In an article for EducationWeek, Larry Ferlazzo highlights ways teachers can teach math to show students its relevance in their lives. Ferlazzo highlights math professionals and long-time math teachers, who share their strategies.
The first teacher is Emily Burrell, who suggests teachers should cultivate students' thoughts around mathematics by carefully listening to them when they have questions. When students feel heard and that their teacher understands all the approaches they used, they will grow the confidence to later tackle problems without teacher assistance.
Mathematics author and CEO Deborah Peart Crayton recommends teachers give students a purpose for solving math problems, such as taking a problem they are having and using math to solve it. She used a problem like limited supply of milk at lunch to walk students through a solution using math.
Ralph Pantozzi, an award winning math teacher, suggests teachers be transparent about why students are learning a particular skill and how it will apply to future skills. When students make more connections, they will learn and retain more information.
Finally, Sarah Nichols, a secondary teacher, notes the importance of cooperative learning such as working in groups and talking about mistakes. Telling students they are learning concrete skills needed to be successful adults, not just mathematicians, will help them better understand its relevance.
To learn more about the methods these professionals recommended and/or used in a classroom, read the full article on the EducationWeek website.