Skip to main content

Making Math Engaging for Students Who Say They ‘Hate Math’

We've all heard it: "I hate math!" Whether it's frustration, past struggles, or just disinterest, some students come into our classrooms with their minds made up. But as teachers, we know that math isn't the enemy — and we can change the way our students see it. By making math hands-on, relevant, and interactive, we can help them develop confidence and maybe even enjoy it. Here are some strategies to make math more engaging in middle school:

1. Get Hands-On

Math can feel abstract, but giving students something to touch can make a huge difference.

  • Use manipulatives like fraction tiles, algebra tiles, and pattern blocks.

  • Bring in real-world connections like planning a trip on a budget, doubling or halving a recipe (then having students make the dish!), or designing a dream bedroom with area and perimeter. I've had students plan field trips that they'd like to take - looking at bus schedules, budgets, and timetables. Not only did it engage them in their learning, but they were able to realize the amount of work that goes into field trips!

  • Make it a game! Board games, escape rooms, and card games make practicing math skills way more fun. Check out this blog post for a collection of math games.

2. Connect Math to What They Love

When math relates to students' interests, it stops feeling like a chore.

  • Sports fans? Analyze player stats or calculate probabilities in their favorite games.

  • Artists? Explore symmetry, tessellations, and geometric designs in art.

  • Gamers? Dive into probability, coordinate planes, or algorithms using video games.

  • Social media lovers? Look at engagement rates, data trends, and digital marketing analytics.

  • Projects like Show Me Your Math are a great starting point for teachers to plan!

3. Make It Social

Middle schoolers love to talk, so let’s use that to our advantage.

  • Think-Pair-Share: Let students talk through problems before solving them.

  • Math Stations: Set up different activities that students rotate through in small groups.

  • Group Challenges: Have teams tackle real-world problems together. My students love to try Ted-ED riddles!

4. Build a Growth Mindset

Many students think they’re just "bad at math." We can help shift that mindset by:

  • Praising effort and perseverance rather than just correct answers.

  • Sharing stories of famous mathematicians who struggled but kept going.

  • Encouraging students to see mistakes as part of the learning process.

5. Turn Math into a Story

A good story pulls students in, so why not apply that to math?

  • Mystery Math: Solve equations to unlock clues in a mystery.

  • Math Adventures: Create a class-wide challenge where students solve math problems to progress.

  • Historical Math: Explore how ancient civilizations used math to build pyramids, trade goods, or navigate seas.

6. Celebrate the Wins

Changing attitudes about math doesn’t happen overnight, but celebrating small victories helps.

  • Display student work and progress.

  • Give fun incentives for effort and participation.

  • Recognize growth, not just perfect scores.

At the end of the day, our goal isn’t just to teach math—it’s to help students see that they can do math. The more we make it hands-on, relevant, and fun, the more likely they are to believe in themselves. What’s worked for you? Drop your ideas in the comments!

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Come To Canada! A travel brochure using typical Canadian Stereotypes.

As a wrap-up project to a lesson on stereotypes with a Grade 7 class, I decided to have the students create travel brochures for our great country, but they were only allowed to use typical Canadian stereotypes to bring in tourists. Each student had to include information on food, accommodations, sights, and activities to try.  It was hilarious to read what they came up with!  I was very impressed with their final projects!  Some students included typical Canadian advertisements, as well! So, what do you think? Would this work in your classroom? Have you done something similar? Let me know in the comments below. Looking for more great tips and ideas for middle school? Subscribe to my email list and receive an exclusive FREE sub plans resource. It includes plans for math, ELA, science, social studies, and Core French. Click  here  to subscribe.
4 comments
Read more

Using Disney's "Inside Out" With Middle Schoolers

I love Disney movies!  My first memory of going to see a movie in the theatre was with my mom and sister when I was about 3 to see The Little Mermaid.  Since then, I've been hooked.  I still go to see Disney movies with my sister when they come out in the theatre, but now we also take her 5-year old son (most of the time). When I saw "Inside Out" this summer, I loved it!  It takes place inside the brain of an 11-year-old girl named Riley.  The main characters are Riley's emotions - Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger.  The emotions interact with each other and steer Riley through her days, creating memories.  Riley's core memories (important times in her life) create aspects of her personality as Personality Islands.  Riley's 5 main personality islands are Goofball Island, Family Island, Friends Island, Hockey Island, and Honesty Island. When Riley was young, Joy was steering most of her actions, but in the course of the movie, Riley's f...
4 comments
Read more

Personal Coat Of Arms

My Grade 8's have been studying the Medieval Period in Social Studies.  As we were looking at the Magna Carta, several students asked about the Coats of Arms around the outside of the document.  They were quite interested in them, so we ended up researching the Coat of Arms of our school's namesake.  That's when I decided to have my students create one of their own. Several students researched their own family crest and used symbols and images they found from their ancestors.  Others included pictures of things that were important to them. For the assignment, I asked them to include at least 4 symbols that represent themselves in some way.  In addition to the Coat of Arms, they needed to include a write-up explaining the significance of each image. I think next year I will use this activity as a beginning of the year "get to know you" activity.  It can easily be adapted to fit any grade.  Even Kindergarten students could draw pictures and talk...
5 comments
Read more