Bridgewater State University
Mathematics Seminar
February 11, 2015, 3:45-4:30 PM

Speaker: Matt Salomone
Title: The Silent Curriculum: Teaching Positivity, Productivity, and Persistence in Remedial Math
Abstract

In a reflection of state and national trends, nearly one-third of incoming BSU students are assessed as underprepared for college mathematics. While the computational skill and content knowledge of these students are undeniably obstacles to their success, for many students the greatest battle they must win is over themselves. Recent studies in "positive psychology" have both highlighted the disproportionate psychological challenges remedial students face in confronting mathematics at the college level, and provided some clues to mitigating these challenges in the classroom. I hope to review what is known in this area and offer several low-stakes activities to inspire participants to think about how they can help their students develop productive persistence. Participants are invited to bring a mobile device (internet-connected smartphone or tablet) to this seminar.


Return to Seminar Home Page