Traditional math instruction puts concept before context, but our brains need context -- ideally visual-first examples -- to "make sense of new ideas," Nigel Nisbet of Mind Education writes. "Without conceptual understanding, students are limited to recall, which puts them at a disadvantage when trying to build off previous knowledge" and can perpetuate math phobia, he adds.

West Virginia high-school teacher Ellen Holt is part of the Mountaineer Mathematics Master Teachers group that noticed many students struggled on the SAT's exponential function problems, so the teachers devised an activity to ask students how they got the wrong answers: "Where did they go wrong? Where do they have some understanding that they just can’t formalize just yet?" Holt said students loved the approach, teachers revised their instructional methods and scores started rising.

"We should be learning how our students learn ... in order to make our instruction better."
-- Ellen Holt, math teacher

Educators suggest several strategies to retain teachers, including creating a sense of purpose, building community and providing opportunities for professional growth. Jen Mott emphasizes the importance of emotional workplace safety and community building, while Renee Jones advocates for teacher representation in retention discussions.

Teachers can seamlessly integrate technology into their classrooms with these 27 low-preparation activities that use free or familiar tools. Suggestions include creating AI-generated images on Padlet, using Canva for collaborative projects and employing MagicSchool AI for personalized writing feedback.