Ways to Motivate Students To Love Math

As a teacher, I usually hear from every student at some point that I hate Math when do not understand the concept or cannot figure out the problem. I ask them, do not stress out, and focus on the concepts which I am teaching. This way they will be able to understand the problem and learn in a systematic and logical way to solve the problem.

Over the years, I have helped a lot of students to overcome their math anxiety by helping them to approach a problem in a positive way. I always encourage my students to break the problem into parts and then solve it step by step.

1. Encouraging Students

I believe a teacher should not be only a math teacher. He/she should be student supporters and help them to grow, work with them on their creativity, and teach math in a fun environment. Relating math concepts and problems to real-world examples helps the student to understand concepts easily and quickly. For example, when I am teaching addition and subtraction, I use a grocery store example, where students select their 2 favorite items from the grocery lists which I have provided, and they write down the item prices from the list. Once it is done then they start adding all the numbers with my help. Slowly, I increase the items to 5 and so on. After this, I introduce a discount/coupon option to them and introduce them to the subtraction. They start subtracting the amount from the total amount. This way, it becomes fun and easier to learn. Kids also remember this game.

2. Learn from Mistake Environment

I am a great preacher that students learn a lot from their mistakes which are they making to solve a math problem. It is as valuable as the right answers. My math class environment is always like, learn from your mistake as it gets you one step closer to the solution.

Sometimes, I challenge kids to come up with the solution in a different way so they can think out of the box. This really boosts their math confidence. It’s really great to see their smiles and their happiness when they correct their mistakes with my help or themselves to solve the problem. This is a great achievement for them and helps them to start loving math.

3. Growth Mindset

There are two different beliefs in society. Fixed Mindset and the Growth Mindset. Fixed Mindset people think that their abilities and intelligence are fixed and cannot be changed however on the other side Growth mindset people believe that through practice and hard work abilities can be changed.

I believe in a Growth Mindset and my class environment is always be based on a Growth Mindset. My goal for the students not to reach the answer as soon as possible but think through the problem. Math is about curiosity, recognizing the patterns around us. With the study and practice, students can better in Math and start loving math.

Confidence

Slowly I start teaching children to make their choices to solve the problem. It does not matter if it is right or wrong because I would like to build their confidence. They start learning how to understand the problem and start thinking of logical steps to solve the problems. I help them in a way. We do a few example problems together in the class and then I assign the problem to them to solve. When they are solving the problems it is important for me to see if they are thinking to solve the problem with the logical steps and I ask for their thinking process. This helps a lot o build their confidence and start loving math.

Finally, I believe with patients and a growth mindset we can help in math program for kids to start loving math. The most important thing we need to build their confidence so they will be happy to do math problems.