The idea that math is a natural-born talent—that some people just “get it,” and others won’t no matter the time and effort put in—is a mentality that researchers and schools have been challenging for ...

Having a positive mindset in math may do more than just help students feel more confident about their skills and more willing to keep trying when they fail; it may prime their brains to think better.

There’s a scene in the 1988 movie "Stand and Deliver," where high school math teacher Jaime Escalante (played by Edward James Olmos) argues with the head of the school’s math program about the ...