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Improving Student Motivation and Engagement in Mathematics through One-to-One Interactions

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Improving Student Motivation and Engagement in Mathematics through One-to-One Interactions

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In this article, the author discusses the importance of getting to know your students. If we know our students at various levels, then we are able to cater lessons to their individual interests, learning styles, and preferred methods of learning. "Maintaining an emphasis on student understanding requires the teacher to be flexible and adapt lessons to appropriately match the students' abilities," (p. 631).
Way, J., Bobis, J., Reece, A., Anderson, J., & Martin, A. (2015).  Improving student motivation and engagement in mathematics through one-to-one interactions. Mathematics Education Research Group of Australia, 627-634.

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Academic Engagement: An Overview of Its Definitions, Dimensions, and Major Conceptualizations 

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Academic Engagement: An Overview of Its Definitions, Dimensions, and Major Conceptualizations 

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This article discusses the basics of academic engagement and its relation to student interest, student motivation, student cognition, and their behavior.
Alrashidi, O., Phan, H.P., Ngu, B. H. (2016). Academic engagement: an overview of its definitions, dimensions, and major conceptualisations. International Education Studies, 9(12), 41-52.

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Teaching Academically At-Risk Students in Middle School: The Roles of Explicit Instruction and Guided Discovery Learning

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Teaching Academically At-Risk Students in Middle School: The Roles of Explicit Instruction and Guided Discovery Learning

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This article highlights the constructivist approach. "Constructivist approaches to instruction involve placing students in learning environments that are rich in discovery opportunities, emphasize students' construction of meaning, and encourage students to explore and develop concepts for themselves," (p. 4).
Martin, A.J. (2015). Teaching academically at-risk students in middle school: the roles of explicit instruction and guided discovery learning. Big Fish, Little Fish: Teaching and Learning in the Middle Years. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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Engagement with Mathematics: What Does it Mean and What Does it Look Like?

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Engagement with Mathematics: What Does it Mean and What Does it Look Like?

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This article discusses ideas to keep students engaged, as well as a combination of factors to provide a positive learning environment for students, which is also imperative to consistent engagement.
Attard, C. (2012). Engagement with mathematics: what does it mean and what does it look like? APMC, 17(1) 9-13.

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Exploring the Ups and Downs of Mathematics Engagement in the Middle Years of School

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Exploring the Ups and Downs of Mathematics Engagement in the Middle Years of School

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This article explored the declines in mathematics engagement and found the decline to be related to student self-efficacy, home and the parent value, classroom climate, and school socio-economic factors.
Martin, A.J., Way, J., Bobis, J., & Anderson, J. (2014). Exploring the ups and downs of mathematics engagement in the middle school years of school. Journey of Early Adolescence. 1-46.

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Relationships Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Engagement, and Academic Performance in Math Lessons

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Relationships Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Engagement, and Academic Performance in Math Lessons

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In this article, the author discusses the importance of student self-efficacy. All in all, students with high self-efficacy engage better than students with low self-efficacy.
Ozkal, N. (2019). Relationships between self-efficacy beliefs, engagement and academic performance in math lessons. Cypriot Journal of Educational Science. 14(2), 190–200.

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Student and Parent Perspectives on Flipping the Mathematics Classroom

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Student and Parent Perspectives on Flipping the Mathematics Classroom

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This article discusses the components of a "flipped classroom" and its benefits among student engagement. "The flipped classroom approach has merits in terms of creating an environment where students can be intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to achieve learning goals," (p. 451.
Muir, T. (2015). Student and parent perspectives on flipping the mathematics classroom. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, 445-452.

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Theoretical Foundations of Engagement in Mathematics

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Theoretical Foundations of Engagement in Mathematics

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This article is summarized perfectly with the following quote:
"Affective engagement includes the emotional dimension of interest, student enjoyment, and can extend to identification with the school culture," (p. 135).
Watt, H. M. G. & Goos, M. (2017). Theoretical foundations of engagement in mathematics. Mathematics Education Research Group of Australia, Inc. 29, 133-124.

