Fraction Visuals that Build Understanding of Fraction Concepts
When I surveyed over two thousand math teachers asking about their students’ understanding of fractions, over 75% reported that their students either really struggled or had lots of gaps in understanding. If your students struggle with fractions, you are not alone! Fraction topics are often taught in upper elementary through 6th grade, but fraction concepts continue to affect students’ success with math through high school and beyond.
I have gathered a couple of my favorite visuals that help students really grasp the meaning of fractions and how to operate with them. These are visuals you can use whether you are teaching fractions to your students for the first time or if you are helping correct misunderstandings. Visuals help students gain a conceptual understanding of math so that it makes sense.
Talking Isn’t Teaching: Helping Students Truly Learn Math
One of the hardest shifts as a math teacher is stepping back and giving students space to think. We want to help. We want to explain, but often, our talking takes away the chance for them to wrestle with the math. Here are five practical ways to reduce teacher talk and increase student learning time.
Math Manipulatives for Elementary, Middle, and High School Students that You Can Print!
Manipulatives have the power to make math come to life! They make math concepts tangible and accessible to students. Whenever we have the chance to make math lessons hands-on, they instantly become more engaging and meaningful.
In middle and high school, manipulatives are less common than elementary school. However, they are appropriate for all grade levels and all abilities. A common misconception is that manipulatives are only needed in early grades or for students who struggle. Let’s bust that myth! Manipulatives encourage deeper thinking and sense-making. Instead of following procedures without thinking, we can use manipulatives to help students reason and make sense of the math.
Teaching Angle Relationships in 8th Grade Math
Angle relationships are one of the geometry topics 8th graders learn. Most students have been exposed to angle measures in previous grade levels, but they learn new concepts including interior angle sums and parallel lines cut by a transversal. Let’s discuss why angle relationships are an important concept to learn, and tips for teaching angles in a limited timeframe.