Ways To Improve Student Engagement.

 Sorry about yesterday.  I live in a small place in Alaska that has at best 2G phone service and internet that can be problematic.  It went down after I'd gotten my first entry for the week and went down right after so I couldn't do anything, even at work. So I am back and on time with my Friday entry. Today, I'm revisiting student engagement since that seems to be an ongoing struggle.

Fortunately, there are some things teachers can do to engage students so they are more involved with our lessons. One of the easiest things is to use manipulatives either virtual or physical.  Don't be afraid to use manipulatives in middle or high school since they can be used for multiple situations. 

For instance, grab some of those manipulatives that are small cubes, strips of 10, and squares of 100.  Instead, use the small cubes to represent numbers, the strips represent the x's and squares to be x^2.  You can use them to teach binomial multiplication and trinomial factoring.  You can also use them to teach combining like terms in algebra.  If you have two different colored sets, one set represents positive and the other negative.  I've have also used these for x^3 by combining x^2 with a single x to make x^3.   This type of manipulative can also be used to help students visualize properties of exponents, the distributive property, and even basic fractions.

In addition, it is important to provide differentiated instruction since most of us have students at a variety of levels even though they are in the same class. Sometimes, it can be instruction so one starts with the basics for those who need it, moving up to the more complex application of the same concept for those who are more advanced.

Don't forget to include math games.  When students are having fun, they really enjoy themselves.  One can use Kahoot, Quizlet, or other type of online game.  One can also arrange scavenger hunts, gallery walks, and so much more. 

Furthermore, take time to show how math is related to the real world.  Let students do activities where they are involved and consider assigning project based learning to have them more involved.  Due to a Covid outbreak, I have less than half of my normal number of students, so I am having them take recipes, enlarge them, calculate ingredients in cups, pounds, gallons, and quarts as if they are a real bakery.  Once they figure out what they need each day to bake 1025 loaves of banana bread, they will calculate the cost of purchasing the supplies needed to make that.

Finally, provide opportunities for students to explain their thinking to others. When you use word problems, substitute names of students so it is more relatable and use places they know.  When I have automobile problems, I usually have to rewrite them to use things like snow machines or boats since that is the preferred method of transport in places I work.

Give it some thought as to how you can get students more involved.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great weekend.

Ways To Engage Students In Math Class

 

It seems as if students arrive in math class with the idea that it is boring and not fun.  I admit, there are things we can do to make it more fun but not in the same way they can in English or Social Studies. It is hard to show a hit movie that was made from a book in class unless we want to talk about certain mathematicians.  We have to rely on other ways to keep students engaged.

Student engagement means they are participating in class with a better attitude towards the subject.  They are more likely to complete and turn in work when they are engaged and more willing to work through problems. In addition, they are more likely to attend school while producing higher quality work. At the same time, they develop a deeper understanding of math so they do better on official assessments.

One way to engage students is to find real world examples of the concept or topic being discussed.  I admit, some examples are harder to find such as real world examples for piece-wise functions but other examples are easy.  No matter what examples chosen, you need to show your students how it works or how it's used, not just say it.  Back to piece-wise functions, a real world examples are the price of candy such as Twix or postage stamps.  The price remains the same for years before the price goes up or down.  

Allow students the opportunity to choose whether they will work in a team, in a small group, or by themselves.  Some students prefer to do it on their own while others want to work with friends. If you want to make it a bit more exciting, offer a reward to every team, group, or individual who does the problem correctly. Another way to offer choice is to give a bunch of problems and let students decide which 10 they want to do even if it is only the first ten possibilities.  This way, they feel more capable.

Incorporate props into the discussion.  Use props that get students involved in this.  The prop might not be directly related to the lesson but it might be used in the example.  For instance, if you are doing piece-wise functions, think about reproducing stamps from history to show when the prices went up.  This makes the example more real.  Another possibility would be binomial multiplication.  You could start with a square that is x by x inches.  Then add to one side so it is now (x + 2) inches while the other side is (x - 1) inch.  This rectangle is then multiplied to show the area and one could substitute numbers to give a numerical answer.

Implement as many hands on activities as possible because these help students learn more about the concept or topic being taught. In addition, provide differentiation during instruction and during any of the work, quizzes, or tests.  The differentiation in tests may look this way.  The test has four parts with 6 questions each.  The six questions are two easy, two medium, and two challenging and the instructions tell students to complete four of the questions in each section.  This goes back to choice but the problems are also differentiated so they are not all on the same level.

Have students solve a problem that has more than one way to find the answer or is open ended and has more than one answer.  This shows students that not every problem is done in exactly the same way or may have more than one answer.  When students work problems that have more than one answer, it can lead to a lot of discussion and makes it harder for the students to determine they have the "wrong" answer.

In addition, make the classroom safe so students can share answers without being made fun of or told they are stupid.  They need to feel safe to share. The expectation of no negative behavior or comments needs to be established from the start. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.