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Enhancing Students' Engagement: Report of a 3-Year Intervention with Middle School Teachers

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Enhancing Students' Engagement: Report of a 3-Year Intervention with Middle School Teachers

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This article discusses the importance of instructional strategies that support meaningful learning. Building on students' prior knowledge and providing opportunities to do complex thinking is also important. It is also crucial for students to have a sense of belongingness and be in an environment that encourages mutual respect, not only from student to student, but from teacher to student as well.
Turner, J.C., Christensen, A., Kackar-Cam, H.Z., Trucano, M., & Fulmer, S.M. (2014). Enhancing students’ engagement: report of a 3-year intervention with middle school teachers. American Educational Research Journal. 51(6), 1195-1226.

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Enhancing Formative Assessment Practice and Encouraging Middle School Mathematics Engagement and Persistence

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Enhancing Formative Assessment Practice and Encouraging Middle School Mathematics Engagement and Persistence

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"Students who are not confident that they can solve complex problems, or who do not see the point of putting forth effort to do so, try to avoid those tasks or pressure teachers to make the work simpler for them," (p. 4).
"To understand learning targets, students need to have clear knowledge of where they are going with their learning and avoid the inefficiency and frustration of trial and error," (p. 5).
"When teachers involve students in the assessment process, students perceive more control of and more responsibility for their own learning," (p. 5).

-These are quotes that, in my opinion, summarize the article beautifully.-

Beesley, A.D. , Clark, T. F., Dempsey, K., & Tweed, A. (2018).  Enhancing formative assessment practice and encouraging middle school mathematics engagement and persistence. School Science and Mathematics, 118: 4-16. doi:10.1111/ssm.12255

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Martin, A.J. (2010). Building classroom success: Eliminating academic fear and failure. London: Continuum.

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"Students with high self-efficacy tend to engage in classes more willingly in order to reach their goals. Students with low self-efficacy exert less effort in the face of difficulties and tend to spend more time on and idle around past mistakes," (p. 197).

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"Students with high self-efficacy tend to engage in classes more willingly in order to reach their goals. Students with low self-efficacy exert less effort in the face of difficulties and tend to spend more time on and idle around past mistakes," (p. 197).

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Ozkal, N. (2019). Relationships between self-efficacy beliefs, engagement and academic performance in math lessons. Cypriot Journal of Educational Science. 14(2), 190–200.

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Abeyseker, L., & Dawson, P. (2015). Motivation and cognitive load in the flipped classroom: definition, rationale and a call for research. Higher Education Research & Development, 34(1), 1-14.

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When it comes to math, motivating students to remain receptive and enthusiastically involved is a challenge for every teacher across the globe. Here are 7 strategies that teachers can use to engage reluctant math students and help them to love math.

This may seem obvious, but sometimes we get so busy trying to teach the material, we forget to keep it fun. There are several game ideas that can be incorporated into your teaching strategies like:

Play BINGO when solving multiplication problems and putting the answers on the square cards

Use word wall activities when teaching geometry

Teach students to solve problems in their heads and explore mental math strategies

Use printable calendars, playing cards and dice or dominoes to make math practice sessions fun and interesting

A fun-filled classroom will surely help students enjoy the learning process and motivate them to do better.

See all the math game ideas on Math Geek Mama here.

When students are challenged at the intellectual level, they react with excitement. It is a powerful trigger that can be effectively used to cultivate interest in math.

While it might seem counter-intuitive, merely handing students a set of problems that is "easy" and requires little thought or struggle from them is not going to motivate reluctant students. On the contrary, they will often be left feeling like you lack confidence in their abilities, leading them to lack confidence in themselves.

Instead, challenge them with real, difficult (for them) mathematics. And show them that you believe they are capable of rising to the challenge.

However, you must select the problem with great care and careful thought. Make sure your challenge is within their mental abilities and motivating at the same time.

The term for this is "productive struggle." This means the challenge is difficult enough for kids to be interested in and challenged by it, but reasonable enough that it is attainable for them.

Entice Students by Demonstrating Practical Application of Math in Everyday Life

Practical application can induce genuine interest in students. If you can connect math with money, grocery shopping, baking, time, and traveling, for example, you can easily eliminate complexities and give students a solid grasp of the basics.

Use grocery shopping games to encourage students to calculate product pricing per unit or make math fun by taking math problems out of the textbook and into the kitchen by making them understand ratios and proportions in the context of baking.

These are just a few of the many ways you can make math easy to digest and interesting to learn.

Design math problems that lead your students to discovering a pattern in every problem. Solving problems by finding a pattern can be quite fun and motivating for students. A few examples are:

*Find a pattern in this sequence - 6, 9, 12, __, 18, 21.

