Success Factors for Struggling Math Students

1. Success Factors for Struggling Math Students By the time they reach high school, some students are convinced that they can't do math. You can help students realize they can do math, and enjoy it too! You can build student confidence and engage students in meaningful learning that leads to success. Presented by: Stephanie.Gower-Storey@epsb.ca Resource Development Services, Edmonton Public Schools

2. Building Student Confidence Opportunities for students to master learning tasks, to see successful behaviour modeled by people similar to themselves, to hear teachers verbally commend their ability, and to diffuse their stress reactions will lead to greater self-efficacy. Enhanced self-efficacy will lead to greater motivation and involvement. (Bandura 2000)

3. Building Student Confidence • Glossary and examples like those in the Life Math Student Study Guide • Manageable projects and assignments • Group work • Specific positive encouragement of students’ abilities • Test-taking, reading, and learning strategies • Predictable classroom routines, procedures, and expectations • Using graphic organizers to help students make valid inferences (especially in problem solving) • Modeling through activities such as Think-Aloud and Read-Aloud

4. Building Student Confidence

5. Engaging & Meaningful Learning Teachers must allow meaningful student participation through project-based learning and student choice. (Krovetz) Finding ways to have students share their culture and talents in and out of the classroom will promote student participation. (Prater 2002)

6. Engaging & Meaningful Learning • Real knowledge of and connection to your students and their outside lives • Encourage group and cooperative learning • Assessment that matches instruction and curriculum (as encouraged in NCTM Standards) • Allow for student choice • Engaging classroom instruction • Activate prior knowledge

7. Engaging & Meaningful Learning

8. Leading Students to Success Engaged students will have dignity and energy and become self-managing and aware. Their classroom will become a caring community. (Harmin 1994) High teacher expectations will be significant factors in student success. (Alberta Learning)

9. Leading Students to Success • Offer students an opportunity to get caught up • Attendance incentives • Smaller homework assignments • Tutorials • Teaching to a variety of modalities • High expectations • A positive welcoming attitude “Welcome back, let’s go from here” • Flexible programming • A balance among appropriate and varied assessment methods

10. Leading Students to Success

11. Next Steps Choose one strategy you would like to try with your students. Write yourself a postcard asking if you’ve tried the strategy yet and offering encouragement. Return the postcards to me to mail to you later in the semester.

12. Next Steps - Further Reading Alberta Learning. (2001). Removing barriers to high school completion – final report. Edmonton, AB, Canada: System Improvement and Reporting Division. Bandura, A. (2000, Summer) Self-Efficacy and the construction of an optimistic self. Reaching today’s youth P18, National Education Service. Harmin, M. (1994). Inspiring active learning, a handbook for teachers. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Krovetz, M. L. (1999). Fostering Resiliency: Expecting all students to use their minds and hearts well. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Mackenzie, N. (2005), Reading the Runes. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Resource Development Services. Prater, Loretta P. (2002). Educating all learners, refocusing the comprehensive support model. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Resource Development Services. (2004). Real Math. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Resource Development Services Resource Development Services. (2005). Life Math. Edmonton, AB, Canada : Resource Development Services Walker, C. (1999). Pushing the Pencil. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Resource Development Services. Walker, C. (1999). Think Again. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Resource Development Services. Walker, C. & Antaya-Moore, D. (1999). Thinking Tools. Edmonton, AB, Canada: Resource Development Services.