The idea of being “bad at math” or “not a math person” is deeply entrenched in American education — for students and teachers alike. But it doesn’t have to be, says Phonisha Hawkins, director of ...

The employment future looks bright for people with strong math skills. But among the nation’s K-12 students, that represents a small and dwindling demographic. What’s to blame for students’ poor math ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Linda Darling-Hammond is an expert on education research and policy. This blog was updated on June 24, 2026 to clarify a statistic ...

Some of the biggest challenges in teaching math aren’t about the numbers and operations themselves, but students’ attitudes toward them. Getting students to think deeply about problems, persevere ...

One of my first vivid memories of math is of timed tests. I still remember how visceral my panic felt–sweaty palms, heart pounding–as I scrambled to recall facts before the clock ran out. You might ...