School’s Out! How To Wrap Up Your Year

We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience. -John Dewey

Through reflection, we grow. Our attitudes change. Our awareness changes. We improve what we are providing our students. Our professional growth allows us to be better educators. This week I wanted to post some questions that we could ask ourselves at the end of the year to reflect and improve upon next year.

Let’s start with something positive…

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

Another success I had this year was providing an elementary school with its first World Math Day celebration. To read more about that, click here World Math Day.

Rosalba McFadden talking with some students while they are working on a math logic puzzle on World Math Day.

 

What was the biggest mistake you made this year? How can you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

 

Was there a lesson that went terribly wrong? Tech issues? What were your bloopers of the year?

A meme of Kevin from the TV show the office spilling chilli on the floor then laying in it.

                                         How can we learn from our mistake, so we don’t sit in the chili again?

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

Another success I had this year was providing an elementary school with its first World Math Day celebration. To read more about that, click here World Math Day.

Rosalba McFadden talking with some students while they are working on a math logic puzzle on World Math Day.

 

What was the biggest mistake you made this year? How can you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

 

Was there a lesson that went terribly wrong? Tech issues? What were your bloopers of the year?

A meme of Kevin from the TV show the office spilling chilli on the floor then laying in it.

                                         How can we learn from our mistake, so we don’t sit in the chili again?

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

Did you help a student come out of their shell? Was there a specific lesson that went well? Did you try out a new strategy? Were you using more manipulatives? Did you start a new club? Or incorporate technology somehow?

Students gathered around a table completing a math activity from the Crazy 8 Math Club.

One success I am proud of this year was providing the Crazy 8 Math Club to a school I worked in. Because of its success, the district will branch out the club to the other elementary schools within it.

Another success I had this year was providing an elementary school with its first World Math Day celebration. To read more about that, click here World Math Day.

Rosalba McFadden talking with some students while they are working on a math logic puzzle on World Math Day.

 

What was the biggest mistake you made this year? How can you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

 

Was there a lesson that went terribly wrong? Tech issues? What were your bloopers of the year?

A meme of Kevin from the TV show the office spilling chilli on the floor then laying in it.

                                         How can we learn from our mistake, so we don’t sit in the chili again?

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

What are some things you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

Did you help a student come out of their shell? Was there a specific lesson that went well? Did you try out a new strategy? Were you using more manipulatives? Did you start a new club? Or incorporate technology somehow?

Students gathered around a table completing a math activity from the Crazy 8 Math Club.

One success I am proud of this year was providing the Crazy 8 Math Club to a school I worked in. Because of its success, the district will branch out the club to the other elementary schools within it.

Another success I had this year was providing an elementary school with its first World Math Day celebration. To read more about that, click here World Math Day.

Rosalba McFadden talking with some students while they are working on a math logic puzzle on World Math Day.

 

What was the biggest mistake you made this year? How can you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

 

Was there a lesson that went terribly wrong? Tech issues? What were your bloopers of the year?

A meme of Kevin from the TV show the office spilling chilli on the floor then laying in it.

                                         How can we learn from our mistake, so we don’t sit in the chili again?

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

What are some things you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

Did you help a student come out of their shell? Was there a specific lesson that went well? Did you try out a new strategy? Were you using more manipulatives? Did you start a new club? Or incorporate technology somehow?

Students gathered around a table completing a math activity from the Crazy 8 Math Club.

One success I am proud of this year was providing the Crazy 8 Math Club to a school I worked in. Because of its success, the district will branch out the club to the other elementary schools within it.

Another success I had this year was providing an elementary school with its first World Math Day celebration. To read more about that, click here World Math Day.

Rosalba McFadden talking with some students while they are working on a math logic puzzle on World Math Day.

 

What was the biggest mistake you made this year? How can you avoid making the same mistake in the future?

 

Was there a lesson that went terribly wrong? Tech issues? What were your bloopers of the year?

A meme of Kevin from the TV show the office spilling chilli on the floor then laying in it.

                                         How can we learn from our mistake, so we don’t sit in the chili again?

What is one way that you grew professionally this year?

 

Did you attend more professional development? Perhaps you wrapped up another degree. Did you read a good education book?

Amazon has taken all my money (don’t tell my husband). I love to read and I love to learn. Amazon helps support this hobby (or addiction). I’m not quite sure which one it is yet. I try to read one educational book each month. Yes, that is excessive. Even if you read one per year and get something out of it that you could implement in your room, it’s worth it.

The book Math Recess Playful Learning in an Age of Disruption placed on the Zenned Math desk.

 

I try to participate in online book clubs and Twitter slow chats. A Twitter slow chat is an online conversation about a book. One person tweets out questions and everyone else can answer day or night, you just have to include the hashtag. When I need a break from reading I often look for webinars to watch.

What is something you would change about this year if you could?

Was your schedule inconvenient? Did you bring too much work home? We can’t really control what life brings our way, but we could take steps to change how we deal with it.

A button switch which has the top part with the word change and the bottom part with the word same.

 

What were your biggest organizational challenges this year?

 

Centers? Files? Games? Manipulatives? Google Drive/Dropbox?

This is an excellent time for you to think about how you would set up your room for the upcoming one and what system you want in place to make your day to day run smoother. Interested in ways to set up your classroom next year? Read What You Really Need For The Perfect Classroom Setup.

