Math Mindsets: Building Classroom Community to Engage Students in Learning Math

Educators cite fostering classroom community and providing relevancy as key factors in engaging students in learning math.

  • “Young people don’t hate math. They hate feeling like it’s outside their possibilities. How do you build a community of welcomed confusion?” —Math Educator in Ohio
    • “Make math meaningful and engaging beginning at the elementary level. Use Legos, pattern blocks, cereal boxes, baseball cards, dice, playing cards, etc.  Provide interactive group activities to share problem solving ideas. Make math fun!” —STEM Educator in New York
    • “Love all of this!! As a 7th grade math teacher for 25 years, kids are scared to step into the unknown. Their ‘discovery’ switch has been turned off.” —High School Math Teacher, N/A
    • “Daily Number Talks and building a community where mistakes are opportunities to gain a deeper understanding.” —Educator in Ohio
    • “Building classroom community to let them know it’s ok to make mistakes and help walk them through their thinking.” —Educator, N/A
      • “Classroom community is fundamental! Thriving communities rely on a diversity of skills including caretaking, entertaining, providing unique perspectives, challenging the status quo… Maybe the sidelining of our different/slower thinkers is why the state of the world is what it is.” —Educator, N/A
  • “When we make the learning relevant and meaningful we win them over. Even those ‘I hate math’ kids get excited when we find a way to connect with what matters to them and help them find success. Celebrate the small stuff!” —Elementary Math Teacher in Florida
  • “Introducing #StudentStations! Six students facilitated review at 6 stations while their classmates rotated through in 6 minute intervals!” —Middle School Math Teacher in Virginia
    • “Love this! What a great way for students to build community as well as take ownership of their learning! Fantastic job as usual to you both! (Again, the math teachers I wish I could have had!)” —Middle School ELA Teacher
  • “We aren’t just teaching math…we are building community and math is the bridge!” —Elementary Math Educator in New Hampshire