Student Motivation and Engagement in the Middle School Math Classroom


Book Description

This study investigated the factors that contribute to and take away from middle school students’ active and meaningful participation in math class. The study also sought to gather students’ opinions and ideas for how their teachers could better engage and motivate them in the middle school math classroom setting. Using surveys, student interviews, and a teacher focus group, the researcher gathered and coded data via the constant comparative method and identified the major themes of intrinsic motivators, extrinsic motivators, distractions, and impacts of COVID-19 as key factors. The study also generated the concepts of teacher assistance, lesson style and activities, and incentives as students’ suggestions for teacher responses.




The Math Teacher's Toolbox


Book Description

Math teachers will find the classroom-tested lessons and strategies in this book to be accessible and easily implemented in the classroom The Teacher’s Toolbox series is an innovative, research-based resource providing teachers with instructional strategies for students of all levels and abilities. Each book in the collection focuses on a specific content area. Clear, concise guidance enables teachers to quickly integrate low-prep, high-value lessons and strategies in their middle school and high school classrooms. Every strategy follows a practical, how-to format established by the series editors. The Math Teacher's Toolbox contains hundreds of student-friendly classroom lessons and teaching strategies. Clear and concise chapters, fully aligned to Common Core math standards, cover the underlying research, required technology, practical classroom use, and modification of each high-value lesson and strategy. This book employs a hands-on approach to help educators quickly learn and apply proven methods and techniques in their mathematics courses. Topics range from the planning of units, lessons, tests, and homework to conducting formative assessments, differentiating instruction, motivating students, dealing with “math anxiety,” and culturally responsive teaching. Easy-to-read content shows how and why math should be taught as a language and how to make connections across mathematical units. Designed to reduce instructor preparation time and increase student engagement and comprehension, this book: Explains the usefulness, application, and potential drawbacks of each instructional strategy Provides fresh activities for all classrooms Helps math teachers work with ELLs, advanced students, and students with learning differences Offers real-world guidance for working with parents, guardians, and co-teachers The Math Teacher's Toolbox: Hundreds of Practical ideas to Support Your Students is an invaluable source of real-world lessons, strategies, and techniques for general education teachers and math specialists, as well as resource specialists/special education teachers, elementary and secondary educators, and teacher educators.




Motivation Matters and Interest Counts


Book Description

Why do smart people disengage from mathematical pursuits…and how can we reverse the trend? This book is designed to be the go-to source for information on mathematical motivation. It presents the full body of research on motivation in a useful, interesting and provocative matter.







Engaging Minds in Science and Math Classrooms


Book Description

"We decide, every day, whether we are going to turn students on or off to science and mathematics in our classrooms." Daily decisions about how to incorporate creativity, choice, and autonomy—integral components of engagement—can build students' self-efficacy, keep them motivated, and strengthen their identities as scientists and mathematicians. In this book, Eric Brunsell and Michelle A. Fleming show you how to apply the joyful learning framework introduced in Engaging Minds in the Classroom to instruction in science and mathematics. Acknowledging that many students—particularly girls and students of color—do not see themselves as mathematicians and scientists, the authors provide a series of suggested activities that are aligned with standards and high expectations to engage and motivate all learners. Given the current focus on encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) studies, this book is a welcome addition to every teacher's reference collection. Eric Brunsell is a former high school science teacher and is now associate professor of science education at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Michelle A. Fleming is a former elementary and middle school teacher and is now assistant professor of science and mathematics education at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.




Eight Myths of Student Disengagement


Book Description

Many teachers report that student disengagement is one of the biggest challenges they encounter in the classroom, and research shows that there is a steady decline in students' engagement that begins as early as kindergarten and persists through the transitions to middle and high school. Young children are naturally curious and want to learn and explore, but unfortunately this all too often gives way to a lack of participation and effort, acting out and disrupting class, disaffection and withdrawal, and failure to deeply invest in academic content. Jennifer Fredricks's book goes beyond the idea that classroom management techniques and on-task behaviour ensure student engagement, to consider the emotional and cognitive dimensions that are critical for deeper learning and student achievement. Fredricks presents compelling strategies based on the research to demonstrate how instructional tasks, teacher-student relations, and peer dynamics all play a pivotal role in cultivating lasting student engagement.




Sparking Student Motivation


Book Description

Be the change that lights the learning fire. Discover how you, as a classroom teacher, can generate enthusiasm, confidence, and joy in your students that will affect their learning and lives. Delve into the what, and why of motivation and how it affects learning. Then, learn how to spark motivation using practical, research-informed strategies that address how to ? Hone student grouping, rewards, technology, and competition for positive impact ? Confront and disarm testing conflicts to make assessments a pleasant student experience ? Examine and empower teacher–student relationships ? Rethink rules and procedures to improve behavioral outcomes




Why Math?


Book Description




Motivational Interventions


Book Description

This established book series is designed to reflect current research and theory concerned with motivation and achievement in work, school and play. Each volume focuses on a particular issue or theme and the series has a special goal of bringing the best in social science to bear on socially significant problems.




Rough Draft Math


Book Description

Talking and writing about unfinished ideas is vital to learning mathematics, but most students only speak up when they think they have the right answer - especially middle school and high school students. Amanda Jansen and her collaborating teachers have developed a breakthrough approach to address this challenge. In Rough Draft Math: Revising to Learn, Jansen shares the power of infusing math class with the spirit of revision so that students feel comfortable thinking aloud as they problem-solve rather than talking only to perform right answers. Creating a Community of Learners: As part of the rough draft framework, a class of students becomes an equitable and inclusive community of thinkers, one where students feel safe to engage in discourse while developing mathematical competency and confidence Practical Application of Innovative Ideas: This book includes specific teaching techniques and a range of classroom vignettes showing rough draft math in action within a student-centered teaching approach. Children can develop solutions at their own pace and share thought processes behind their conclusions Classroom Tested: Jansen has developed the concept of rough draft math in collaboration with a diverse group of dynamic and reflective teachers. Rough Draft Math provides a blueprint for educators to allow free-thinking discussion while maintaining the mathematical learning goalsRough Draft Math, Jansen shows how to create an energetic classroom culture where students readily participate and share their evolving understanding while engaging in math talk, collaborative problem solving, and ongoing revision of ideas. '