Math Now: Problem-Solving in a Pandemic
December 2, 2020
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, teachers have had to adjust their teaching techniques for classes that now sometimes take place online. Among the toughest subjects to do that for? Mathematics. It’s also the subject in which students seem to be losing the most ground.
To keep math learning somewhat on course, teachers are trimming standards, ditching answer-getting tests, and using games and apps to supplement instruction. They’re also finding ways to engage students over screens, including with lessons about how math and social justice intersect. And they’re leaning on parents perhaps more than ever. This special reporting series looks at how COVID-19 has affected achievement, instruction, assessment, and engagement in math.
To keep math learning somewhat on course, teachers are trimming standards, ditching answer-getting tests, and using games and apps to supplement instruction. They’re also finding ways to engage students over screens, including with lessons about how math and social justice intersect. And they’re leaning on parents perhaps more than ever. This special reporting series looks at how COVID-19 has affected achievement, instruction, assessment, and engagement in math.
- Mathematics Editor's Note: Teaching Math in the Era of COVID-19An early look at pandemic-related school disruptions suggests one area of learning in particular stands to be affected: mathematics.Mathematics Kids Are Behind in Math Because of COVID-19. Here’s What Research Says Could HelpPrevious studies can provide a window into why math learning is taking a big hit during the pandemic, and what educators can do about it.Mathematics Digital Math Games and Apps: What Works and What Doesn't?Teachers are using a variety of games, videos, and apps to supplement online math instruction—but not all of them are created equal.Mathematics The Problem With Giving Math Tests Online and How Teachers Are Solving ItWith students working remotely, there’s no point in administering assessments that ask them to give a single answer; it’s too easy to cheat.Mathematics Teacher Tips: Keeping Kids Engaged During Online Math ClassMath teachers share advice for making remote instruction work.Mathematics Teaching Math Through a Social Justice LensTeachers are drawing on high-profile issues such as policing, the spread of the pandemic, and campaign finance to explore math concepts.Mathematics How Parents and Schools Can Work Together to Keep Math Learning on TrackCollaboration doesn’t require turning parents into math experts, classroom teachers say.