This session was great. We talked about kinda taboo topics within math straying away from content focuses. Instead bringing up the emotional influences that interact with learning mathematics. The anxiety, and societal pressures that students come into the classroom with. How the sciences are finally starting to move away from the content is all viewpoint. Instead putting student motivation and wants/needs first.
The book
Tools, tips and techniques to work through math trauma and build essential math skills
We have spent decades telling students to try harder, study more, and push through. We have built tutoring centers, redesigned curricula, and trained teachers. And still, students are avoiding math, abandoning the majors they wanted, and leaving college without the degrees they came for.
The problem was never effort. It was never content. It was trauma.
Compassionate Math: Book One is the definitive guide to healing one's trauma and reframing one's relationship to math: Half compassion, to help the reader work through their math trauma and half math, to solidify one's understanding of math from the ground up.
Written for the adult reader who wants to heal their math trauma and finally understand math: the teacher who is struck by their awesome responsibility and wants to see (and address) the signs of math trauma in their students, the college student who needs strategies to make the most out of math classes (and all classes) and understand the foundation of algebra; and the parent who wants to help their child (or stop automatically calling a tutor) or see how newer curricula are related to how you learned things.
Goodreads
Amazon
A holistic approach to math trauma
Address the root cause, not the symptoms.
This isn’t a mindset book; it’s a math book. This isn’t a math book; it’s a mindset book. In the first book of this groundbreaking series, Dr. Geillan Aly takes the reader on a journey of self-discovery to help the reader heal their math trauma. She shows you that math is both emotional and cognitive and that you need both parts of yourself to support the other. Why? Human beings are mathematical beings.
Written for the adult learner who avoids math but wants to finally call themselves a math person, Compassionate Math: Book One in the Compassionate Math Series, acknowledges the emotional turmoil many feel when studying math. The book begins by explaining why learning math can be extremely difficult and defines the many social and emotional factors that contribute to mathematical success (or failure), giving language and validity to one’s feelings. From there, the foundational ideas of mathematics are explained using simple language and everyday ideas. Throughout the book, Dr. Geillan Aly uses creative metaphors, her own math learning stories, and surprising connections to help the reader understand what they may not have understood before and appreciate the beauty of mathematics.
Compassionate Math provides an approachable path towards understanding mathematics, empowering the reader to reclaim this part of themselves. Rigorous topics aren’t ignored, allowing it to supplement any college text, help a parent or caretaker support their child, or be a springboard to help the reader understand and excel at more advanced mathematical topics.
What people are saying about the book
Thank you for treating the audience as experienced adults who want to grow.
You a doing a service to the inner children in us all who never knew they could be good enough so thank you
Thank you for this gift.
AMAZING, very insightful on power struggles, values of intellectual contributions, norms, strengthening student contributions
I thought it was going to be another thing where we were told to be vulnerable but actually doing so would be a terrible mistake; however, instead everyone was completely supportive! I couldn’t believe it.
Interactive, easy talk listen to, talk to, express, real life Classroom Interactions
Geillan was very friendly and approachable. It was easy to open up about math struggles. Thank you!!
Spoke about students' hearts as well as their minds!
The session in IBL is very informative and it provides actionable items that we could apply and bring with us in our classroom settings. Thank you for sharing your expertise; much appreciated!
Just naming beliefs and spending time reflecting really opened my eyes to what could be possible.
It was challenging and empowering. A timely reminder to retain and prioritize our compassion in the work of math education.
I found that her study tips would be helpful for more than just math class.
Very Informative. Provide good skills to engage whole class.
Refreshing and attainable! Practical
- Kirkus ReviewsAn empowering book for all those who left math class feeling defeated.