Q1: What is one thing students can do to build stronger math habits during the school year?
A1: Practice a little bit of math every day, whether it's new concepts or concepts the student has already learned. Keeping both new and returning topics fresh creates a strong foundation for the student to learn more math skills in the future. When previously-mastered topics are at the forefront of a student's mind, they will have the tools necessary to successfully try new problems. Over time, students will build strong numerical fluency, confidence in themselves, and resilience to overcome future challenges.
Q2: What can students do when they come across a math problem they don't understand?
A2: The first step is to not panic or get frustrated. It can be scary for students to encounter new topics that they don't understand. It's always okay to not understand something right away, and struggling is the first step to learning a new skill. Students should read the problem all the way through, twice. The first time, students should read the whole problem all the way through, just observing the entirety of it. The second time, they should break down each part of the problem and identify any parts they can do. Once the student has read through the problem twice, they should attempt any parts of the problem that they are familiar with or can understand. If the student can't complete the problem independently, that's okay! After they are out of parts they can do on their own, it just means it's time to ask a trusted adult to assist with the remainder of the problem. Working together after a student has tried independently is an opportunity to support that student's efforts and greatly boost their confidence in math.
Q3: How can understanding math concepts help students feel more confident?
A3: Memorization isn't a bad thing, but it means that the student only knows the specific problems they have memorized. On the other hand, learning math concepts and strategies, rather than simple memorization, builds a student's number sense and numerical fluency. Creating a strong foundation in this way means that the student is not just able to answer questions they have previously encountered, but that they are also able to attempt new problems that extrapolate on similar ideas. When students are able to tackle new problems independently, it builds confidence and a sense of security in their math abilities.
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