*Continue adding a new layer till you reach 100:

*Explore the patterns in Pascal's Triangle.

Build on the Skills Your Students Have Already Mastered

The most effective way to teach math is to structure the learning process around the skills that your students have mastered.

Planning your problem solving exercises around their acquired skills will make them feel more comfortable and confident. This will not only help you instill a sense of accomplishment in them, but also motivate them to do better and be more productive during your class.

Teachers can also create teams or groups and allow students to explore open ended tasks they are curious about. Make sure that they are familiar with the mathematical curiosity in order to justify it.

Some sets of numbers with curious properties include the Fibonacci series, perfect numbers, Pythagorean triples, figurate numbers, and perfect squares.

You could also give students interesting puzzle challenges to explore and discuss together, or logical thinking challenges such as these.

Exploring curious numbers, puzzles and patterns will not only provide greater interest for students, but it will deepen their knowledge of math and their appreciation for the beauty of math in the world around us.

Take Advantage of Technology to Improve the Mathematical Skills of Students

Children like technology and there are several interesting ways to incorporate technology into your teaching style. There are online math games that you can use to make math problems interesting and fun to solve. Or take the math out of textbooks and worksheets and make it exciting and innovative with apps.

Try out the Tic Tac Math apps, for instance.

Or explore math in fun and meaningful ways with graphing calculators.

Making changes to education is not an easy task, so if you are deviating from your traditional teaching style, you can learn a lot from online math tutorials.

They come in so many different forms and are far more capable and captivating as compared to lecture formats. Our society has turned digital and so should your teaching style. If you want to advance the potential of your students and take your career to the next level, online math tutorials can be an excellent resource guide in presenting this often-dreaded subject in an easy and fun way.
Making education simple and easy to comprehend is Dana Jandhyala's forte. She's had a long career as an educator where she has taught in several different schools and institutes in multiple countries. Today, she helps students with personalized online tutorials by SchoolPage that help make concepts easy to understand, making learning fast and fun.

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7 Simple Ways to Engage Reluctant Math Students

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When it comes to math, motivating students to remain receptive and enthusiastically involved is a challenge for every teacher across the globe. Here are 7 strategies that teachers can use to engage reluctant math students and help them to love math.

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How can I find real-world problems for my students so they can connect algebra to their every day lives?

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Almost every student exclaims "I'm never going to use this math in real life!" while solving algebraic equations. Isn't it? However, this is not always the situation. We often see people using algebra in most aspects of daily life; for example- people in the market make use of algebraic operations to calculate profit and loss incurred. Just because we do not see any "X" or "Y" does not mean that algebra has failed to prove its existence; still, the real-life examples of algebra are uncountable. This precise and concise mathematical language entwines beautifully with almost all other subjects and even daily life.

The word "Algebra" comes from the Arabic word "al jabr," which translates to "reunion of broken parts." Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, a 9th-century Persian mathematician, geographer, and astronomer, is regarded as "the father of algebra."

Let's look into the examples of algebra in everyday life.

In the early stages of development, an infant makes use of algebra to calculate trajectories and you might be surprised to know how! A 16-week baby can assess the direction of an object approaching and is even able to determine the position where the object will land. Babies easily estimate the distance between them and the toy and are also able to track the objects. What do you think is playing a role here? Of course, it's Algebra! Even though the infants have no theoretical knowledge of algebraic operations, they can make efficient use of it.

2. Professional Advancement

In whatever field you want to strive ahead, algebra is going to be needed. When a student goes from school to college, chances are that algebra will find a way in whatever subject a student opts for. Most of the time, physical and chemical sciences employ the basics of algebraic equations. In the case of computer sciences, the algorithms are based on algebraic operations only. Moreover, algebra is involved in the field of art and architecture to calculate the correct proportions to put forth a masterpiece. Basic knowledge of algebraic operations also prepares a person for the work front.

3. Morning Routine

Right from the time a person wakes up in the morning, algebra comes into play. Take for example- a person has a meeting in the morning, what is that person likely to do? He/she will set up an alarm for waking up in the morning to get ready and assemble all the essential documents. What is happening here? The person knowingly or unknowingly makes use of algebra to calculate the time required to bathe, have breakfast or collect coffee, gather all important paperwork, and reach the office on time. Now, this particular situation involves time, money, and distance and their accurate calculations to make it to the meeting on time.

