The phrase “I am not a math person” is used by moms, English teachers, and pretty much anyone who is not a math teacher. The ideology of the smart person is a thing of the past.

Instead of believing that brain and mental capabilities are static throughout life, a growth mindset, according to Writer, Maria Popova, “thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities”. Junior, Fiona Fitzpatrick says that when she is “feeling like she is struggling in school or other activities,” it encourages her to work even harder to reach a place that she is interested in being at.

Although some are given a head start by reading as a child, being taught by parents during childhood, and having an interest in education, everyone starts from an even playing field. The students who put forth their best effort and take pride in their learning will inevitably continue to be the ones who succeed more than the other lackluster kids that wake up for school in the morning with a great, overwhelming feeling of dread coursing through their entire body.

Doctor Carol Dweck from Stanford University has been the front-runner in the research of the psychological effects of maintaining a healthy growth mindset. Her philosophy is that the intelligence of students can be grown or developed like any other skill, such as juggling or running. Thanks to Dweck, the principles of the growth mindset have been adopted broadly and have hypothetically changed the way that everyday students look at education. Student Max Quinn agrees with this statement: he says that in his classes like math and history he “tries to push through the hard stuff” in order to create a better personal environment for his learning.

In Camas High School, this is often seen from the students in the class that put forward the most effort in the class, despite their grade. Math teacher Zak Webb says that maintaining a growth mindset is very important in math class because “persevering through challenges and failure is how students will succeed in math class”. When kids are willing to put forth more effort than their peers, they will be able to succeed and enjoy much more.

Since the changing of the principles of learning, the nation, and even the world’s students have been able to approach the learning of different subjects better and more appropriately. Over the course of time, the way that students learn will change with the adaption to the evolution of how education will change for the better.