5 Essential Strategies in Teaching Math

Math requires constant practice, and students who make it a norm to practice this subject daily have better chances of securing good scores. Not only do their academic results improve, but they also tend to be more interesting in learning a variety of topics.

However, not every student would be keen to practice math daily. So, how to build interest and curiosity to learn this subject?

Here are the 5 essential strategies that teachers can implement while teaching math to their students:

1. Make math a part of the conversation

Gone are the days when students memorized hundreds of formulas and concepts without even being willing to understand the logic behind them. Now, they want to know why they are using a specific concept and how it is going to be useful in their day-to-day life.

Teachers or even parents can initiate engaging conversations with students regarding a topic, and know their perspective on why this concept exists, or how they can use it in the real world. This way, teachers may know the thought process of students and how they can utilize it as a measure for further teaching.

2. Make math fun with games

Many students find math either boring or scary. Mathematical problems and formulas haunt them like anything.

To make the learning process entertaining and fuss-free, teachers can create a variety of fun games based on chapters/topics. Also, this will enable students to apprehend concepts and create interest in learning the subject.

3. Be proactive

Don’t wait until the last moment to help students master the complicated concepts. If you know there are specific concepts that they are not confident in or are feeling overwhelmed with, then make it a point to teach them the basics of the concept.

Once they are well-versed in the fundamentals, you can take it one level higher. Continue to follow this approach until they master the concept or use logical reasoning in solving a problem.

4. Organize quizzes

Many teachers plan how they will cover the course throughout the semester. Amidst preparing the topic, and teaching it in class, they don’t check whether students understood the concept well or not. However, we have got a solution.

Teachers can prepare mini-quizzes to ascertain which areas are not understood by students. It can range from a 5-minute quiz to one with 10 multiple-choice questions, depending on your teaching style. To make it more exciting, you can also reward the top 3 students with goodies, or sweets.

5. Consider evaluating your teaching approach

When it comes to teaching math, teachers should know that there can be some students who may not be able to catch up with their steady pace. In such cases, they should take a pause, and re-analyze if they need to slow down a bit. They can directly seek feedback from students, and ask them if they are falling behind, or having any issues with the speed with which the content is being covered.

Further, they can segregate students into different groups depending on how much time they require to apprehend a specific concept.