Category: Education,

30 Ways to Say “Show Your Work” (Without Saying “Show Your Work”)

If you’ve ever told a student to show their work and been met with blank stares, scribbled-down numbers, or complete avoidance, you’re not alone. The truth is, many students don’t actually know what show your work means—or why it matters. To them, it sounds like just another rule, a hoop to jump through. But what if we reframed it?

The key is helping students see that showing their work isn’t about writing things down just because we said so—IT’S ABOUT MAKING THEIR THINKING VISIBLE! It’s about leaving a trail so they can check their reasoning, catch mistakes, and explain their process. And sometimes, the phrase show your work just doesn’t connect.

So, let’s rethink the way we ask students to document their thinking. Here are 30 different ways to say ‘show your work’ that might resonate more with your students:

Process-Oriented Phrases

  1. Document your thinking.
  2. Make mathematical notes.
  3. Write down your thought process.
  4. Track your steps.
  5. Show how you figured it out.
  6. Record your strategy.
  7. Map out your solution.
  8. Make your thinking visible.
  9. Break it down step by step.
  10. Illustrate your reasoning.

Student-Centered Language

  1. Convince me your answer makes sense.
  2. Tell the story of how you solved it.
  3. What would you write to teach someone else?
  4. Create a roadmap for your brain.
  5. Explain your approach in a way a friend would understand.
  6. Help me see what’s going on in your head.
  7. Write it in a way future-you will understand when you check your work.
  8. If you got stuck, what steps did you take before that?
  9. How can you prove your answer is correct?
  10. Would someone else be able to follow your thinking?

Visual/Creative Approaches

  1. Sketch your solution.
  2. Draw a diagram to support your answer.
  3. Use arrows or highlights to show key steps.
  4. Make a quick explainer box.
  5. Write a one-minute summary of what you did.
  6. Turn it into a “math comic strip.”
  7. Use colors to separate different parts of your thinking.
  8. Write a math journal entry about this problem.
  9. Make a checklist of the steps you took.
  10. Explain it in a way you’d post on social media (but keep it math-related!).

Why This Matters

When students hear show your work, they often think we’re asking for a long, tedious process that just slows them down. But when we shift the language to focus on thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving, it becomes more meaningful.

Try using some of these alternative phrases in your classroom and see how your students respond. You might just find that showing their work becomes something they actually understand—and maybe even value.

What are your favorite ways to get students to document their thinking? Do you like any of the ones above? Share in the comments!

Bell ringers are a great place to have students demonstrate they know how to show work or make their reasoning visible. The bundle below has 144 days-worth of bell work problems. Click on the resource to see more details.

What Unfolds in Your Math Class When the Bell Rings?

The bell to start class just rang. Now what? Let’s talk about those classroom openers that go by many names – “bell ringers”, “warm ups”, or “do nows”. After over 35 years in the teaching game, I’ve had my fair share of experiences with these little classroom kickstarters. You could say that bell ringers (or your preferred name) and I have a bit of a “frenemy” relationship. Why? Let me elaborate on the advantages and challenges I’ve experienced with bell ringers throughout my career.

As we head into a new school year, I’ve been thinking about what still works — and what needs a refresh. Bell ringers are one of those things that can either work for you or they can be a challenge. It’s important to know how to use them properly and to realize the purpose.

The Value of Bell Ringers

First things first, let’s acknowledge the credit bell ringers deserve. They can truly elevate your teaching game. Once seamlessly integrated into your daily flow, most students will fall in line. When students enter the room, they dive straight into the bell ringer activity. This gives you some precious moments to tackle all those initial tasks that need attention – like attendance, catching up with absentees, and the never-ending quest for missing assignments.

Wondering how to make this streamlined approach a reality? It’s all about setting the groundwork from day one. Here’s the deal: let your students know that the next time they walk into the classroom, there will be a bell ringer or directions on the board waiting for them, and they should start on it right away. Consistency is key here – when you establish this routine early on, students will come to expect it and know exactly what’s coming their way.

But that’s not all. Having them dive into the bell ringer gets their gears turning. It’s like flipping a switch that says, “Time to learn, folks!” The activity itself helps reel in their focus, and guess what? It prevents those precious minutes from vanishing into thin air. Trust me, math teachers know how to squeeze every ounce of learning time from the clock.

What adds to the charm of bell ringers is their versatility. They can serve specific purposes within your lesson plan. Whether reviewing a topic, accessing material that might otherwise be overlooked, or even acting as a captivating lesson hook – a purpose-driven bell ringer provides valuable insights to educators while aiding students’ comprehension of topics and sparking their interest.

I often used bell ringers to prepare students for upcoming exams such as in-school ACT, SAT, or state tests. Additionally, I found value in conducting reviews of past topics and addressing areas where I knew many students have learning gaps.

Let’s Talk Challenges Now

It’s important to know that bell ringers don’t always go as planned. One big issue is treating them as just something to pass the time. If students think they’re not important, they might not take them seriously. Have you ever had a student ask, “Does this count for a grade?” That’s their way of saying, “I’ll only do it if it matters.” So, the trick is to make sure they have a clear purpose. Even if grades aren’t involved, helping students understand how the bell ringer helps their learning is key. It is also important that students know that once they are finished with the bell ringer, there’s a good chance that someone in the room will have to explain how to work the problem or even go to the board and work it. If students feel like they might get called on, they will not want to get caught off guard.

