Modern Math Teacher- Teaching Strategies for High School and Middle School Math Teachers 151 Why Productive Struggle Matters
Part 1 of 6 in the Productive Math Struggle Series
Today we kick off our 6-part series inspired by Productive Math Struggle by John SanGiovanni, Susie Katt, and Kevin Dykema.
In this episode, we unpack Action 1: VALUE the Productive Struggle — and explore why getting stuck is one of the most powerful things that can happen in your math classroom. If you’re ready to shift from “right answer math” to “thinking-first math,” this is your episode. 🧠✨
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Productive struggle is one of NCTM’s eight essential mathematics teaching practices.
- You cannot value productive struggle if you only value right answers
- Giving students the first crack at making meaning (before explicit instruction) is an equity move.
- High expectations are a prerequisite for meaningful struggle — students rise (or fall) to the bar we set.
- Productive struggle builds confidence, identity, perseverance, and agency.
- Unproductive struggle can signal math trauma, shutdown, or avoidance behaviors.
- Behavior is communication — and often a signal that students need support, not rescue.
- A real growth mindset must be lived, not laminated.
✏️ Mini Move of the Week
👉 Name productive struggle out loud every time you see it.
Students need to know when they’re doing something powerful.
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More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast
Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.
Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!
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