How many people in your social circle would say that mathematics was their favorite subject in High School? Mathematics can be a very dry and difficult subject for many high school students.
The concepts can sometimes get really complex, which is why many students hate the subject.
Believe it or not, according to many different studies, mathematics is actually the most hated subject, and surprisingly in some of these studies, it is also the most liked.
Here 9 exciting and creative ways to teach Mathematics to high school students.
You might enjoy reading: Easy Ways To Teaching Logarithmic Functions In High School.
Reasons Why Students Hate Math
Have you ever wondered why people hate mathematics so much? There are several different reasons for that. Some of them include;
- Difficult to grasp the concepts.
- Complex formula.
- Some problems include multi-step processes.
- Learning mathematics requires more energy and time compared to other subjects.
- Lack of proper foundation.
- It can get really boring.
- The instructor doesn’t make it easy for the students.
The last point mentioned above is very important. Many high school students hate mathematics because their teachers or instructors do not make the subject easy for them.
Mathematics is a very important subject with high usage in the practical world. Many other subjects like physics and statistics also need a strong and in-depth understanding of math concepts. So it is crucial for the teachers to make learning easier for the students.
Since most high school students hate mathematics because of their teachers, let’s explore the qualities that make a good math teacher.
What Makes a Good Math Teacher?
To be a good Math teacher, you must constantly learn, reflect, and improve your practice. Below are common characteristics of good math:
1- They Adopt Effective Classroom Management
Effective classroom management is essential for any high math teacher as it increases students’ engagement and participation.
- Proactive management is an effective quality to develop as a high school math teacher.
- Design your class arrangement to facilitate students’ participation and collaboration and limit disruptions.
- Plan your lessons in any way to inspire learning and create excitement with enough variation to keep students interested.
2- They Help Students Make Connection
A good teacher helps students connect with the subject by ensuring students comprehend the concepts rather than just memorizing math equations.
When teaching math, explaining to your students why they should learn the concepts and how understanding them can help them is essential.
In addition, effective math teachers take chances to get students out of the classroom to connect their learning to the real world.
For instance, most math teachers can solve problems in a high school math textbook. However, solving problems is not the same as using different ways to engage students.
Teaching math is not just standing in front of a class and disseminating knowledge; it is about supporting students to connect their math knowledge to real-life situations.
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3- They Are Committed and Flexible
Great math teachers are committed to their students’ success and go the extra mile to make sure each student understands the material.
In addition, they frequently adjust their teaching strategies to reflect the learning techniques of individual students or even the class as a whole.
Successful math teachers act as facilitators, allowing students to offer suggestions and solve problems independently.
For example, if a student cannot solve a problem, a good teacher provides the proper guidance, support, and motivation to help students.
4- They Believe That Every Student Can Learn Math
Believing in their students’ potential is one of the essential qualities of a good math student, regardless of their background or current knowledge level.
Make time to understand each student’s unique strengths and how you can leverage those strengths in the classroom. I believe this is one of the fundamental principles of becoming a good teacher.
5- Good Teachers Know The Material
No matter the subject you teach, a deep understanding of the core concepts is required to teach them to others effectively.
In other words, no teacher can transmit knowledge to others without proper understanding.
Knowing why each math concept exists and how it came about will be a critical requirement for subsequently and effectively explaining it to others well.
Along with knowing the material, keeping an open mind to cultural differences is particularly important for any teacher.
6- They Are Caring And Motivate Their Students
Great math teachers focus on the math content being taught and on the students. They also care about their students and are always ready to support those with problems, including learning difficulties, emotional distress, or even illnesses.
Furthermore, good math teachers regularly talk with their students to help them acquire the right problem-solving skills to prevent them from losing interest and disengaging from studying and learning mathematics.
9 Creative Ways to Teach Math to High School Students
Some creative ways that Math can be taught to high school students are given below;
1- Use Your Student’s Name In the Math Problem
This is one of the most common yet creative ways to improve your students’ focus. If you include your students’ names in the math problems and then discuss and solve them in the classroom, the students will feel good about it.
There is something really appealing and satisfying in hearing your name in a math problem in front of your entire class. It will compel the respective student and his/her friends to be more attentive in the classroom.
2- Use the Good Old Reward System
Arrange a daily quiz at the end of the class. The quiz can be related to anything you teach in the classroom that day. You can also sweeten the deal by saying that there will be no punishment if the students get the quiz wrong, but if your students get it right, they will get a big reward.
The reward can be anything from monetary benefits to pens or a notebook. To make it even more interesting, you can have a points system based on the daily quiz.
The student who accumulated the most points at the end of the month gets an even bigger reward. This will ensure that students stay focused in every class.
3- Turn Math Into a Fun Game
Kids love to play games. One of the most creative ways to teach and learn math is to change it into a game. A game will make the entire session more fun and interactive.
And turning teaching math into a fun game will also help students retain the concepts for longer. If you are a teacher who is looking to make their class more fun by turning math into games, then you should definitely check out this article.
4- Tell One Fun Fact about Math in Every Class
This one might not improve a student’s math concept, but it will definitely make them more interested in the subject. Try to tell one interesting fact about math in each of your classes.
Mathematic facts can be found in all aspects of life. There are many things related to math that you might have never noticed. For example, if you add two opposite sides of a die, the result will be seven. You can check this link for some interesting facts related to mathematics.
5- Use Pictures and Other Visual Aids
Visual aids can be a great way to enhance the teaching process. It is no secret that people are more attracted to pictures and visual aid as compared to written text.
So instead of just writing everything on the board, try incorporating pictures and other visual aids in your teaching routine to make your math class easier and fun.
6- Use Modern Technology
You can find hundreds of applications on your phone that can help make math more fun for you. Life these days revolve completely around technology, and every kid has a mobile phone these days, so it is only sensible to incorporate technology into their learning routine.
This will compel the students to spend less time playing games on their mobile phones and more time learning math. As a teacher, it is important for you to check out these apps and see which one can be helpful for your students.
7- Try To Give Light Homework to Your Students
It is no secret that students don’t like homework. It is natural for students to get tired as they spend so many hours at school. So homework isn’t something that pleases them, but it can definitely add value to the entire learning process.
So one of the ways you can help students learn mathematics without putting too much pressure on your students is to give them light and fun mathematical problems as homework. Be considerate about the level and type of homework you give your students. Your students will be happy to do the homework if it is fun and easy.
8- Make the Questions More Engaging
Word problems are very common in mathematics, and high school students usually don’t like them too much. However, one creative way to better teach word problems is to make the questions as engaging as possible.
The more fun the questions are, the more attentive and focused your students will be.
9- Ask the Students to Be the Teacher
Another creative way to improve the math teaching process is to make the students explain the math concepts to other students.
- First, you have to explain it to the students and ask which of the students have understood the concept.
- Choose one of these students and ask them to come to the front of the class and explain it to other students like a teacher.
This will strengthen the math concepts the student explains to others, and peer-to-peer learning will help other students better understand the concept.
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Final Words
These are some of the most creative ways to teach mathematics to high school students. Mathematics can be difficult for many students, so as a teacher, it is your responsibility to make it easier for your students.
It is crucial for you to try different techniques and see which ones work the best. Math is a tough subject, but teaching it in a creative manner can help students learn better.
It may be difficult to give individual attention to each student, but if you have a small class and you think you can give some students individual attention, try to do it.
Pick the students you think are relatively weak in mathematics and try to give them individual attention so they can also come to the same level of understanding as the rest of the class.