Teachers have often heard their students say that they hate math. Most of these students think that the subject has no significance in real life. They also come across students who say that it’s too hard. Despite this, there are certain things that teachers can do for making this subject interesting for their students. As a result, they’ll see astonishing improvements in their students’.
The teachers will also have the pleasure of witnessing a more engaged class. All it takes is some efforts and a little thinking outside the box. If the teachers make some genuine efforts, they’ll certainly come across several non-traditional methods. These ways of teaching mathematics would seem more fun and exciting.
The students would love to learn math in a non-traditional manner. Of course, the content of the subject is important. However, the way you teach is what makes the difference. Now, let’s see how teachers can make math more interesting for students.
Making mathematics personal
This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to develop an interest in students towards math. Teachers must incorporate some of their interests into the equations and problems that they’re trying to teach. For example, most of the students might be interested in sports.
So, while teaching probability, the teacher can use their favorite sports team. While teaching money, the teacher can make the students figure out the amount they need to save each week. Even including the names of their students can help teachers in making word problems interesting.
In word problems, teachers can use polka-dotted elephants or some funny examples. This will create an environment of fun and amusement in the class. The chances of their students remembering the mathematical concepts will be greater in this case.
Diversification of math lessons
During a math session in school, many students hesitate to raise their hand and ask questions. They might learn best when they’re placed in a group of students. In this way, they can feel confident to talk through the problems and try to find solutions. Every child has his or her own way of learning things. So, their teachers must come up with diverse plans to teach math lessons.
In addition to groups, they can use worksheets, hands-on experiences, and flashcards to teach mathematics. Many students might feel overwhelmed when they see a page full of math problems. In such situations, the teachers can use flashcards.
By showing math problems one at a time on the flashcards, the students will take more interest in the subject. The availability of different options to test their math skills will also encourage students. One of these options is an online quiz.
Relating math lessons to other subjects
Teachers can begin making their math sessions fun and exciting for the class by making them meaningful. This can be done by including math in discussions about history, science, and even languages. For example, students can be given the task of calculating how many years back the Revolutionary War happened. Math problems can be integrated into science experiments to estimate results.
Such integrations will help students in gaining a more holistic view of mathematics. They’ll see how important mathematics is in every field of study. The students will understand why it matters even if they don’t plan to become mathematicians.