We can make mathematics fun and engaging if we know the right ways to do it because mathematics is a subject that forms the foundation of many aspects of life. It helps most of us solve many equations or situations in real and daily life.
From solving basic and simple calculations to complex problems, it is a vital tool.
However, for some people, math is frustrating and boring. It is a subject that makes them anxious. If you want to make math fun and engaging, it is only possible with the right approach. With the right approach and teaching aid ideas, it can be interesting and enjoyable.
Right Approach to Make Mathematics Interesting
Here are some strategies you can use or apply to make mathematics interesting and enjoyable:
1. Don’t Just Teach Mathematics
Mathematics is a subject that does not rely on theories only, it also needs to be more practically briefed with examples. It is a myth that you can teach or make mathematics understandable by just drawing figures, and numbers on board, one also needs to include innovative teaching in mathematics.
Yes, initially just for teaching purposes one can use the basic method. But if you want to make mathematics fun and engaging for yourself or your students then you need to look further and discover new strategies to teach mathematics or to make maths easy.
2. Involve Puzzles and Games
One of the best ways to make math learning fun and engaging for students is to incorporate puzzles and games during a math class or lecture.
Now the question arises which games can you include during math class to make it fun? You can incorporate math bingo, sudoku, and board games related to math. These games help gain student’s attention and not let them feel bored, frustrated, and anxious.
If you use games like these, they can provide a different way of learning and can be used as a reward for completing assignments or as a fun way to start a lecture. Primary classes are the best to polish the base of students and teachers should know how to teach math in primary classes.
3. Include Real-Life Examples
Anything in life can get abstract or irrelevant if you cannot see how it relates to your daily life. The same is the case with math, students can feel math abstract and irrelevant if they cannot find it relating to their daily lives. If a teacher wants to make math more engaging for students, it is his/her job to pick examples from their own real-life experiences during the lessons.
Pizza is everyone’s favorite these days, so if a teacher could use pizza to show how to divide it into equal parts. This approach will let students understand and relate math to their daily lives. When teaching students about the circle and its radius or diameter. The teacher can assume pizza as a circle.
This way students will quickly relate math with their real-life equations.
4. Make them Understand the Application of Maths in Everyday life
Every subject we study has applications in our real life consciously or unconsciously. Sometimes we relate situations to our subjects. And sometimes it gets related, but we do not know it.
This is all due to a lack of knowledge or understanding about how to apply it in real life. So, teachers need to teach students about the applications of a subject in their daily lives. Take examples from their real common lives and make the equations relatable for them.
For example, if you are teaching them about integration then tell them the use of integration in their real life. This way they will remain engaged in the class, and their interest will not be lost, it will be more enjoyable for them when they see how the subject is helping them solve the problems of their home life.
5. Include the Use of Technology
There is a revolution in our way of learning and teaching because of technology. And today’s generation loves being around technology. Many apps and websites these days make math more interactive and engaging. These apps and websites offer students math challenges and activities tailored to their abilities.
Some of the latest Technologies and the best English medium school in Gujarat is doing their best to make math as fun as possible, not only for the students but also for the teachers so that they can get engaged in it and relate and apply math in their daily lives.
6. Encourage Working in Group
Students love studying in a group rather than alone. Group work can make math more enjoyable and understandable again. This can make them collaborate and share ideas to solve problems and equations. Math will become more engaging and fun for students if teachers assign group projects.
Teachers can create groups of students and assign them problem-solving activities that will make them work together to find the solution. This way they will also understand the power of teamwork.
Schools in Vadodara Gujarat adapted these techniques to their way of teaching to help students take mathematics as a fun subject.
7. Humor is Equally Important to Include
Don’t be a strict mentor for your students. Unnecessary strictness can kill their fun and engagement, not only in math but in life. Crack jokes, use funny videos or incidents and memes to break the monotony of the lesson, and make your students comfortable enough to ask their doubts and questions. To make math enjoyable for students, focus on creating a relaxed learning environment. If you maintain the right balance between humor and seriousness, their mind will keep refreshing to understand complicated problems easily.
Conclusion
With the right approach to teaching math, it can be fun and engaging at the same time. With such approaches, you can hold the attention of your students. When they find out how math is helpful for them in their daily life, they will ask you questions, initiate conversations with you, and discuss many incidents or situations with you, and this way they will remain engaged in the subject.
Adding humor in teaching is equally important while teaching or studying anything because humor keeps your mind fresh and relaxes your brain and body. And when they study with a fresh and calm mind, it will be more advantageous for them. The use of technology can make their time fun and interesting.
Also, you can use puzzles and games in the class to make it more entertaining for them. Top schools of Vadodara do the same to encourage students to take mathematics as an enjoyable subject.