As a middle school ELA teacher, I’ve spent years diving into books, helping students craft essays, and making sense of metaphors. But, if I’m honest, math has always been a bit of a mystery to me. However, thanks to my colleague, an amazing middle school math teacher with expertise in math teaching techniques for middle school, I’ve learned some incredibly effective strategies. She has this wonderful ability to take complex math concepts and make them not only understandable but fun for her students. And as someone who works right down the hall from her, I’ve picked up some of her secrets.
Whether you’re a math teacher or an ELA teacher like me, these math teaching techniques for middle school are guaranteed to help your students not just survive math but thrive. Let’s dive into these five proven techniques you can use in your classroom.
1. Start with Real-World Connections
Why Real-World Connections Work as a Math Teaching Technique for Middle School
Middle schoolers are at that funny age where they’re constantly asking, “When will I ever need this?” If they don’t see the point, they tend to tune out, especially with a subject like math. One of the best math teaching techniques for middle school is to start every lesson with a real-world connection.
By showing students how math ties into their everyday lives, they start to care a little more. I’ve even seen this technique work wonders with my students in ELA. When we connect a theme in a novel to a current event or show a character’s problem-solving skills as an example, kids are more engaged because they see how the lesson matters outside the classroom.
Examples to Try
In math, my colleague uses examples like budgeting for a class project or calculating sports statistics. She’ll have students figure out how much they’d need to save for a school trip or break down the probability of making a free throw in basketball.
I remember watching her teach a lesson on percentages by relating it to sales. She asked students to calculate the final price of an item with a 20% discount (something they’ve definitely seen at the mall). Suddenly, their eyes lit up—they were motivated to figure it out because it mattered to them.
ELA tie-in: In my class, I do something similar when teaching persuasive writing. I’ll have students write about something relevant to their world—like convincing their parents to let them stay up later or asking for more time on their phones. Real-world relevance makes all the difference, and it’s one of the top math teaching techniques for middle school.
2. Use Visuals and Manipulatives
Why Visuals and Manipulatives Are Effective Math Teaching Techniques for Middle School
Let’s face it—math can feel abstract, especially for middle schoolers. I’ve seen it firsthand. Sometimes, when I walk into my colleague’s classroom, I see the looks on the kids’ faces when a math problem seems like a foreign language. That’s where visuals and manipulatives come in as powerful math teaching techniques for middle school.
By providing a way for students to physically interact with math, they start to make connections they couldn’t see before. This strategy is especially effective for students who struggle with traditional methods of learning math.
Examples to Try
One day, I peeked into my colleague’s classroom when she was teaching fractions. She was using fraction bars, and suddenly everything clicked for her students. They were able to physically see how fractions work by manipulating the pieces. She also uses geometric shapes for lessons on area and volume, giving her students something to hold and explore.
There are also digital tools she incorporates into her lessons, like graphing apps where students can adjust variables and see instant results. These interactive tools make math come alive and are proven math teaching techniques for middle school.
ELA tie-in: In ELA, I use visual aids like story maps or graphic organizers. These help students break down complex stories and ideas, just like manipulatives help break down complex math problems. Visuals work across subjects to deepen understanding.
Offering choice not only helps students feel more in control but also teaches them there’s more than one way to approach a problem.
3. Break Down Concepts into Smaller Steps
Why Breaking Down Concepts Works as a Math Teaching Technique for Middle School
Middle schoolers can easily feel overwhelmed by big math problems. My colleague is a master at taking a seemingly impossible equation and breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps. She always tells me that it’s about making the problem “bite-sized” so students don’t feel like giving up before they even start. This is one of the essential math teaching techniques for middle school because it builds confidence.
And isn’t that what we do in ELA as well? When I teach essay writing, I don’t just tell my students to write a five-paragraph essay and send them on their way. I guide them through brainstorming, drafting, editing, and finalizing. Breaking tasks into steps is effective across all subjects, but it’s especially crucial in math.
Examples to Try
For example, when my colleague teaches multi-step equations, she’ll start by walking students through the first step—like isolating a variable. Once they’ve mastered that, she adds the next step. By the end, they’re solving the whole equation, but they’ve built up their skills step by step.
One of her favorite phrases is, “Let’s tackle one step at a time.” And that’s exactly what students need to hear. It keeps them from getting overwhelmed and helps them build confidence as they go. Breaking down tasks is one of the most accessible math teaching techniques for middle school.
4. Encourage Peer Collaboration
Why Peer Collaboration Is a Key Math Teaching Technique for Middle School
You know that moment when a student explains something to another student, and suddenly the whole room gets it? That’s the power of peer collaboration, one of the most effective math teaching techniques for middle school. Sometimes hearing it from a classmate makes the concept “click” in a way it doesn’t when coming from a teacher.
In ELA, I love using peer review sessions for writing projects. Not only does it give students a chance to share their work, but they also get to see other ways of approaching a task. The same benefits hold true for math.
Examples to Try
My colleague often sets up math games or group problem-solving sessions where students work together to solve a challenge. She once told me about a project where students worked in small groups to “shop” for school supplies within a certain budget, using real prices. It was amazing to see how they pooled their skills to solve the problem—and how much they learned in the process.
Pairing students together can also be helpful, especially when one student is stronger in a particular math concept. They often help explain things to each other in ways that a teacher might not even think of. Encouraging peer collaboration is a standout among math teaching techniques for middle school because it fosters deep understanding and confidence.
5. Differentiate Instruction and Offer Choice
Why Differentiated Instruction and Choice Are Essential Math Teaching Techniques for Middle School
One of the greatest things about middle schoolers is that they all learn in different ways and at different paces. In a math classroom, it’s crucial to differentiate instruction so every student can engage with the material at their own level. Differentiation and choice are vital math teaching techniques for middle school because they respect each student’s learning needs.
My colleague is really good at offering choice to her students, letting them approach problems in ways that make sense to them. When students feel like they have some control over their learning, they’re more motivated to succeed.
Examples to Try
In her classroom, she often provides different levels of math problems on the same topic. For example, when they’re learning about geometry, some students might work on basic problems with angles while others tackle more complex shapes and proofs. It’s all about meeting students where they are.
She also lets them choose how they solve a problem—whether that’s using algebra, drawing a diagram, or using manipulatives. Offering choice not only helps students feel more in control but also teaches them there’s more than one way to approach a problem. Differentiated instruction is a powerful math teaching technique for middle school.
ELA tie-in: In my classroom, I provide students with a choice of writing prompts or even how they want to present their projects (whether it’s an essay, a presentation, or even a video). The more we offer choice, the more our students take ownership of their learning.
Conclusion
These five techniques—real-world connections, visuals, breaking down steps, peer collaboration, and offering choice—have been proven time and again to help middle schoolers succeed in math. I’ve seen the difference they make, both in my colleague’s classroom and in my own ELA teaching. Whether you teach math or any other subject, these math teaching techniques for middle school will keep your students engaged, build their confidence, and ultimately help them develop a love for learning.
So, next time you’re planning a math lesson, give these techniques a try. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference they can make!
