We all know that many students struggle with math. It takes a lot of practice to grasp new concepts, and learning new concepts requires mastery of earlier materials, making it easy to get off track. Because of this, it is no surprise that students struggle to maintain their interest and motivation.
At the same time, having a strong understanding of mathematics is essential, not only for academic and career success in many fields but also for daily life. So then the question is, how can you engage students in math class in a way that helps equip them with those essential skills?
Here are five strategies for improving student interest in your mathematics classroom:
Make math relevant to real-life situations
One of the main reasons students struggle with math is that they don't see its relevance to their daily lives. Change students' perception of math by demonstrating how they can use it to their advantage. You can connect math problems to scenarios they might actually face in real life or use hands-on activities to engage students while they work through real world problems.
Implementation Ideas
Recipe Modification Challenge
Math Skills:
Fractions, Ratios, Proportions, Multiplication, and Unit Conversions
Activity:
- Give students a recipe and challenge them to scale it up or down (e.g., doubling the recipe or making enough for only 3 people).
- Include real-life constraints, like having only certain measuring cups available, to make them think critically about unit conversions and ratios.
- Students present their scaled recipe with exact ingredient measurements while showing which of the available instruments they used to make those measurements (e.g. using a ¼ cup to measure ¾ cup of flour).
- Give students the opportunity to add some creative flair by having them modify the recipe with extra ingredients of their choice.
Minecraft Activity: Building with Blocks – Geometry in Action
Math Skills:
Geometry, Area, Volume, Spatial Reasoning, Multiplication
Activity:
- Challenge students to design a building (house, tower, castle, etc.) in Minecraft with specific dimensions and constraints. For example, a house that is 10x10x5 with walls, a floor, a roof, two windows and a door.
- Have students draft their design on paper rather than start building in Minecraft immediately. Make sure they write out the measurements and show their designs from different angles (top, bottom, side).
- Students then calculate the surface area of the walls, roof, and floor to determine the number of blocks needed. How does their design for doors and windows impact this number?
- Have students present a "bill of materials" to show how many blocks of each type (e.g. wood, stone, glass, etc.) they’ll need to build the structure. Have them present how they calculated each.
- Finally, students can build their structure inside Minecraft. Have students compare the actual number of blocks used in the build to their bill of materials.
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Use games and puzzles
Games and puzzles are a great way to make math fun for your students. These types of games are especially great for practicing logical reasoning and basic arithmetic. While many math based games are available digitally, online or in the app store, there are also printable games or you can create your own to distribute in class.
For an extra boost of engagement, have students present their solution to some of these puzzles or have students work together in a group so they can learn to communicate their process and show off their clever thinking!
Examples of Math Games
24 Game
Math Skills: Mental Math, Basic Arithmetic, Problem-Solving
How It Works:
- Players are given four numbers and must use addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division to reach the number 24.
- For example, using the numbers 4, 8, 6, and 2: (8 / 4) x (6 x 2) = 24.
Cross Math Puzzles
Math Skills:
Basic Arithmetic, Problem-Solving, Logical Thinking
How It Works:
- Players fill in a grid with numbers that satisfy the math equations both horizontally and vertically. Each row and column contains a mix of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division problems.
- The numbers must fit the operations given at the intersections, much like words in a traditional crossword puzzle.
KenKen Puzzles
Math Skills: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and logical reasoning.
How It Works:
- Similar to Sudoku but with math operations, players must fill in a grid with numbers, ensuring that the numbers don't repeat in any row or column.
- Boxes in the grid are grouped together with math operation signs and the expected outcome of the operation, and players must fill in the boxes so that the numbers work out.
Encourage Collaboration and Teamwork
Engaging students through collaboration can help students of different abilities share their knowledge and contribute to solving problems in their own unique way, enhancing their communication skills and boosting their confidence.
Math Team Challenges
Divide your class into teams and present them with a complex math problem, maybe even something that is slightly above their current skill level, to solve collaboratively.