4. Making It To The Trash Can

How do you think you make a perfect shot at the trash can? Yes, you guessed it right! You apply algebra in this case as well. While aiming at the trash can, you unconsciously calculate the distance between yourself and the trash can, air resistance, the weight of the trash you want to throw away, the required trajectory, and the force required so that the piece of trash lands into the trash can. Your application of algebra while aiming at the trash can does not end here. You also estimate the strength of the nerve impulse which has to be sent to each muscle at the right time to contract or relax it. In case, you still miss your shot, you did not do your algebra well.

5. Business & Finance Management

Algebra is as crucial in business as in other fields. A business owner makes use of algebraic operations to calculate the profits or losses incurred. A business person will employ algebra to decide whether a piece of equipment does not lose it's worthwhile it is in stock. Also, the business owner needs to calculate the lowest price at which an item can be sold to still cover the expenses. As for the people working in the finance area, exchange rates and interest rates are often represented algebraically; therefore, good knowledge of algebraic operations is necessary to carry out finances accurately.

Also, to understand the terms and conditions of a loan or an investment account, a sound knowledge of numbers, especially algebra, is required. Moreover, the growth in the business market is often exponential, which also requires a good knowledge of basic algebraic operations.

6. Sports

Algebra does not even leave behind sports to make use of it. If you look closely, the players of almost all sports, unintentionally, apply algebra. The cricketers can hit sixes only because they can calculate the force required to hit the ball and basketball players calculate the trajectory to score a point. Similarly, footballers calculate the force and distance to score a goal and sprinters estimate the speed required to cover the distance to reach the endpoint; therefore, every sport involves algebra in one way or the other.

Moreover, you might be surprised to know that even dogs employ algebra to calculate the time and distance to catch hold of a boomerang or a food morsel mid-air.

7. Cooking

You might think that algebra has no role to play in the kitchen, especially while cooking. However, the truth might not be stranger to the kitchen or even cooking. Algebra finds its way while cooking, baking, measuring ingredients, etc. The ones who are beginners in the kitchen often consult recipe books while preparing a particular dish. The temperature in the recipe book might be given on a Celsius scale and one might have to convert it to other scales depending on the dial involved. Also, take the following example: while preparing Thanksgiving Dinner, the turkey has to be cooked as per its weight. Let's say a turkey takes 24 hours per 5-pound to thaw and you have a 15-pound turkey in hand, how much time will the turkey take to thaw? You can very well calculate the same using algebraic operations.

8. Technology

Had it not been for algebra, you might not be having flat-screen TVs or smartphones. The computer games that you play endlessly, mobile phones that you use, and cars that you drive, it is because of the people who are adept at algebra that such situations are made possible. In algebra, specific numbers are replaced by symbols. While playing a computer game, you see a character; that character is nothing but a string of symbols. A computer programmer uses his knowledge of algebra to put forth a string of symbols. Also, a set of rules are followed to make the symbols interact in the right way which also requires algebra.

9. Logical Thinking

The study of algebra helps in logical thinking and enables a person to break down a problem first and then find its solution. Although you might not see theoretical algebraic problems daily, exposure to algebraic equations and problems at some point in life will train your mind to think logically. This ability to think logically will not only help you at home but also in your workplace and enable you to make mindful decisions at any time.

Repairing and remodeling of homes require the knowledge of numbers. To get this job done efficiently, algebra is needed. The basics of algebra and numbers will help you in determining the amount of particular material required to get the desired project finished; for example- an electrician will figure out the number of electrical circuits, a tile installer will estimate the number of tiles required to cover the floor of a particular room, a painter will determine the quantity of paint required to paint the walls, and so on. In each example, you might have noticed that algebra is involved in one way or the other.

11. Health & Fitness

A knowledge of algebra can even prove beneficial for your health. While losing weight, you might have noticed that you first calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), then watch out for food intake, and hence, monitor your calories. Now, the calculation of BMI is done with the help of some equations. Similarly, in case you want to calculate your body fat percentage, some other equations might be involved. It's quite surprising that while on a weight-loss journey, several equations are helping you in one way or the other. In the gym, while lifting weights, a trainer determines the amount of weight that a person can lift depending upon the latter's weight.

