Tips for teaching maths

10 Tips for Teaching Math
Are you struggling to get through to your math students? Are they just not getting it? Glazing over? Fear not, the posse has arrived!

I teach math at a special education private school. Before that, I taught 18 years in a college classroom. And before that I was asked, paid, coerced and forced (yes, forced) to tutor friends and relatives. Over the years I’ve put together my top 10 list of ways of tutoring and teaching math.

1. Discourage negative remarks.

Acknowledge their frustration, anger and hate of math. Do this at the beginning of the class or as quickly as you can. Let everyone tell you face-to-face or on paper what their past math history is. Let them explain why they hate math and where their frustrations are.

Validate their anger and fears. If there was a mean instructor in the past, help them understand that that person is no longer with them. And that it’s okay to still be angry with him or her.

Then, encourage them to use this. “You dislike math, I appreciate that. I see where it’s coming from.” Tell them that instead of using negative remarks toward math, from this point forward, they can direct their frustration at the event or person in the past.

Instead of saying, “I hate math. I’m just not good at it.” They will now say, “I am really frustrated that Mrs. Wilson in the fifth grade was so mean to me. I’m going to overcome that. Mrs. Wilson, I’m done with you!”

2. Let the student body coach you through the problems.

After you’ve explained a method, do one example yourself. Do at least two more examples and allow the student body to talk you through them.

Collectively they should be able to get it right. If they make an incorrect decision, write it on the board anyway. Pause to let everyone else observe it. Usually someone else express doubt. Watch the faces of the students carefully. You’ll see the face of the student that doesn’t like that wrong answer. Ask him or her to explain.

3. Use good board etiquette and handwriting.

Know your student body. If they are a different nationality or culture, make a point to learn how they traditionally write numbers and symbols. In the US the division symbol is written with two dots with a horizontal bar between them. In some countries the division symbol lacks the bar. If you traditionally cross your z’s or your 7’s, explain this on the outset, and frequently through the class.

When you write on the board, mentally divided into segments about 2 to 2 1/2 feet wide. Stay within those divisions. If you have to do a sidebar, segment that portion of the board with squiggly lines.

The image above is of a simulated white-board with a good use of space and squiggly lines.

4. Use colors.

This is so much easier with whiteboards than it was with chalkboards. Choose your colors carefully so that they can be seen and differentiated from the back of the room.

Use colors to illustrate the thinking process. Show your own work extensively this way.

Also use colors to differentiate numbers or variables that might get confused:

The image above has two threes, both that end up being positive. With the use of color, the students will be able to see the difference in them.

5. Use magnets, stickie notes, coffee mugs and Ziploc bags.

While you’re teaching, use any props that you can get your hands on. You don’t have to think of them before the class, either. Improvise if the mood hits you!

If you need to show the set containing the empty set, grab your water cup and coffee mug. Are your students having problems remembering the “everything is over 1” rule for changing whole numbers to fractions? Have them put a Post-it with a 1 on it on the bottom of their shoe for the day.

Everything is a math prop. Manipulatives aren’t just those brightly colored things in the teacher supply store (or online). If it exists, use it!

6. Create a safe and interactive environment.

Don’t call on students. This is counter to everything that we are taught in educatio