As with any assignment, motivating students to complete MATHia workspaces can be challenging. Helping students set attainable, but challenging, goals is one way to help students take ownership of their learning in MATHia.
When students and teachers work together to set learning goals, they should keep the following things in mind:
Goals should help students move from compliance to a growth mindset. In a growth mindset students focus on mastering skills and standards rather than grades.
Goal setting helps students become more aware of the learning that should be occurring. Unit overviews and MATHia workspaces provide mastery-oriented goals for students.
Student engagement is higher when students are aware of the learning they are expected to experience.
Goals should help students focus on the most critical areas of their learning.
When students take ownership of their learning they have a clear path on how to improve and are able to articulate exactly what is expected of them.
MATHia’s Step by Step Examples, Sample Problems, and Hints provide students with a clear path of support.
The MATHia Sticker and Reflection Charts provided for MSMS/HSMS (3rd Edition) sequences and the MATHia Progress Trackers provided for the MSMS/HSMS (4th Edition) sequences give students a place to collect evidence that demonstrates progress toward their MATHia goals.
Collaborative goals provide opportunities for students to facilitate conversations with parents and teachers regarding their learning.
When writing goals with students, consider the following:
Set benchmark goals at the beginning of a module or topic. It rewards and encourages progress through the workspaces.
Set a workspace completion goal appropriate for the module or topic in which you are working.
Create growth goals for students. (Sample growth goals listed below.)
