The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Pedagogue
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Post a Job
  • AI Powered Personal Tutor
  • Fascinating Antibiotic Essay Topics

  • Anorexia Nervosa Essay Topics

  • Fascinating Animal Welfare Essay Topics

  • Simple & Easy Insomnia Essay Topics

  • Simple & Easy Insanity Defense Essay Topics

  • Innovation Essay Topics

  • Simple & Easy Initial Public Offering Essay Topics

  • Simple & Easy Infection Essay Topics

  • Simple & Easy Infant Essay Topics

  • Most Interesting Industrial Revolution Essay Topics to Write About

EdTech & Innovation
Home›EdTech & Innovation›3 Benefits of Gamifying Math Lessons

3 Benefits of Gamifying Math Lessons

By Chris Piehler
February 22, 2018
1
Spread the love

A K-12 math coach shares how games deliver differentiated instruction, formative assessment, and fun.  

By Kelly Schaefer

It’s no secret that kids love games. Students can sit for hours on end harvesting virtual crops, fitting puzzle blocks together, or battling space monsters. For years now, educators have been trying to incorporate more gamification into their lessons to encourage critical thinking skills and keep students motivated when learning a challenging skill. Math is the perfect subject to incorporate games into, since both math and games involve solving a problem to reach a goal. Here are three advantages our elementary school has seen from gamifying our math curriculum.

1) Differentiating Instruction

I teach 5th-grade math, and I’m also a math coach for kindergarten through 12th grade, so I do interventions for kids who are struggling, and I coach teachers on how to accomplish their goals for the year. One of the first things I did as a math coach in the Riverdale Elementary building was to go into classrooms and observe. Most of our teaching was being done in whole groups at that time, and the most striking thing I saw in every classroom was a group of kids who were not especially challenged while the teacher was going over something that they already knew. There was also always a handful of kids who were looking lost. Then there was a smaller group in the middle that the instruction was at the right level for. These teachers were making good lesson plans and had interesting activities, but there was still something missing.

For years, Riverdale has done small-group teaching in reading, which research from the National Reading Panel says is the most effective way to ensure that students are getting what they need. We wanted to apply this same principle to our math classrooms, but we lacked worthwhile supplemental materials for kids to use when the teacher was instructing other groups. Our goal was to find something that would make teachers say, “My kids like this. They’re engaged, they’re not interrupting me when I’m in my guided group, and they’re still learning something that’s worthwhile.”

In order to take this big step toward achieving the results we wanted our teachers to attain in small, guided group instruction, we decided to purchase the interactive online games from Matific. Students would be able to use the games to strengthen what the teachers were teaching in small-group instruction. Teachers would then be able to teach without interruption during that guarded, guided group time.

The first year, we just assigned the games by grade level and said, “Have at it,” but now we’ve gotten more specific about coordinating the game assignments with our textbook lessons. Then we look at our data to see where we need to go from that point. We can differentiate what skills students are assigned. For example, we have a 4th-grader right now who the lessons were all very quick and easy for, so after reviewing the data, the teacher and I bumped her up a level and assigned her some games that we thought would be more challenging.

2) Increasing Student Engagement

Gamification allows students to work at their own pace and be at the right level for their individual abilities, which makes a big difference in their motivation. One of the things that I try to instill in our district is the idea that everybody can do math. We talk a lot about how our brains grow and about having a growth mindset. I feel like we have a pretty good thing going, that the kids feel like math is fun. These games are definitely built so that they can experience success.

The kids really like it, too. Whereas before they might have said, “I have to go do my math,” now they say, “I get to go play games.” Our program is also set up so they can play at home. Not everybody has internet in our district, so we don’t require anyone to play at home, but a lot of kids do it for fun, including my own son and nephews. I’ll have other students come and tell me that they made it all the way through a certain path at home. These paths are not completed without challenge, either. I see some students working on game in school and really having to think it out. The sense of achievement has also grown in our students. Many used to tell me, “This is really hard,” now they tell me, with a smile on their face, “It was really hard, but I did it!”

As part of our ongoing mission to get students excited about math, we’re also participating in the Matific Math Games Challenge this month. Our students are eager to take the challenge, where Riverdale has the chance to win $15,000 cash. It’s giving them even more motivation to practice, because they want to help win money for their school.

3) Assisting in Assessment

Part of my role as math coach is to organize progress monitoring of our students so we can figure out exactly what each student needs and how best to support them. The first step in this process is gathering useful data, and our game platform has a reporting feature that shows how students do on all the games, including how long it takes them and how many times they tried an activity. Sometimes I look at that to see if the level they are at is too easy for them. I also correlate their unit test scores to the Matific data. We look at the data at the end of each unit, and share a spreadsheet where the teachers can make notes of where kids still need interventions based on their tests, or certain skills that they need to be practiced more (such as how to count back change from a dollar). I can then assign games based on these results. The games are also helpful as a type of formative assessment, helping us to see where kids are so we can adjust their curriculum accordingly.

