> By: Jessica Carlson http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4215 Jessica Carlson Sat, 21 Oct 2006 17:54:34 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4215 Has their been a study to find out if one gender is better at math than another? I think that would be interesting. I think criticism is so powerful. I think kids need to be encouraged at all costs. If you tell a kid they're not good at something or tell them they're stupid often enough, they will believe you. Even a single comment can effect a child for the rest of their lives. Children are just not receptive to negativity and are not mature enough to brush off such comments as invalid. Has their been a study to find out if one gender is better at math than another? I think that would be interesting.

I think criticism is so powerful. I think kids need to be encouraged at all costs. If you tell a kid they’re not good at something or tell them they’re stupid often enough, they will believe you. Even a single comment can effect a child for the rest of their lives. Children are just not receptive to negativity and are not mature enough to brush off such comments as invalid.

]]> By: Andrea http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4175 Andrea Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:28:10 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4175 That's exactly what I thought was so interesting about it--the researchers didn't even try to prove that women and men have the same math abilities. They are very careful to say that they're not measuring gender differences (though in a lot of the comments I've read about hte research on the internet, some people are taking it that way anyway). All they're saying is--if you tell someone they should be bad at something because of their sex/race/age/whatever, they will perform more poorly than if you told them that the stereotypes aren't true. That’s exactly what I thought was so interesting about it–the researchers didn’t even try to prove that women and men have the same math abilities. They are very careful to say that they’re not measuring gender differences (though in a lot of the comments I’ve read about hte research on the internet, some people are taking it that way anyway). All they’re saying is–if you tell someone they should be bad at something because of their sex/race/age/whatever, they will perform more poorly than if you told them that the stereotypes aren’t true.

]]> By: Michele http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4171 Michele Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:06:31 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4171 From my own school days of being laughed at when taking too long to answer a math question, I had come to this conclusion already. It was hard to be good at something everyone was certain I was horrible at. Now that I have my own daughter, I see that she's always done better with language - writing, vocabulary, reading...so I've considered that certain people (not necessarily certain sexes) just seem to be more talented in one area (i.e., the arts vs. the sciences). But I also, naturally, have concluded - again, from these experiences - that to be told you are bad at something is not at all helpful for anyone of any race, age or sex. From my own school days of being laughed at when taking too long to answer a math question, I had come to this conclusion already. It was hard to be good at something everyone was certain I was horrible at.

Now that I have my own daughter, I see that she’s always done better with language - writing, vocabulary, reading…so I’ve considered that certain people (not necessarily certain sexes) just seem to be more talented in one area (i.e., the arts vs. the sciences).

But I also, naturally, have concluded - again, from these experiences - that to be told you are bad at something is not at all helpful for anyone of any race, age or sex.

]]> By: Amy http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4169 Amy Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:52:27 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2006/10/20/another-reason-to-throw-out-that-math-is-hard-barbie-doll/#comment-4169 Sometimes the stereotypes come from right inside the home as well. I am awful in math, so much so that it has always been a joke around here. But I am very conscious, and have been since my kids were really small, of saying how lucky they are to NOT be like me in that one way! Trying to stop the self-fulfilling prophecy! Sometimes the stereotypes come from right inside the home as well. I am awful in math, so much so that it has always been a joke around here. But I am very conscious, and have been since my kids were really small, of saying how lucky they are to NOT be like me in that one way!

Trying to stop the self-fulfilling prophecy!

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