Canyon Views: Supporting students to help their “Math Minds” grow

Dea Begert
Dea Begert of Clackamas is a second-grade teacher at Oregon Connections Academy.

One of my hopes for the new year is that more students in Oregon will step up their game in math. The last round of test scores showed just over 40 percent of all students meeting state standards. We can do better, and I mean “we” because our students are not alone. We as teachers and parents need to do better to support our children when it comes to math.

After becoming an elementary school teacher myself, my students would tell me how much they hated math, that it was too hard, and that it was just for geeks. Here I am now, many years and countless students later, knowing firsthand that math is not too difficult for anyone! All students have the potential to be good at math when they are encouraged, are allowed to explore numbers, and understand that it’s alright to make mistakes.

Much like learning to ride a bike or to play guitar, math is a learned set of skills that students must be given the opportunity to practice and understand how to use. With perseverance, effort, encouragement, and patience, every student is capable of making their math mind grow. Mistakes are part of that learning process.

It’s up to parents and teachers to guide students on that journey to grow their math minds and nurture their perseverance. Here are a few tips —- by the numbers:

1. Explore math on their own. Give your students a math project and allow them to be creative to complete the assignment. Some children may draw pictures, or experiment with other tools instead of written equations. This kind of independence and empowerment teaches children to take ownership of their learning. Parents may see one of those “lightbulb” moments when your child realizes how to solve a challenging equation. If they get stuck, try one of the steps below.

2. Problem solving is a process. Let children discover there are many different ways to solve problems. Allow them to take risks, try new things, experiment, take a guess, be wrong, find and correct their own mistakes. Perhaps there is no right or wrong answer, just concepts to try. Listen to your student and their ideas. Encourage them to ask questions, or explain the method they used to work out a problem. 

3. Math is all around us. Students often understand the importance of math if you show them that math is everywhere in everyday life. Ask them to use practical applications such as measuring ingredients for recipes, calculating discounts at the grocery store, or determining mileage on vacation.

4. Play fun math games. Find math-oriented games including old-fashioned board games or puzzles from a local toy shop. You can create lots of math games by using a pair of dice or playing cards. How about hop-scotch with some colorful chalk on the sidewalk for younger kids or a math brain teaser to develop logical reasoning and problem-solving skills for older children? Of course, there are a ton of apps and other digital learning tools available for making math more enjoyable.

5. Praise and positive energy. Commend the processes your students use and their efforts. When a challenging problem leads to discovery it boosts your child’s confidence in their math abilities. Provide positive comments about math and connect it to your children’s interests or hobbies. Praise your students for their efforts even if the answer is not yet correct.  Let them know you believe in them.

I enjoy helping my second graders explore, ask questions, make mistakes, work for the answers and develop their imaginations in math. As a life-long learner and teacher I’m looking forward to trying new math methods and improving old ones; I hope someday more students will see math as a skill to practice and learn instead of a chore to fear and dread.

Dea Begert of Clackamas is a second-grade teacher at Oregon Connections Academy. She can be reached through the academy at, 800-382-6010. 

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