Perseverance in Real Life and in Math: What My Students Taught Me

Every Monday, we start class with a short reflection designed to build not only stronger mathematical habits, but stronger humans. On the fifth Monday of the school year, our focus was Mathematical Practice #1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

We talk a lot about perseverance in my classroom—not as a vague motivational slogan, but as a real, actionable strategy:
When something feels confusing, don’t panic. Break it down. Try different approaches. Keep going until something makes sense.

To help students see how naturally they already do this in their everyday lives, I asked them to write about a real moment when they persevered through a problem. What they shared was honest, funny, thoughtful, and deeply human.

And it showed me—again—that students often understand perseverance better than they realize.

Students Already Persevere Every Day

Their responses came from all corners of their lives:

They persevere socially.

A student who transferred schools wrote, “I had trouble making friends, but instead of giving up and being alone, I made an effort to talk to people.”
Another student described how they pushed through shyness at a new job by stepping out of their comfort zone to talk to teammates.

They persevere creatively.

Students wrote about baking cupcakes over and over until the recipe turned out right; practicing guitar for months until favorite songs finally sounded right; and learning complicated dance steps by slowing them down and breaking them into parts.

They persevere academically.

Dozens of students connected this mindset directly to school:
“I didn’t understand domain and range, so I asked my teacher and peers until I got it.”
“I missed a week of anatomy, so I went in during lunch to get help.”
“On the test I forgot a step, so I skipped it, came back later, reread it slowly, and finally solved it.”

These are exactly the behaviors mathematicians use every day—pause, rethink, break it down, try something else, and keep going.

They persevere with real-world problem solving.

My students fix cars, PS5s, sewing machines, radios, and A/C units. They navigate bus issues, repair broken glasses, and troubleshoot overheating game consoles. One student got lost on a bike ride, found a store with free Wi-Fi, checked the map, and retraced their path home.

These aren’t small wins—they are evidence of flexible thinking, problem analysis, and resilience.

Why This Matters for Math

Some students believe that perseverance is something you either “have” or “don’t have” in math. Many assume that if math doesn’t come easily, that must mean they’re not “math people.”

But their stories tell a very different truth.

Most students have already built strong problem-solving habits outside of school. They already break complicated problems into manageable parts. They already try different strategies. They already seek help when needed. They already keep going when something matters to them.

By reflecting on their own real-life perseverance, students begin to see that…

1. They already know how to struggle productively.

The same grit used to untangle a necklace or debug code can be used to push through a tough equation.

2. They recognize confusion as part of the process.

Over and over, students described moments when things didn’t work at first—but they adjusted, practiced, or tried again. This normalizes the messy middle of learning.

3. They see themselves as capable problem solvers.

When students remember, “Hey, I learned to drive,” “I fixed that machine,” or “I practiced until I got it,” they begin to believe they can also handle mathematical challenges.

4. They realize perseverance is not about being perfect—it’s about staying in the game.

Not a single story ended with “I gave up.” Every story ended with progress.

Building a Positive Math Mindset, One Reflection at a Time

Mindset Monday isn’t about collecting essays. It’s about collecting evidence—evidence that students are smart, resourceful, and capable of hard things.

When students connect that evidence to math, their relationship with the subject shifts.
They start to see math not as something that happens to them, but something they can navigate, explore, and eventually master.

And when they walk into my classroom believing they are perseverers—not by theory, but by lived experience—that changes everything.