155 Teaching Strategies to Support Productive Struggle in Real Time
Productive Math Struggle Series — Action 5 In Part 5 of our Productive Math Struggle Series, we shift from planning to real-time classroom action: What do you actually do when students struggle? Instead of panicking, rescuing, or over-explaining (we’ve ALL been there), we walk through five high-leverage, easy-to-implement teacher moves that keep struggle productive — not painful. Using insights from Warschauer (2014), Smith & Stein’s 5 Practices, Mona Iehl, and practical classroom experie...
Productive Math Struggle Series — Action 5
In Part 5 of our Productive Math Struggle Series, we shift from planning to real-time classroom action: What do you actually do when students struggle?
Instead of panicking, rescuing, or over-explaining (we’ve ALL been there), we walk through five high-leverage, easy-to-implement teacher moves that keep struggle productive — not painful. Using insights from Warschauer (2014), Smith & Stein’s 5 Practices, Mona Iehl, and practical classroom experience, this episode gives you the exact moves to support student thinking without stealing the learning.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Not all struggle looks the same — knowing the type of struggle helps you respond effectively.
- Supporting struggle ≠ rescuing answers. The real goal is rescuing thinking.
- Small teacher moves have big impact on student confidence, perseverance, and identity.
- Catch-and-Release is one of the most powerful whole-class strategies for addressing common challenges.
- Referrals, graphic organizers, and anchor charts can build independence and reduce learned helplessness.
- Metacognitive micro-questions help students become self-directed learners.
- Honoring mistakes builds trust, reduces math anxiety, and strengthens classroom community.
- Strategic nudging helps prevent spiraling frustration without removing the challenge.
✏️ Mini Move of the Week
👉 When a student gets stuck, don’t explain. Ask ONE metacognitive micro-question. Just one. Watch what happens.
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More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast
Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.
Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!
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