I love movies.This isn’t a loose statement either – it’s one precipitated by pure obsession. Obsession for fictional characters becoming more than they really are, but sometimes giving us a quick dose of a little something that we can either draw from or believe we can be.
The 1980s Karate Kid movie series is best known for the relationship that develops between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi. Trademarking the franchise are the ending sequences: the first movie concluded with the crane kick, the second a lame drum, but the third, clearly overshadowed and less know, is exceptional. That said, the movie prior to the final 2 minutes of the film is brutal, so I will save you the pain in a clip attached below.
Featured there for those brilliant 30sec of acting is Mr. Miyagi proclaiming his wisdom with some heavy, morale-boosting words, a set of cliche phrases maybe, but one, oddly enough, that hits home harder even when you see it coming. With Daniel-san on the verge of mental elimination and completely overwhelmed by a far superior alpha male antagonist, Mr. Miyagi serves up one of his best and dramatic scenes. My favourite sequence begins @ 0:19:
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Fear is an incredibly dominating feeling. It can overwhelm even the best of us and even though we know deep down the best of people are brought out by those that conquer or embrace it, we sometimes just can’t bring ourselves up to it. In the clip above we see Terry Silver, who we’ll call, the opponent, lambasting Daniel-san with a flurry of hate and intimidation, likely a small taste of the abuse we wrestle within ourselves when faced with a terrorizing situation.
Therein lies some of the key groundwork for fear to breed – and it’s exactly what we see with some students when faced with math. Fear wields a strong influence, grows stronger over time and with it, quite swiftly, is the inverse relationship of declining confidence. The deeper fear festers, the lower confidence plummets, and from there the road to math success is like pushing an elephant uphill on ice.
Based on our experience it’s without question that confidence plays a key part in math success. Students lacking confidence tread tenderly through problems asking questions along the way knowing they’re likely 90% right. Eyes waver, unsure, taut with trepidation, checking and re-checking their answers repeatedly. With increased difficulty level, all of a sudden you don’t have time to do those re-checks; you ask questions but realize you should have known the answer; you falter and you can’t follow the next building block that’s needed for another, and then another.
Some are gifted in math. They see it once, they get it. They don’t need instruction and they can apply it as easily as they breathe. Some just don’t get it and it’s perfectly fine to be unable, after all, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. That said, for a good chunk of us, we do have some ability. But at some point, we stumbled and the obstacles that ensue compromise our ability to problem solve going forward… and as this persists, it frustrates. It panics. Then panics again. Then the poor marks. Then the questions as to why you can’t do it. Your confidence wavers. Rinse and repeat. I’m not sure if any of you experienced this, but for me, after experiencing the vicious circle even once can cause your brain to shut down prematurely.
There was a time when I thought I would never succeed at math. I struggled when the (then) Grade 9 unit of problem solving came along, and surprisingly, despite the amount of time I spent working at it, it took me 3X longer to gain the confidence to approach it with the belief that I could actually do it. It’s so important to ensure that you measure the state of your confidence as you move forward through the years. It’s critical to sustain it. If you don’t get it from yourself, get it from parents. Friends. Teachers. Supporters. Online supporters. Get extra help from school and if not there, seek a tutor, somewhere. He or she may provide a perspective you never thought of and then you realize, it’s not that hard after all. If they can’t give you the help you need, find someone else. From there, work on more questions. Practice, talk yourself through a problem, and explain to yourself WHY you’re doing it. Understanding what the question is given, what they are asking, and why you are doing what you’re doing. Understanding the ‘why’ can boost your confidence especially during pressure situations where memory can shut down as the panic breaker flips.
It’s important to recognize that if it’s really not for you, and it’s taking away from things that you are good at, probably a good time to focus on those other things. The goal isn’t to beat a dead horse but to avoid giving up prematurely. If you get into this habit too often, you may find it’s a precursor to avoiding challenges. I can’t tell you how common it is for people to wade within their comfort zone, fearing the ‘thought’ of not being well-versed in a new skill and therefore, avoid doing it entirely, cutting themselves short – well short – of where they could be. The most successful people I’ve come to known are not afraid to look like a rookie and foolish as they stumble through basic concepts. They tuck their pride away and learn.
Mr. Miyagi’s (RIP Pat Morita) message weighs heavily whenever I sense my confidence linger, math or no math: Stay focused, and never let your FEAR dominate you. Ever.
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