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Helping Students of Color Overcome Imposter Syndrome through Grit!
India White • June 5, 2023
Helping Students of Color Overcome Imposter Syndrome through Grit
Helping Students of Color Overcome the Imposter Syndrome through Grit
Sometimes, entering a math classroom is like going into a warzone for many students of color. Students struggle with a low sense of self in math class, math anxiety, and a fear of failure. These various factors contribute to an overall sense of imposter syndrome in students of color. Imposter syndrome
is a common feeling among students, especially in math class. It is the feeling of being a fraud, despite having the necessary skills and knowledge. This feeling can be overwhelming and can lead to anxiety, stress, and even depression.
As students embrace these negative hurdles, they can feel powerless, and begin to doubt their abilities to perform as competent mathematicians. However, with the power of grit, students can overcome imposter syndrome and excel in math class. Here are seven tips
to help your students overcome imposter syndrome in math class through grit:
1. Embrace the struggle
According to Angela Duckworth, a leading researcher on grit, embracing struggle is a key component of grit.
When your students encounter a difficult math problem, encourage them to not give up. Instead, teach them how to embrace the struggle and keep working on the problem until they find a solution. This will help them build resilience and develop a growth mindset. Remind them to fight the urge to be average or to coast through, and to do their best to strive at excellence!
2. Set realistic goals
Setting realistic goals is essential to overcoming imposter syndrome. Don't set students up for failure through establishing unrealistic goals. Instead, set achievable goals that will challenge them, but are still within their reach. This will help them build confidence and develop a sense of accomplishment. Follow up with students on a regular basis and provide timely feedback when needed as they progress in the classroom. As you establish goals with these students and track their progress, this will shape their optimistic attitudes towards their ability to persist in the math classroom, causing them to succeed through grit.
3. Have Students Practice Self-Compassion
In her podcast on “Building Grit through Self- Compassion”, Therapist Dr. Kristen Neff defines self-compassion as a fierce accountability that is core to one’s psychological health, seeing it as an anti-dote to “shame”. Dr. Neff outlines 3 steps to truly practice self-compassion:
Hence, self-compassion is an important aspect of grit as students thrive through productive struggle in the math classroom. When students of color make mistakes or struggle with a math problem, remind them to not beat themselves up. Instead, discuss with them how they can practice self-compassion and remind them that everyone makes mistakes and struggles at times. This will help students develop a positive attitude towards their abilities and will cultivate a strong sense of self while enhancing their math identity. Further, it will help students to achieve and not feel like they can’t DO math
because they are of a particular diverse racial or ethnic background, or because they are a first-generation learner with no mentors or leaders of diverse representation in the math space for them to look up to.
4. Seek support
Seeking support from others is an important part of overcoming imposter syndrome. Take time to talk with your math students about various concepts or problems they may struggle with. Present opportunities where they can join a study group or seek support from friends and family. This will make your students feel less alone and more confident in their abilities to conceptualize math
and have a strong math voice during learning.
5. Focus on the process
Teach your learners that focusing on the process rather than the outcome is another key component of grit. Instead of them worrying about getting the right answer, encourage students to focus on the steps they need to take to solve the problem. This will help students develop a deeper understanding of the math concepts and build their ability to perform proficiently as they tackle math problems. As students focus on the process, this will give them the skills needed to remain disciplined and resilient
while achieving proficiency in their learning.
6. Celebrate successes
Celebrating the success of your students, no matter how small, is an important part of developing grit. When students solve a difficult math problem or understand a concept that they previously struggled with, take a moment to celebrate your success. This will help your students build confidence and motivate them to keep working hard. Through celebrating successes, students will know that you believe in them and that you are cheering for them. This will cause them to develop a stronger sense of trust in you as their leader, and will create a desire in them to please you through their performance and comprehension in the math classroom.
7. Embrace failure
Embracing failure is another important aspect of grit. Tell your students, “Don't be afraid to make mistakes or fail at a math problem.” Teach them to choose to use failure as an opportunity to learn
and grow. Failure is a part of achieving success. Remind your students that practice makes perfect and that as they embrace their growth mindset, they will realize that they have similar struggles to their peers, and that everyone is simply doing their best to learn math to their maximum capacity every day.
Conclusion
As students enter the classroom with various fears, anxiety and self-doubt, choose to provide an environment of hope and cultivation of math abilities by helping them overcome the imposter syndrome. Continue to remind your learners that you believe in them. Help them through these seven tips through practicing self-compassion, focusing on the process, celebrating their success, helping them to embrace failure in a positive lens. Through this, you will convince them that are NOT
powerless in the math classroom, and that they can thrive beyond any mental or emotional limitations as they DO math!!
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Also, scan the QR codes below if you are in need of resources for your students, teachers or adminsitrators at your school or university!
