ABOUT THIS EPISODE
How do you encourage productive struggle in math without leaving students feeling frustrated or stuck? And how can you help struggling students without immediately showing them what to do?
In this episode of Math Chat, Mona explores what productive struggle in math really looks like and why our instinct to help students can sometimes take away the very thinking we want them to do.
You'll discover how to get curious before getting helpful, differentiate math instruction in the moment, and use intentional questions to support students without taking over their mathematical thinking.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- What productive struggle in math means and why it matters
- How to recognize when students need support without immediately rescuing them
- Three questions to ask before helping a student who is stuck
- How to use Nudges and Nuggets to support student thinking
- Why understanding a student's learning trajectory helps you differentiate in the moment
- How to build students' confidence and persistence as mathematical problem solvers
Try this in your math classroom:
The next time a student struggles with a math problem, pause and ask yourself:
- What does this student already understand?
- What are they trying to do?
- What's the smallest nudge or nugget I could offer to help them keep thinking?
Productive struggle doesn't mean leaving students to figure everything out alone. It means providing thoughtful support while allowing students to do the mathematical thinking.
Because ultimately, we want students to believe:
"I can stay with hard things."
Keep learning with Mona:
Explore Word Problem Workshop for practical ways to get students thinking, solving, and talking in math. Buy the Book Here!
Visit monamath.com for more resources, math teaching strategies, and professional learning.
Connect on Instagram: @hellomonamath
