Learning Through Trial and Error
A lot of people grow up thinking that math and art skills are things you are either born with or you are bad at forever. Phrases like “I’m not a math person” or “I can’t draw” are said so often that they rarely get questioned. This kind of fixed mindset turns struggle into failure instead of seeing it as a normal part of learning, and it affects how students engage in classrooms that increasingly rely on digital tools to teach complex ideas. In math, confusion is often treated as a sign that someone is just not smart enough rather than proof that the material is challenging. Once students decide they are bad at math, they tend to avoid it, participate less, or rely on shortcuts. Tools like calculators, equation solvers, and AI can be helpful, but when they are used only to get quick answers, students miss the reasoning behind the math. This can reinforce the belief that real understanding is reserved for certain people rather than something...