Annotated Bibliography:

Making Math Fun and Engaging

Hilary Dingman
EDUC 5433
Dr. Shaunda Wood
March 2nd, 2018
 Dingman 2

Master, A. (2017). Teachers Mindsets About Math (and Why They Matter). Teaching Young
Children, 11(1), 22-23. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
Allison Master outlines within her article that many teachers believe that they are not the
best at math, as a result of their own negative experiences with the subject. While the article does
acknowledge that many teachers experience these feelings of inadequacy, it emphasizes that
these feelings be addressed, seeing that “Young children notice and absorb negative attitudes
about math” (p.22). Master argues within her article that the teacher must model the mindset that
they wish their own students would adapt. For instance, in order for our students to have a
growth mindset towards math, the teacher must first believe that they can improve upon their
own math abilities according to Master. The article also outlines that teachers must drop their
preconceived notions regarding math, so that these inaccurate perspectives are not passed on to
their own students. Master notes that it appropriate to feel inferior at times, but to remember that
self-improvement does take time.
This article is relevant to the topic as it shows that if teachers believe in their own ability
to improve, then their students will be more likely to follow a similar path. The article also offers
many ways that teachers can improve their own math instruction, while keeping it both fun and
engaging. Teachers across the board will find this article to be extremely helpful, as the
suggestions for improvement are realistic and visibly beneficial. I agree with Master that when
the teacher is genuinely having fun while teaching math, then the students will also have a more
enjoyable learning experience.

McDonald, S., & Rasch, S. (2004). Picture Books Math = Fun. Book Links, 14(2), 9. Retrieved
February 23, 2018.
Sheri McDonald and Sally Rasch admit within their article, that teachers face many
challenges when attempting to make math lessons fun and engaging for their students. Because
of this, they have suggested that teachers use of math focused picture books during their
instruction. McDonald and Rasch argue that math focused picture books help students with their
understanding, as they verbalize challenging concepts in an engaging manner, while also
providing visual representations. Another argument that presents itself within the article, is that
math books also provide students with real life examples for the content that they are learning.
Rather than simply teaching the facts, these books allow students to connect with the material in
a completely new and authentic way. Lastly, the article argues that the use of math-oriented
picture books, provides a simple yet effective way for teachers to produce a cross curricular
lesson.
In addition to providing a clear justification for the use of books in a math lesson, the
authors also provide the reader with a list of books that teachers could use in their own
classroom. For instance, when teaching subtraction and addition McDonald and Rasch
recommend the use of One Guinea Pig Is Not Enough as a way to introduce the topic. The article
also makes suggestions for how teachers could format a lesson from the various texts that they
 Dingman 3

have advocated for. Ultimately, this article provides teachers with a well-rounded approach to
teaching math, that students would find both fun and enjoyable.

Murphy, S. J. (2009). Turning Kids on To Math. Teaching Pre-K - 8, 29(4), 62-63. Retrieved
February 23, 2018.
Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist and is the author of the MathStart series of
children's books. Within the article Murphy makes several suggestions on why students often
dislike math, and how teachers can fix this problem by getting students excited about the subject.
According to Murphy, the problem that many teachers are currently facing is that students often
feel that the math they are learning has little to no relevance to their lives. Murphy argues that
teachers need to first uncover what interests their students, and then from their base their lesson
plans off of this knowledge.
While some students may be hesitant to believe that math does matter, the article offers
teachers many ways that teachers can build this connection for their students. The first
suggestion is that teachers should bring real life examples into the classroom to use during their
math instruction. For instance, if a teacher is doing a lesson on patterning and counting by twos,
the article recommends that you use a students’ mittens as a real-world example. Teachers will
find this article helpful, as it provides several ways teachers can improve their math instruction.

Raymond, A. A. (2005). Fun with Math? Yes, Indeed. Teaching Pre-K - 8, 35(4), 4. Retrieved
February 23, 2018.
Where Allen Raymond’s article lacks in content, it speaks volumes in the message that it
attempts to convey to its readers. Raymond argues within his article that the teacher has a great
deal of influence on whether or not the student will enjoy math or not. For Raymond, it was his
eleventh-grade math teacher, Mr. Tuthill that caused him to fall in love with math. Raymond’s
story goes to show, that the experiences teachers provide for their students are everlasting and
can have an immense effect on their life.
Teachers will find this article to be of value, as it reinforces the importance of creating a
positive and supportive classroom climate for our students. Raymond finishes his article by
stating that “…it is comforting to know there are committed, competent teachers like you who
are always there for our kids” (p.4). All teachers, especially those of math, should feel
responsible in making math fun and exciting for all students.
 Dingman 4

Reed, K. E., & Young, J. M. (2018). Play Games, Learn Math! Teaching Young Children, 11(3),
21-25. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
The article suggests the use of interactive math games, as a way to spark a student’s
enthusiasm or curiosity surrounding a particular math concept. Kristen Reed and Jessica Mercer
note within their article that in many cases that they observed, the student did not even realize
they were learning, as they were having so much fun playing the game. The authors also pointed
out that the students’ learning was more concrete when they able to interact with it. Rather than
absorbing facts through repetition, students are getting an in-depth understanding of the math
concept that they are working on through these games.
On top of its enlightening observations, the article also offers a number of fun math
games that teachers could use with their students. Each of these games contains their own list of
materials and teacher tips, in order to ensure optimal effectiveness. Another important
component to mention, is that the games suggested in the article can easily be adjusted to suit the
various needs of students. In addition to the resources mentioned above, the article also includes
a helpful chart that outlines the progression of number concepts for young children. Kindergarten
teachers in particular may wish to use this chart, as a way to gauge what learning may come first
and what learning may come next for most of their students. In sum, this article is deeply rooted
in its research, and is a great tool for any teacher looking to bring fun back into their classroom.

The Numbers Game: How to Make Math Fun and Useful. (2005). Today's Parents, 12(3), 22-23.
Retrieved February 23, 2018.
The article starts off by suggesting that “…we need to provide our children with real
activities that show them that math is useful in a variety of contexts” (p.22). Similarly, the article
also argues that in order to provide children with a deeper understanding of these math concepts,
they need to first be provided with authentic math experiences. The article mentions that day to
day experiences, such as getting in line, should be called upon in order to make math relevant to
the students. According to the article, teachers should use these fun aspects of the school day, to
help students to connect with what they are learning. The article also indicated that by exposing
children to these math experiences, teachers can expect an improvement in their students’
problem-solving skills and motivation. Essentially, students will begin to realize that math
extends outside of the classroom and can have real life implications.
After reviewing the article, I believe teachers will find this article helpful, as it could be
used when conferencing with parents on how best to support their students’ learning at home.
Just like it is important for the learning to be fun at school, a similar environment must be
facilitated at home as well. While this article was written with the intent to educate parents,
teachers can learn a great deal about making math both fun and relevant for their students.