IMPACT Live!

What elements do you incorporate in your class to make learning math feel less like drudgery and more interesting to students?

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Luke Walsh
Instructor
Catawba Valley CC
Hickory NC
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Hi Luke-

I find the most traction and engagement with students when I am able to channel my own passion and curiosity about the subject. The particular examples or elements are actually far less important than this, in my experience.  The days when I cannot conjure that energy, it seems it is also lacking for students.

So I would say, find examples or projects in class that allow this to come out for the instructor, which will definitely be personal in nature.  

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Sean Maley
Finger Lakes CC
Canandaigua NY
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Hi Luke,

I hope you are well and thank you for the question.

One element I incorporate as part of the lesson is peer-led teamwork. The peer leaders (who have taken the course before) increase the team's ability and not necessary reduce the question's challenge, by giving hints. At the end we all judge the solutions identify and label the mathematical concept(s) behind each step. This way students monitor their learning and understand that being stuck while working on a problem is part of it.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." (Churchill)   

A positive attitude towards learning leads to higher achievement, and high achievement leads to more favorable attitudes towards learning and so on.

All the best, Bukurie

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Bukurie Gjoci
Assistant Professor
CUNY - LaGuardia CC
Long Island City NY
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