What has caused you the most stress this year?

Too many meeting? Amount of grading? Implementing new initiatives?
A teachers workload can be detrimental to the teacher and the student. Check out, Teacher Workload Is Destroying Education. Some things about our day are out of our hands, but there is a lot we could advocate to change that would reduce our stress and workload.

Take a second to answer these questions for yourself. Decide on one thing you can improve upon next year and tackle it. If you feel brave enough comment below with an answer to one of these. We’re a community of learners and can learn from each other.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row]

Want to check out more?

MEMBERSHIP SITE:

https://zennedmath.com/online-courses/ 

FACEBOOK GROUP: Zenned Math Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zennedmathteachers/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Zenned Math

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5njH_5LoK6G67BvZecGfnw?

WANT ME IN YOUR INBOX? Sign up for my newsletter

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5efc876dcaabca0028b95eb5

DISCLAIMER: Some links included in this blog might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! 

[/et_pb_section]

Math Struggles Ain’t Just About Numbers

Let’s be B.F.F.R—math can stress kids out. You’ve seen it: the frozen-in-place stare, the pencil tapping like it’s sending an SOS, or the classic “I CAN’T DO THIS!” meltdown before even trying. But here’s the thing—most of the time, their struggle isn’t about numbers. It’s about mindset.

What if we borrowed some life coaching techniques to help our students not just survive math but actually thrive in it? Let’s break it down into simple, practical ways you can empower your students without turning into a full-blown therapist.

 Reframe the Narrative (A.K.A. Flip the Script on “I’m Bad at Math”)

Ever notice how kids say “I’m bad at math” like it’s their official personality trait? That belief is holding them back more than any tricky word problem ever could.

How to Do It:

  • When a student says, “I suck at math,” respond with: “You’re still learning. Let’s find a way that makes sense to you.”
  • Introduce the Power of Yet: “You don’t get it… yet. But your brain is working on it!”
  • Share stories of people who struggled with math and overcame it (bonus points if you can find famous athletes, musicians, or influencers).

Remind them that they once thought tying their shoes was impossible, and look at them now—shoe-tying pros. Math is just another skill that takes practice.

Teach Emotional Regulation (Because Frustration Is a Math Blocker)

We can’t expect students to push through challenges if they’re spiraling into math-induced panic mode. When frustration kicks in, their brains hit the “I’m out!” button.

How to Do It:

  • Pause & Breathe: Before jumping to the “I CAN’T,” have students take a deep breath. Try “breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4.” Simple, but it works.
  • Break It Down: Instead of tackling the whole problem at once, ask, “What’s one thing we DO know?” Small wins build confidence.
  • Normalize Struggle: Post a sign in your classroom: “Mistakes Mean You’re Learning.” Say it. Live it. Believe it! As Naruto says.

Set Micro-Goals (Because Big Goals Can Feel Overwhelming)

If a kid already feels lost, telling them “just keep practicing” is like saying, “just climb this mountain real quick.” Instead, break it into steps.

How to Do It:

  • Instead of “Get better at multiplication,” set a goal like: “Practice a doubling/halving strategy.”
  • Use progress charts so students can SEE their growth. 
  • Celebrate the small wins! Even if they only got one more right than last time—that’s growth!

Remind them “If you can memorize every single lyric to that TikTok song, you can 100% remember a few math strategies.” 
Honestly research shows long term memory is activated when we leverage different modalities in our lessons. It’s how the brain learns math.

Shift from Performance to Progress (Because Speed Ain’t Everything)

Fluency is about thinking efficiently, not racing to the answer. The goal isn’t to turn kids into human calculators—it’s to help them use numbers flexibly.

How to Do It:

  • Replace timed tests with strategy-based challenges (ex: “How many ways can you solve 12 × 8?”).
  • Instead of praising fast answers, celebrate smart strategies: “Ooooh, I love how you broke that down!”
  • Remind them that even adults use tools like calculators and sticky notes—real math is about knowing how to approach problems, not just getting the answer instantly.

 Teach Self-Talk (Because Their Inner Voice Matters More Than You Know)

The way kids talk to themselves about math shapes their experience with it. If they constantly say, “I can’t do this,” their brain believes it. Time to switch up the self-talk game.

How to Do It:

  • Teach “I can” statements: Instead of “I don’t get it,” try “I don’t get it YET, but I can figure this out.”
  • Have students write down one math strength (even if it’s “I’m good at counting on my fingers” – that’s a start!).
  • Encourage students to talk to themselves like they’d talk to a friend. Would they tell a friend, “You’re dumb at math”? No? Then don’t say it to yourself either!

Emphasize- “You wouldn’t let your best friend talk trash about you, so don’t let your brain do it either!”

Coaching Math Mindsets for the Win

At the end of the day, teaching math fluency isn’t just about numbers—it’s about helping kids believe they can figure things out. When we shift from just teaching math to coaching their mindset, we create students who are not only fluent in math but confident in life.

So, here’s your challenge: What’s one small move you can try this week? Whether it’s shifting self-talk, celebrating small wins, or breaking down frustration, pick one and run with it.

Oh, and if you want more strategies like these, check out my Figuring Out Fluency series, (Book 1) (Book 2) where we make fluency engaging, empowering, and (most importantly) actually make sense.

And if you want more math mindset strategies, grab my Guide For Teachers To Help Students With Growth Mindset