Tips for Teaching Algebra

As a maths teacher, you may remember the stress of being responsible for your students’ future, especially when they reach high school. In fact, there are various areas in which students need to demonstrate competency at the required level. Not to mention that stakes are much higher when you are teaching VCE.

That is why it is essential to effectively teach Algebra to your students to successfully pass this subject and be prepared to tackle higher mathematics. Here are some tips to help you if you are a teacher or a maths tutor.

• Classroom management matters

As their maths teacher, you will need to be clear on what mindset and behaviour you are expecting from your students This means spending at least two days negotiating and clarifying classroom expectations. Every routine and procedure should be straightforward, so each student should act according to the guidelines.

Prioritising relationships is foundational since this will motivate your students to act within the boundaries set in the classroom.

• Explain the why before teaching the how

This method is beneficial for all types of teaching, but it is also effective when teaching algebra. For example: before teaching your students to solve equations, you should start by giving them a simple problem – A + B = 5.

You would follow up by asking, “What is the value of A and B?” The students will most likely give you a combination of number like 3 and 2, 4 and 1, or 5 and 0 since this will make the equation true. You will then ask a follow-up question – A – B = 3. Now, your students will see that B=1 and A=4 will satisfy both equations. Providing them with these simple problems will help them see the “why” behind some concepts in algebra.

• Get Familiar with your calculator

Calculators are essential tools that are commonly underutilised in algebra. Several calculators can help students with various algebra activities and lessons. One good example is the TI-Nspire from Texas Instruments, which support some specific lessons in Algebra.

There are also various YouTube videos that can help you and your students learn the features and capabilities of a calculator. You just need to type the name of the calculator and the skill you want to learn.

You can also search the web, especially Google and create a chat with all the calculator basics you need. It is possible to upload all your references inside a Google classroom account. You can create a living document that your students can access, and they can even add their references too.

Overall, these are just simple steps you can implement in your classroom or one-on-one tuition if you are a tutor. 

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