Children who struggle with math often tell teachers their parents were also “bad” at math but a New Mexico instructor said it depends on how it is taught.

Jeffrey Houdek, a lecturer at the University of New Mexico, prepares teachers to teach math. Even though most families would not tell kids, “Our family isn’t good at reading,” they often say it about math, which can undermine a child’s aptitude, Houdek said.

“One of the things that we're really missing in math education is really strong formative assessment and getting that understanding across that math is a gateway to critical thinking,” Houdek explained.

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Because each new math concept relies heavily on mastering those that came before it, Houdek stressed it is important for elementary teachers to have a foundational mathematics understanding. If not, the competing demands of a classroom can leave the struggling kids behind, setting up a lifelong struggle.

The New Mexico Public Education Department’s 2025-26 school accreditation data showed public school students made significant gains in reading and literacy over the last year, while math showed modest gains and science remained largely stagnant since 2022.

Rather than prescribing a single method for every learner, Houdek believes teachers should identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses.

“If we're consistently telling students, 'Oh, you got this right, you're so smart,' well, maybe it's not that they're so smart they got it right. Maybe it's because they tried something different when the first thing wasn't working, and reinforcing skills that got them to that successful answer is so much more important than basic vanilla praise,” Houdek emphasized.

He added kids typically become more engaged in math when they understand how it applies to everyday life. They may not want to pursue math as a vocation but they need to know everything from tracking their money to finding the best price on video games and even preparing food requires a certain amount of math.