If you have a child or student who is struggling to learn math, understand that you are not alone. Math is one of the most challenging topics for children to understand. It takes a dedicated teacher or caregiver to effectively communicate challenging topics in math to their students. No matter whether you are working with elementary school students, middle school students, high school students, or even college students, it is important for you to take a comprehensive approach to your students when it comes to math classes. Fortunately, there are a few tips that you can follow to better communicate math topics to your students.
Take Advantage of Technology
First, you need to take advantage of all of the resources at your disposal. Even though there is always going to be a place for the chalkboard, there are other resources available as well. For example, you may want to take advantage of i-Ready math and i-Ready answers that can make it easier for your students to remain engaged with challenging topics. Furthermore, there are even games that your students can play to learn some of the most challenging topics in math classes. Particularly for younger students, they may pay attention better if they think of math as a game. By holding the attention of your students, they will better understand the topics at hand.
Try to Leverage Hands-On Lessons
It is also a good idea to use a hands-on lesson. There is only so much that students are going to learn if all of their lessons are placed on the whiteboard. Even though there is a time and place for the whiteboard, it can also be helpful for students to learn math topics in other ways as well. For example, you may want to use food to communicate addition and subtraction. You can even roll a math lesson into snack time. Ask the students how many pieces they have. Then, ask them to subtract a few pieces by eating them and ask them how many pieces they have left. This will keep your students engaged and help them understand an important concept.
Try To Use Math To Tell a Story
One of the most common criticisms that students have is that they feel like they are never going to actually use math in the real world. Of course, they are young, and they do not realize just how integral math is to their everyday life. Therefore, think about using math to tell a story. That way, you will be able to provide students with a real-life example of just how important math can be. When they understand that they are going to need to use math to make it through their everyday life, they are more likely to pay attention to the lessons at hand.
Always Provide Quick Feedback
Your students are going to have a hard time paying attention if they do not understand if they are doing well or not. Even though you probably have a lot of students to teach, try to provide your students with instant feedback. If there is something that they are doing wrong, try to correct it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, your students are going to carry these errors through all of their problems, leading to a significant source of frustration. Let your students know when they are doing well also. Sometimes, students feel like they are only noticed when they are doing something wrong. Make sure to keep their spirits up by complimenting them when they do something right.
Use These Tips To Teach Students Effectively
Even though it can be challenging teaching students about math, they are among the most important concepts that they are going to learn in school. Take advantage of all of the resources at your disposal and try to keep your students interested. When you provide your students with regular feedback regarding how they are doing, they are more likely to be persistent. It can be challenging to get students to enjoy math. Don’t give up. Take a well-rounded approach to your lessons and watch your students excel.