- Assign Specific Roles: Give each student a specific role (e.g., solver, checker, presenter) to ensure everyone contributes and engages with the problem. Rotating roles allows students to develop different skills.
- Use Structured Collaboration Techniques: Implement methods like "Think-Pair-Share" to ensure individual thinking, paired discussions, and group collaboration. This structure boosts both independent and collective problem-solving.
- Encourage Peer Teaching: Have students explain concepts to each other to reinforce their own understanding. Rotating peer teaching helps everyone learn from one another.
- Break Problems into Manageable Parts: For larger, multi-step problems, divide the problems into smaller tasks so each student tackles a portion of the solution. This ensures active participation from all group members.
- Promote Reflection and Group Discussion: After completing a challenge, encourage group discussions about the process to help students reflect and identify what worked and what didn’t. Reflection enhances learning and collaboration.
Once teams have worked out their solutions, they can present them to the class, which also enhances communication and problem-solving skills. Add an element of competition by rewarding points for accuracy or creativity, which can add excitement to the activity.
Gamify Math Class with Friendly Competition
As we mentioned earlier, it takes a lot of practice and repetition to master mathematical concepts. To help motivate students to put in the practice, try gamifying the learning process through regular competition.
Classroom Math League
Create a math league where students or teams compete weekly in math-based games and puzzles. It is important when creating a competitive league that is inclusive and engaging for all students regardless of skill levels.
Here’s some thoughts on how to make a math league more equitable and enjoyable for every student:
- Adjust Difficulty Levels: Offer multiple levels of difficulty for problems, so students can tackle questions suited to their abilities. For instance, include easy, medium, and hard questions in each round, allowing students to choose or be assigned a level that matches their skill set.
- Promote Team-Based Collaboration: Form diverse teams with students of varying abilities to work together on challenges. Assign roles within each team (e.g., problem solver, checker, recorder) to ensure that everyone contributes and learns from each other.
- Implement Partial Credit and Progress-Based Scoring: Award points for partial solutions and effort, not just correct answers. Recognize progress and the process of problem-solving by giving credit for showing work or making reasonable attempts.
- Celebrate Diverse Achievements: Recognize a range of achievements, such as most improved, best teamwork, or creative problem-solving, in addition to top scores.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a math league that is inclusive, engaging, and supportive, making sure every student feels valued and motivated to participate.
Leverage Technology to Enhance Math Learning
Incorporating technology into math class can transform the way students learn and understand math concepts. Here are some practical ways to use tech effectively:
Visualize Difficult Math Concepts with Interactive Math Apps
Apps like Desmos and GeoGebra help students visualize mathematical concepts such as graphing functions or geometric transformations. For example, students can experiment with different equations on Desmos, watching in real-time as changes affect the shape of the graph. This makes abstract concepts like slope or parabolas much more accessible.
As a teacher, you can design activities where students adjust variables to fit specific parameters or solve challenges, blending exploration and problem-solving with digital tools. Have students record their observations and discuss how the changes they saw in the tool relate to the mathematical concepts they are learning.
Gamify Math with Online Math Games
Use platforms such as Prodigy or IXL to offer students engaging math practice through interactive games. These platforms allow students to tackle math problems in the context of a game, where they earn rewards, advance levels, or solve challenges to "win." Setting aside time for students to explore these games individually or in groups can boost engagement while reinforcing essential math concepts.
Video-Based Learning
Video lessons from platforms like Khan Academy or YouTube’s Numberphile can simplify difficult topics and break down math concepts in an engaging way. Whether used as a starter for the class or as extra resources for students to review, video-based lessons can offer new perspectives on traditional math problems and keep students engaged through storytelling and visual explanations.
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Our course offers examples that will help them equate important principles from geometry, ratios, statistics, and more with today’s most popular esports. In addition, Gamer Math provides visual aids, interactive quizzes, and an additional channel to practice concepts that will help your class understand math concepts better. And, most importantly, your students will have fun!
Enroll in GamerMath today and level up the math skills in your classroom!
