Productive Struggle

Abstract

From a teaching perspective, witnessing students struggle mathematically can be distressing because all teachers want their students to be successful. However, this struggle can ultimately lead to success when the teacher facilitates learning in the classroom in a manner that allows for think-time, teacher and student questioning, and collaboration. The act of struggling productively, as outlined in the following four articles, shows examples of how students are able to take ownership of mathematical understanding through this struggling process and ultimately have a lasting understanding because of the adversity. The articles also highlight steps that teachers need to take to ensure that this struggle is in fact productive and not arduous. Productive struggle in the classroom is equal parts teacher and student; when each role is clearly defined and enacted, students have a deeper understanding of mathematics and feel a sense of accomplishment that the understanding is in fact their own.