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My first few years teaching math were a struggle for me and my students. Our textbook focused primarily on direct instruction: I do, then you do, but rarely we do. I tried to supplement with resources from my colleagues and Teachers Pay Teachers, but math was not a joyous time.
Some of my second graders declared, “I’m not a math kid” at the ripe old age of seven. Once they put that wall up, it’s hard to break through.
Last year, that all changed. Students began arriving excited to do math each morning. There was play, laughter, and fun. Even thinking about it now makes me want to cry.
Here are a few insights I’ve gained that have helped me turn math into a subject students are eager to learn.
1. The standards are important, but so is student engagement.
During our district’s search for a new elementary math curriculum, I noticed the second grade math content was pretty similar across various programs because it was all written to the same standards. Where the programs differed was in how they presented the content. During the 2023-24 school year, some of my colleagues piloted a curriculum called ClearMath Elementary from Carnegie Learning. After trying it out, they determined it would be the most engaging for our students, and our district implemented it in all our elementary schools last year. When I started using the curriculum, I noticed that, unlike our previous textbook, it intentionally weaves play into every lesson. As a result, math started to feel fun for my students, rather than scary or boring.
2. Kids want to be active and social. Rather than fighting it, channel it into math.
Students love to play and talk, whether they’re at recess or in the classroom. So why not have them play and talk about math? Engaging in playful learning is a great way to channel that energy. Meaningful play and discourse spark students’ curiosity and interest in math. It allows them to take an active role in learning rather than passively listening to their teacher. Before, when I did most of the talking, I also did most of the work. Now, students do the heavy lifting in math lessons, and I’m there to guide them.
One of my biggest “aha!” moments as a teacher was realizing just how valuable games are to learning. Last year, I’d sometimes skip the games in our curriculum to save time. I thought, If students don’t do a worksheet every day, then how will I know they’re learning? But I discovered that students actually complete more math problems playing the online games than completing worksheets. And when it was test time, the games produced far greater returns in students’ learning than any worksheet ever did.
When students play games–whether in centers, online, or with the whole group–they’re investigating, exploring, and talking about math. They’re having so much fun, they don’t even realize they’re building conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving skills. They’re also not worried about making mistakes, which reduces math anxiety and increases motivation.
3. Hands-on activities and visuals make math more accessible for all.
Previously, hands-on learning was almost nonexistent in my classroom. Now, students have their hands on something almost daily, whether they’re rolling dice or building 3D models online. Hands-on activities bring math from the page into the real world. They help clear up confusion and make abstract concepts tangible.
Visuals such as graphs, drawings, pictures, illustrations, and diagrams are also powerful tools for math learning, particularly for multilingual learners. But whether students are English learners or native English speakers, math is a new language for everyone. Last year, about half of my students were multilingual learners. The consistent use of visuals, whether in print or online, helped make both the math content and vocabulary more understandable. This not only helped multilingual learners connect language to math but also supported all students’ academic language development.
4. ‘Slow down to speed up’ isn’t just a saying; it’s a helpful strategy.
Like many teachers, I sometimes looked at my students after a lesson and thought, They’re just not getting this. But I felt guilty about stopping to reteach. I worried about what my administrator or team would think if I slowed down.
That changed when we started using the teach-teach-pause model. Students work on new concepts and skills over three or four lessons. Then we pause to allow them to reflect and strengthen their understanding or enrich their learning. On those re-engagement days, students revisit content through centers and game-based software while I pull small groups for targeted reteaching. In addition to improving students’ understanding of key concepts and skills, this pause shows them that their learning is important and that it matters for their future learning, too.
This approach also improves students’ confidence. Last fall, I had one second grader who started the year saying, “Math just isn’t for me.” During a re-engagement lesson, he played a game he’d played earlier that week. So, from the start, his affective filter was down. He also didn’t have the cognitive load of learning a new game. Instead, he could focus entirely on the math. When he finished the game, he said, “Wow, I can actually do math!”
Developing confidence and understanding that lasts
By the end of last year, my second graders showed more growth on our district math assessments than my classes had in previous years. I could see gaps closing. Students’ confidence soared, and their academic discourse was through the roof. Visitors couldn’t tell native English speakers from multilingual learners from special education students because everyone was engaged and enjoying math.
Now, as an instructional coach, I hear the same thing from other teachers: Math feels different. Students are genuinely excited about learning. Teacher stress is down because we can meet students where they are, but not leave them there. We can help every student solidify and stretch their learning. Students start each day believing they can succeed in math, and they do.