Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance

by John J. SanGiovanni, Susie Katt, Kevin J Dykema

All students face struggle, and they should―it is how they learn and grow. The teacher’s job is not to remove struggle, but rather to value and harness it, helping students develop good habits of productive struggle. But what’s missing for many educators is an action plan for how to achieve this, especially when it comes to math. This book guides teachers through six specific actions―including valuing, fostering, building, planning, supporting, and reflecting on struggle―to create a game plan for overcoming obstacles by sharing ·         Actionable steps, activities, and tools for implementation ·         Instructional tasks representative of each grade level ·         Real-world examples showcasing classroom photos and student work

Genres: Education, Mathematics, Teaching, Nonfiction, Professional Development

216 pages, Paperback

Published April 17, 2020

Reviews

[Tamyka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book a 3 for experienced educators who have been operationalizing the standards of mathematical practices specifically #1 for more than 10 years now and a 5 for educators new to the practice. It has good examples, definitions, and explanations but nothing that pushes the work forward if you are already rolling with this.

[Alyssa Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Research behind the benefit of productive struggle and multiple examples of how to support it in the math classroom.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good refresher on helping kids think through math. Nice teacher suggestions along the way, many very easy to implement.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Productive struggle is necessary for learning mathematics with understanding”

“Communicate the message that the struggle students experience is not a sign that they are incapable of learning”

“Incorporating opportunities to reflect on struggle consistently reinforces that it is valued and plays an important role in learning mathematics”

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's natural for teachers to gravitate towards philosophies of teaching math that reflect the way we were taught math. While some of the ideas behind these techniques are fundamental in building mathematical thinking, others may be outdated or not inclusive of all learners. This is a great book for challenging some of these ideas and providing practical solutions that one can put into practice.

The approach and ideas are not specific to any one topic, but applicable to building resilient, independent/critical mathematical thinking. The strategies range from addressing the affective aspects of learning mathematics (important, given how widespread anxiety around mathematics is), planning 'constructive' learning lessons (examples from specific topics given), and engaging interactions that build mathematical thinking. It's interesting to see how each of these strategies work with and complement each other.

This would be a great book to read with an interested colleague and to work together to try the different strategies presented in the book.

[Deryk Rumbold · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Productive Struggle cannot be valued if we don't value math beyond right answers."

The kind of math educational writing that gets me excited and raises the bar to push forward excellence. Sometimes the word rigor just gets thrown around in the world of education more out of obligation but it is refreshing to read a book that is fully convinced that appropriate rigor is the best approach.

Overall a lot of the practical examples skew towards the elementary side but there are still general things I could pull from them. Out of curiosity I do like to see things like studies with some data behind it, to see location and demographics with the methods which wasn't very forwardly present but then again it is the general principles that probably don't need a whole lot of back up. "Productive Struggle makes for actual learning" = "Vegetables are good for you".

[Brittany Libell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is most definitely in my top 5 for books to read as professional development. It gave shape to many of my ideas about math interventions, provided solid examples of how to push students to think deeply and embrace a struggle, and left me with ideas that I could put into action immediately. Math teachers should read this without hesitation and I think that it is a valuable resource for parents too. As so many of us struggle to watch our kids struggle, this book is a solid reminder of why we want kids to learn to struggle through tasks.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good nuggets in this book, but I am bothered by the lack of citations. Authors cite Hattie on self-efficacy (o.64) for students but omit the data for explicit instruction (o.63) and instead discourage readers from using explicit instruction. This was disappointing. Also frustrating was the fact that this book was printed with grey ink. Why?


https://www.cis.org.au/wp-content/upl...

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran a book study with the math department at my high school with this book. I am so passionate about how these ideas has transformed learning for our students. The teachers who participated in the study were excited about what was happening in their classrooms. And it is MARCH! There are so many implications for all content areas, not just math. A must read for ALL teachers wanting to focus on the learner as a whole!

[Sarah Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started rather slow. However chapter 4 the all gets rolling! Best chapter of the book because it demonstrates how to do one of the 11 ways to modify a math task. Very doable for teachers; the small shifts that are powerful in equipping students as critical thinkers. (Moving them away from answer producers.)

[Kasaundra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book had a lot of good ideas in it. There were some times when I was like wow this would not work in a high school classroom, but there were still a lot of things that would. I really liked the snapshots of teachers that started each chapter and how each chapter offered ideas and also tips to be successful. All in all, a good read for professional development.

[Reagan Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this book gives examples of how productive struggle can look (through narratives about teachers), and gives specific activity ideas for teachers to use in their classrooms. It’s a great starting point for teachers who want to improve their math instruction!

[Mellen Michaud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent way to review positive struggle with math in the early years of learning. If you are a new to the field teacher, this book will be extremely helpful. For more experienced educators this book is a strong reminder on better teaching practices with math.

[Baguley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical, well-written, and research based. An excellent resource!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an incredible read for any math teacher! Super pragmatic with ready resources to download and implement. Best math book resource so far.

[Halle Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to implementing this action plan so my students can struggle productively this fall!

[Kris Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't picture myself facilitating any of the rah rah community building or yay me math identity activities. But I don't teach math so who cares? I was along for the book study ride.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ideas for helping students in math.

[Alex Kash · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a good job connecting ideas in math ed. Probably better for beginners and definitely geared toward elementary grades.

[Tammy McMorrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best math books I've ever read. In fact, it's right up there with Building Thinking Classrooms. Every math teacher should read it.

[Sbwisni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

2023 OCTM Summer Book Study book

[Tabitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great how-to guide for how to encourage and support productive struggle in math students. I love all of the suggested activities. Highly recommend.

[Michele]

Looking forward to using many of the ideas and activities in the new school year!

[Addie Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent PD book for math instruction at all levels. Lots of practical applications and aligned with NCCTM guidance and research.

[Erikalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that sets some straight forward goals on how to improve productive struggle in your math class. There were tons of ideas for each of the 6 steps!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every math teacher should read this.