Creating Math "Attack"ers

Word problems.  The scariest task for most students and the most overwhelming lesson for most teachers to instruct.  It's the skill many teachers claim, "some students have and others just don't".  Or is it?  Can we reach the most unsuccessful students and even more can we shift this task from being perceived as an intimidating burden into a challenging brain teaser that's fun!?

This year I have joined the club and have added a new buzz word into my students' vocabulary: growth mindset.  The growth mindset instills that failure is just a stopping point on the way to success.  It's not the end of the journey!  

We have begun using phrases in our classroom such as:

"I don't have it YET, but I will." 

not "I can't do this."

and

"I made a mistake, but I learned..." 

instead of "I stink at this."

This language is vital when placing students in situations they are hesitant and unsure about.  It creates a climate that encourages one another to challenge themselves and to not be afraid of failure! Word problems are scary to students whom not only struggle with the math concepts, but also in the simple task of breaking down the problem.  

Ergo...the strategies!  Oh, the strategies! 

Discuss word clues.

Teach organization.  

Create visuals.

Encourage discussions

Share misconceptions.

Word clues are the clues that help make the puzzle fun!  Once students understand that the word problem provide them with all the information they need to solve, it shifts from an endless wandering into a purposeful plan of attack!  Those word problems have become impossible possible!

The word problem included that each student collected a certain number of cans.  The student recognizes that if "each" is used as a clue word, she can multiply to find the total number of cans.  She also boxes "how many more" and identifies this as a subtraction clue word.  Now, she has a clear plan to attack the problem!

Organization, a scattered brained, 4th grader's best friend!  It sounds so simple, but it isn't a strategy that comes naturally...it is a skill that must be taught.  Spacing is key.  Many students begin solving problems within the mult-step word problem and lose track of where they are and what they still need to solve.  This is where many students give up.  We must teach them to keep track of their own progress as they are solving.  When they plan the number of steps they will need to carry out to solve the problem, organizing a clear space to complete each of those steps is a simple strategy to focus students that become overwhelmed easily. Labeling each step helps students feel like they have a checklist to carry out.

It's important to teach students to organize problems using divided areas, labels, and clue words for themselves to keep track of what they have solved and what they still need to solve.

Click HERE for a Christmas themed multi-step word problem FREEBIE from my TpT store!

Visuals help students identify exactly what the words mean.  Common core encourages students to create models when solving math problems.  Students need to be shown how and when to use this strategy.  

Discussions provide opportunities to share their own strategies and hear others.  In the beginning of the year when students share out how they solved a word problem whole group, if a student's idea looked different then their own, they quickly said it was wrong.  Regardless if they calculated the same answer, they were sure the student was wrong.  At this age it is so important to teach students that there is more than one way...this can be surprising to many!  The fun part begins when they start to understand this and comment on the strategy the student used to solve the problem.  They begin to notice other strategies that work and may have been more simple than their own.  They encourage one another and give tips on what to do next time.  The discussion becomes student-led and the roles shift.  Students take more ownership, ask questions for clarification, and challenge one another. This is where the magic happens, my friends.

These students were having a fantastic discussion regarding their own ways of solving the problem.
Two strategies, one great discussion!

Don't be afraid to let them share misconceptions.  This is where the true learning takes place.  While it may not seem like a strategy for solving word problems, it is one of the most valuable strategies I use in my classroom.  This allows students to share moments that confused them and ask questions for the future.  This is another step in the growth mindset.  It encourages students to share their mistakes, to learn from themselves, and others, instilling self-monitoring.  

For example, a student shared when solving this problem they estimated.  They saw "an average" in the problem, didn't read closely enough, and accidentally estimated the difference rather than solving for the exact difference.  This provided an opportunity to discuss the word "average" in this context.   

Word problems have become an engaging brain tease, rather than a scary, impossible challenge.  You'll be amazed what a little organization and the right mindset will do for your students, as well!

Looking for your own multi-step word problems to try with your students?  Check out these fun Christmas themed multi-step word problems by clicking HERE!

Thanks for reading!  

Leave a comment to share what you try in your classroom to make word problems a little less scary!