Join us on the Let's Get Gritty Podcast with Dr. India White. On this show, we will repeat a show from the Grit and Equity talks Podcast with Dr. India White, where we walk through the recently released NAEP data from the National Report Card and speak about moving the needle forward. Listen on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/india-white3 #grit #equity #naep #drindiawhite #nctm #ncsm #bwxme #math #teachers #students
π Just wrapped up an incredible G.R.I.T. Training session with the amazing leaders from Imagine Schools! πͺβ¨ We took a deep dive into the G.R.I.T. framework, and I can't wait to see the results unfold! ππ #drindiawhite #grit #imagineschools #tedx #nctm #ncsm #bwxme π (I don’t own music copyright
Check out my Feb. 2025 Newsletter!
Thankful for Partnership and Recognition: A Shoutout to Dr. Matthew Joseph and X-Factor EDU Network I am incredibly thankful to partner with Dr. Matthew Joseph and the amazing leadership of the X-Factor EDU Network! It is truly an honor to collaborate with such a visionary leader who is dedicated to amplifying voices in education and creating spaces for impactful conversations. This month, I was deeply grateful to be mentioned in Dr. Joseph’s newsletter during Black History Month. His recognition means so much, not just for me, but for the work we are all doing to inspire and empower educators and students alike. You can check out the newsletter here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drmxj_stongertogether-activity-7291502796753809408-0zX3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAmqD2wBkz8Qc7EA0bvwxWyMJH2HykCUA-Y But beyond the shoutout, I’m even more excited about the opportunities ahead—including the chance to have a podcast on Dr. Joseph’s platform! Partnering with X-Factor EDU Network opens doors to share insights, engage in meaningful discussions, and continue championing grit, resilience, and equity in education. Thank you, Dr. Matthew Joseph, for your support, encouragement, and belief in this mission. Looking forward to what’s to come! π #StrongerTogether #GRIT #XFactorEDU #BlackHistoryMonth #EducationalLeadership #Thankful
Fired Up for FDLA/FAMTE Keynote: Let’s Build Grit Together! I’m beyond excited to take the stage as the keynote speaker at the FDLA/FAMTE Conference tomorrow! π€π₯ We’ll be diving deep into the power of G.R.I.T.—Great Resilience in Time—and how it transforms both educators and students. This opportunity means so much, and I’m grateful to everyone who has supported this journey. Grit isn’t just a concept; it’s a movement. It’s about growth mindset, resilience, self-efficacy, and time management, and it’s what drives success in the classroom and beyond. Let’s empower educators and students across the nation to push past obstacles and embrace productive struggle. Who’s ready to get gritty? πͺπΎ #Grit #DrIndiaWhite #TEDx #FDLA #FAMTE #Education #GrowthMindset
Had an Amazing Time at the Imagine Summit! I had a fantastic time speaking at the Imagine Summit on G.R.I.T.! ππ½ We engaged in powerful breakout sessions, had meaningful discussions about NAEP data, and explored strategies to build **growth mindset, resilience, self-efficacy, and time management** in education. Thank you to everyone who participated and brought such great energy to the conversations! Let’s continue working together to bridge gaps and empower students through grit and perseverance. πͺπ½ #GRIT #ImagineSummit #Resilience #Education #GrowthMindset #EquityInEducation #drindiawhite
Building Grit in Teachers at the Imagine Leadership Summit I am beyond excited to be speaking at the Imagine Leadership Summit today, sharing insights on how we can build grit in teachers and empower them to foster resilience, self-efficacy, and growth in their students. π This summit is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with principals and education leaders who are committed to supporting and strengthening teachers. When we invest in teacher grit, we build stronger, more effective classrooms where students develop the perseverance to tackle challenges and achieve success. A huge thank you to the Imagine Summit leaders for this amazing opportunity! It’s an honor to be among such an outstanding lineup of speakers, including the incredible Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr. Join our sessions today and take GRIT with you—because when teachers grow in resilience, our students thrive! #GRIT #Teachers #Principals #DrIndiaWhite #NCTM #NCSM #ImagineSummit π
π What an incredible time at the ICTM conference in Indiana! The lineup was amazing, and the energy was contagious! π Since I missed the snow back in Florida, I embraced it fully here and made my very first snow angel! βοΈ So grateful for the fun and gritty spirit of the ICTM rockstars! Huge thanks to Angela and every rockstar for this fantastic opportunity! π #drindiawhite #grit #ictm25 #math #teachers #students #indiana #nctm #ncsm
β¨ Today’s Grit training at Stockton Unified was absolutely amazing! We had a fantastic time connecting with friends and meeting some incredible rockstars in California. π I can’t wait to see how gritty Stockton becomes! Huge thanks to Andrew and the tribe for the opportunity to train your amazing leaders. Let’s all take grit with us as we move forward! πͺ #Grit #Leadership #StocktonUnified #drindiawhite #tedx #nctm #ncsm #nabse
πSuper excited about this opportunity! Looking forward to connecting with these amazing leaders! π₯°π₯³π Please register below and let’s connect so we can bridge the achievement gap together! hashtag#drindiawhite hashtag#ncsm hashtag#grit hashtag#math hashtag#teachers