Key points:
This time of year has always been challenging for teachers. I know it was for me.
We are past the halfway point in the school year, but right in the middle of the coldest, greyest months in the calendar.
If you’re feeling a bit sluggish (rightly so), most likely your students are. It may not feel like they are the prime audience for learning about multiplication, division, or decimals.
Motivating students to engage with the subject matter and materials is critical at any time of year. Some learners are intrinsically motivated, or interested in learning because they find it enjoyable or gratifying. Others rely on external rewards to focus and understand the material. The best teachers I’ve known have found incredible ways to mix approaches and make each of their students interested in their own success.
Here’s my recommendation for getting your students engaged right now: World Math Day.
World Math Day is a 48-hour global online math competition hosted on Mathletics by 3P Learning. The contest is online, for kindergarten to high school, and free for any school to participate. Schools that don’t have Mathletics have free access during the competition (and as early as March 12) so your class can join in the fun–and practice, too.
Throughout the 48 hours, students around the world will complete 20 live math challenges. These 60-second mini-games let students practice math skills in a highly engaging way. They earn points during the math activities–not only for themselves, but also for their class and school. I’ve never seen students unite so quickly into a focused, excited group of learners as when there are points to be scored and prizes to be won. Prizes include trophies for each grade level/division and a live induction ceremony into the World Math Day Hall of Fame.
It is more than just 48 hours of math. Teachers have taken full advantage of World Math Day with individual and collaborative activities leading up to the big day to drum up excitement. One of my personal favorites is making math-related costumes with younger students and then parading around the school. I’ve also seen classes that continue to spark joy in math long after World Math Day has passed. Teachers find it helps them reach every learning type.
There are some studies about gamification in learning you should be aware of, if you aren’t already. Learning solutions that build lesson practice in a gaming environment, like Mathletics, have proven very effective in helping students build a love for learning. They develop intrinsic motivation that can help them with any subject, at any time of the year. Gamified learning also reduces the fear of failure that often results in a fixed mindset. Remove fear of failure and students realize the effort creates ability. Additionally, World Math Day is accessible for all.
Unlike other math contests for elite student mathematicians, World Math Day lets everyone boast that they competed in an international competition. The pride on student’s faces is incredible.