12. Outdoor Landscaping

Landscaping is yet another area that requires a person to not only be good with numbers but also with basic algebraic operations. While designing a planter box, you will notice that algebra is required. First, you will measure the length, breadth, and height of the box, you will calculate the volume, the amount of soil or manure required, and the underlying cost of this whole project. Undoubtedly, almost every step will involve some algebraic equations.

13. Pool

Suppose you just brought a new home and you want a pool in your backyard. What are you going to do? You will first calculate the area of your backyard and then you will determine in how much area you want your pool to be spread. Right? You might have observed that it is only with the help of some algebraic equations that you can carry out the aforesaid steps. After the determination the area of the pool, you will calculate the amount of water to fill in the pool and also the time which will be taken to fill the pool to its brim or half the volume; which again requires algebra.

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Almost every student exclaims "I'm never going to use this math in real life!" while solving algebraic equations. Isn't it? However, this is not always the situation. We often see people using algebra in most aspects of daily life; for example- people in the market make use of algebraic operations to calculate profit and loss incurred.

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If you've ever struggled to keep your students' attention during your middle or high school algebra and geometry classes, you know just how important it is to mix it up a bit with creative teaching ideas. Thomas Edison said, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." So here is your chance to dress your lessons up in some fancy finery that looks more like a game, a work of art, or a barrel of laughs. The best thing about these out-of-the-box math ideas is that your students will learn the same important skills that they might have overlooked on the pages of their math textbooks.

1. Use engaging videos.

If the popularity of cute cat videos is any indication of the power of video to engage just about everyone, then using YouTube videos in your math class should be a no-brainer. Here's a great example of how a video can make a concept such as slope make sense and come to life.

2. Add an artistic component for a STEAM approach.

Your artistic and visually minded students will appreciate math lessons that allow their creativity to play a colorful role. This Mandala Math template combines art, math, and meditation in a way that will give each student practice measuring, using a compass, calculating radius and circumference, and expressing their individuality.

3. Connect your students with a personal math trainer.

Because every brain is different and each student processes and understands material in his or her own specific way, the idea of a personal math trainer makes a lot of sense. That is exactly what AGA Math has created with its set of digital tools that create a completely customized experience for each learner. The Personal Math Trainer powered by Knewton feature, or one of the other digital features, offer unlimited practice, real-time feedback, and a variety of question types and learning aids to help teach Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2. The Personal Math Trainer also automatically grades homework and generates reports so teachers can tailor instruction to meet students' needs.

4. Make it a game!

Competitive game formats can be a great way to help students review their understanding of concepts, formulas, math vocabulary, and more. SuperTeacherTools makes it easy to create "Jeopardy" style games, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" multiple-choice games, and "Speed Match" games using your own content. We also like this low-tech dice game that is a great way for pairs of students to practice calculating area.

5. Enter the world of reality TV.

Several high school math bloggers have found great success simulating the "survival of the fittest" competitions similar to reality TV show scenarios. Survivor Algebra from coolmath.com was created by a former mathphobe who has been able to transform his struggling math students with this collaborative game format. Here is another take on the Survival of the Fittest idea where everyone in the class needs to know the material because their survival depends on it!

6. Use real-world examples.

If your students dare to question the purpose of all those figures and formulas, race over to this site, filled with practical math problems for all grades based on real-world examples.

7. Make 'em laugh.

A shot of humor at the beginning of class can go a long way toward keeping your students engaged and learning. Laughter not only reduces stress, it also releases endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemical. Want your students to feel good about your class? Pull from these algebra and geometry math memes and cartoons to post at the beginning of every lesson.

Why not toss in a cute cat visual every now and then while you're at it!

8. Use word walls.

Chances are that your students were brought up in cozy elementary classrooms surrounded by colorful walls filled with theme-based decorations. We think that these Word Wall visual reminders for your algebra and geometry classroom walls are the perfect, aged-up version of those comforting learning aids from days past.
Want more fun, out of the box ideas for teaching algebra and geometry? Visit HMH Mathematics to learn about their AGA math curriculum.

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Out-of-the-Box Ideas for Teaching Algebra and Geometry - WeAreTeachers

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If you've ever struggled to keep your students' attention during your middle or high school algebra and geometry classes, you know just how important it is to mix it up a bit with creative teaching ideas. Thomas Edison said, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."