What if student struggle wasn't something to avoid, but something to embrace?
Productive struggle is a powerful catalyst for learning, helping students develop deeper mathematical understanding, stronger problem-solving skills, and the confidence to persevere through challenges.
In this engaging and interactive workshop, participants will explore the six-point action plan from Productive Math Struggle by John SanGiovanni, Susie Katt, and Kevin Dykema for fostering perseverance in mathematics. Participants will leave with practical, classroom-ready strategies for supporting students without reducing the cognitive demand of tasks. Through hands-on experiences and collaborative learning, educators will gain tools to help students build resilience, strengthen mathematical reasoning, and develop a productive disposition toward learning mathematics.
Plus, each participant will receive a copy of the book to support continued learning and implementation!
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the role of productive struggle in developing students' mathematical thinking, perseverance, and confidence.
- Identify instructional moves that encourage productive struggle while providing appropriate support for all learners.
- Design mathematical tasks and questions that promote persistence, reasoning, and meaningful exploration.
- Facilitate productive mathematical discussions that help students articulate, justify, and refine their thinking.
- Analyze and respond effectively to students’ struggles to provide just-in-time support without removing cognitive demand.
This workshop is ideal for K-12 math educators, instructional coaches, and administrators looking to empower students to embrace challenges and succeed through perseverance.