With games, kids are learning math skills at their own pace, and also of their own initiative. It’s a great way for teachers to assign independent practice that kids can really get excited about. The hands-on, problem-solving nature of games prepares students to take these skills into the real world. Not only that, but games afford students space to make mistakes in a low-stakes arena. If they miss an answer on a game, it’s not as big a deal as if they missed one in their homework or on a test. With a game they can try again, and they want to try again. They want to beat their score and improve. Overall, we’ve found that games can help encourage students to embrace a growth mindset and to discover the fun of learning.

Kelly Schaefer teaches 5th-grade math at Riverdale Elementary in Muscoda, WI. She also serves as the K–12 math coach for the Riverdale School District.

Previous Article

A ‘Whole Child’ Approach to Afterschool Education

Next Article

7 Ways to Teach Children Civility

Chris Piehler

Related articles More from author

  • EdTech & InnovationEquityMatthew Lynch

    Technology and Mentorship: Addressing the Problem of Urban Students

    June 15, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & Innovation

    I’m an Educator, What Should I Tweet about?

    September 18, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationMatthew LynchPolicy & Reform

    The Call to Teach: The Role of Technology

    January 22, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Early Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & Innovation

    7 Ways That Artificial Intelligence Helps Students Learn

    May 1, 2018
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & InnovationTeachersTesting

    Stealth assessment: Reimagining learning and testing for the 21st Century

    January 13, 2016
    By Matthew Lynch
  • EdTech & Innovation

    Why PBL is the Future of SPED Education

    June 5, 2018
    By Chris Piehler

1 comment

  1. June 2019 Learn More Links – Vicindo Canadian 31 May, 2019 at 21:46 Reply

    […] 3 Benefits of Gamifying Math Lessons […]

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Fascinating Antibiotic Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 3, 2023
  • Anorexia Nervosa Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 3, 2023
  • Fascinating Animal Welfare Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 3, 2023
  • Simple & Easy Insomnia Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 3, 2023
  • Simple & Easy Insanity Defense Essay Topics

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 3, 2023
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 21, 2016
  • pass or fail

    Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2017
  • School Evaluation For Special Education What Parents Need to Know
    on
    December 27, 2022

    A Guide to Norm-Referenced Tests

    […] Norm-referenced tests – ...
  • Effectively Educating Diverse Student Populations: Strategies That Work - Applead Hofu
    on
    December 21, 2022

    6 Ways to Implement a Real Multicultural Education in the Classroom

    […] as to successfully ...
  • The Importance Of Sight Words In Early Reading – GoGreenva.org
    on
    December 21, 2022

    Understanding Letter Recognition and It’s Role in Preliteracy

    […] between letters, numbers, ...
  • Online Education in Chennai - Birla Brainiacs
    on
    December 20, 2022

    The Advantages and Limitations of Homeschooling

    […] Online Education in ...
  • Advancing Technology Education in Rural High Schools Across ... - The Tech Edvocate - VSAY .IN
    on
    December 20, 2022

    7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education

    […] technology advancements have ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • International Education

    PISA (The Program for International Student Assessment): Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis program assesses 15-year-old students schooling in countries that form part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.  The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. Some ...
  • Education FoundationsInternational Education

    4 Reasons You Should Study Geography

    Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. They think that studying geography ...
  • International Education

    How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work

    Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Unlike most other learning initiatives, this program deeply ...
  • International Education

    Globalization: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. There ...
  • AssessmentEducation LeadershipHigher EducationInternational EducationProfessional DevelopmentTeachers

    So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests

    Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. If you’re planning to pursue a degree in business, law, medicine, or graduate ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    20 Strategies to Encourage Students to Take Care of their Personal Property

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to encourage students to take care of their personal property? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for appropriate care of personal ...
  • Early ChildhoodTeachers

    14 Strategies to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to teach students appropriate mealtime manners? If so, keep reading. 1. Praise the learner for demonstrating appropriate mealtime behaviors: (a) give the learner ...
  • Child DevelopmentEarly Childhood

    22 Strategies to Help Students Who Cannot Fasten Their Own Clothes

    Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? If so, keep reading. 1. Select a peer to model fastening pieces of clothing ...
  • Critical Thinking and CreativityEarly Childhood

    14 Ways to Teach Kids to Improve Their Critical Thinking Skills

    Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach kids to improve their critical thinking skills? If so, keep reading. 1. Establish a time each day for a problem-solving game, ...
  • Early ChildhoodReading Education

    Echo Reading: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveEcho reading is a reading tactic employed by adults when teaching children. Here, the adult articulately reads out a portion of text, following which the child echoes the ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Twice-Exceptional: What Does it Mean?

    Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. As a matter of fact, such ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    A Guide to Talent Search Programs

    Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Different avenues are then provided for these students to channel their ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationK-12

    Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. For instance, gifted students are placed in one group, and students with special needs ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Cluster Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. For example, about five to seven extremely bright pupils with comparable skill ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationHigher Education

    Merit Scholarships: Everything Your Need to Know

    Spread the loveThese are monetary gifts awarded by institutions to superbly gifted students, who have set themselves apart by their exceptional performance in schoolwork, regardless of whether they require the ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of America’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.