The power of patience in a world infatuated with early success
by Courtney LaRoche, MCTM President
These days I seem to spend a lot of time driving in my car. With two kids in middle school, their academic, athletic and social engagements bring me to all parts of the cities and seem to be preparing me for a future career as an Uber driver. 
While passing the many hours in the car, I often listen to audio books. After hearing this story on MPR I immediately wanted to hear more and went to get the audio book!
Ok, so what intrigued me so much? First of all, pause here, click on the link above, and listen to the interview. Rich Karlgaard talks with Kerri Miller about this obsession with early achievement. From the history of IQ tests, SAT scores and its billion dollar prep business, to the pressure being put on young people to be “the best”, Karlgaard discusses how this obsession is taking away some of the important human experiences of struggle and persistence that is hindering long term achievement and happiness.
What does this have to do with math? Of course, as I’m listening to this book, my brain is searching for math connections. The more I listened to the research, personal stories and interviews with neurologists, the more I heard the voices of Jo Boaler, Carol Dweck, Dan Meyer, Fawn Nguyen, Rochelle Gutierrez, Cathy Seeley, Ilana Horn, Marian Small, Dan Finkel, Raj Shah, Marcy Wood, Geoff Krall, Christopher Danielson, Tracy Zager, Robert Kaplinsky and many other authors, speakers, researchers shouting, “Yes! This!”. We are working to shift the experience of mathematics for students away from a performance subject towards a meaningful, useful, and creative learning endeavor, opening up the discipline of mathematics. I heard alignment in the messages from NCTM and NCSM through the lens of Access and Equity as they work to break down the systematic use of artificial barriers, especially tracking, that permeates our school structures sending messages that mathematics is only for “some students” not all. He asks relevant questions about what is valued and who has access to opportunity in this culture obsessed with early achievement.
Karlgaard reveals that curiosity, insight, compassion, resilience, and wisdom are the “hidden” superpowers of late bloomers. Aren’t these also the superpowers of MATHEMATICIANS? How can we value AND foster these superpowers in our classrooms, school structures (grading, tracking, etc), our own learning, or even with our own children?