There were times when I was in a pinch and had to create a bell ringer on the fly, without much preparation. It’s no secret that students can sense when things are a bit disorganized. You see, the whole “Fake it until you make it” idea doesn’t work well in teaching. You can’t pretend to be organized. With a classroom full of around 28 students, there’s just too much happening. You’ve got to be on your A-game. Teaching requires real organization and being genuinely ready for what’s ahead. So, take it from someone who’s been through it – staying organized is a true game-changer and that applies to having a prepared bell ringer.

There have been times when I decided to stop doing bell ringers altogether, or at least in some classes. During remote learning, my bell ringers didn’t translate well online, so I paused them for a while. The important thing is, it’s okay to change things up when needed.

Transitioning from one activity to another can make or break the classroom atmosphere. There were years when after the bell ringer, things got a bit crazy until I could get things back on track. Realizing the importance of fewer disruptions in certain classes, I chose to skip bell ringers to stay focused and keep my sanity intact. By the way, transitions can be smooth. If you give clear directions on what to do next and even set a timer, they can go better.

The biggest reason that I have a love-hate relationship with bell ringers is the significant time investment required to either source or craft them. It can feel counterintuitive to dedicate an hour to creating something that’s intended to occupy just around 10 minutes or less of valuable class time.

Purpose Matters

If you’re set on doing bell ringers, give them a purpose. Before going any further on your quest for bell ringers, stop and write the purpose the bell ringer will serve. Here are some suggestions:

  • It will be a hook for the lesson.
  • It will be a digital task.
  • It will be a review of the previous day.
  • It will be state testing review.
  • It will be college readiness review.
  • It will be spiral review.
  • It will be a writing task.
  • It will be a seasonal math task.

Once you lock in that purpose, you can hunt down the material. You need to think about how much time you want to spend on the bell ringer in class. That will help determine how many questions you want to have. I’ve listed some ways to come up with the problems:

  • Search real-life examples so the problems have meaning.
  • Use Desmos activities and spread them out over a week.
  • Write questions that are similar to the homework.
  • Use released test questions from your state tests or from college entrance exams.
  • Grab problems out of the math book at the end of units for spiral reviews.
  • Use AI generated questions. Beware! AI is not always great with math.

Now that you know your purpose and where your material is coming from, what format do you want to use? I’ve done different things, but one of my favorites is a three question approach where the first two questions scaffold for the third question. I’ve used this format in my ACT Bell Ringers as well as my SAT Bell Ringers. Day 26 from the SAT Bell Ringers is seen below:

Another option is “We Do, You Do”. Together with the class, the teacher works through 1 and 2 and then lets the students work by themselves on 3 and 4. In this format, the teacher will begin class working the problems. When students work the other two, she can go do her attendance and other tasks. This approach is good when you have students that have a hard time starting. The example below is from my Algebra Review Bell Ringers.

Recently, I’ve been developing a new style of bell ringers designed with differentiation in mind. Instead of every student working through the same set of problems, this format allows students to choose from multiple levels of challenge based on their confidence and readiness that day.

This approach keeps all learners engaged—whether they need a little extra support or are ready to stretch their thinking. It also builds student independence, since they’re making decisions about how to approach the task. These differentiated bell ringers aren’t uploaded just yet, but they’re on the way. I’m excited to share them soon!

Your Bell Ringer Investment

Most of us do not want to spend our precious teacher planning period on bell ringers, so we end up working on it at home. If you decide to create these bell ringers yourself, then by all means save them so you have them for the next year. Make your time investment work for you in the future.

If you decide that recreating the wheel is not for you, then you can look at what I have. I’ve bundled up my most-used bell ringers from over the years to save others some prep time. Whether it’s Geometry, Algebra, or even a sprinkle of Trig, there’s plenty of things to choose from. Check out the resource after the final paragraph. You can look at the individual items and purchase them separately too.

In closing, the journey with bell ringers is an exploration of balancing their benefits and challenges. As educators, we adapt and refine our approach, always seeking the best ways to engage our students. Whether you’re harnessing the power of purpose-driven bell ringers, navigating their quirks, or even deciding to take a break when necessary, remember that your dedication to creating a meaningful learning experience remains at the heart of it all. With purpose as your guide, you’re well on your way to transforming those initial moments into impactful stepping stones towards an enriched classroom experience. Keep up the incredible work, and keep those bell ringers ringing with purpose!

Summer Reading for Secondary Math Teachers

Summer is almost here and teachers and their students cannot wait. I personally love summer and all that comes with it including time to read. Reading for pleasure is my favorite, but it’s equally fun for me to read about my interests. The last book I read was by math education expert Jo Boaler titled “Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students’ Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages, and Innovative Teaching.” I love how Jo Boaler believes that all students can learn math and it really is about nurturing a growth mindset.

Here are a few suggestions for math books that will inspire and give you new insight into the wonderful world of teaching mathematics. These books were selected because they will be enjoyable and hopefully will not remind you of a boring inservice!

“Visible Learning for Mathematics: What Works Best to Optimize Student Learning” by John Hattie, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey. (paperback version or Kindle version)

“What’s Math Got to Do with It?: How Parents and Teachers Can Help Children Learn to Love Their Least Favorite Subject” by Jo Boaler. (paperback version or Kindle version)

“It’s a Numberful World: How Math Is Hiding Everywhere” by Eddie Woo. (paperback version or Kindle version)

“Math with Bad Drawings: Illuminating the Ideas That Shape Our Reality” by Ben Orlen. (paperback version or Kindle version)

“100 Ideas for Secondary Teachers: Supporting Students with Numeracy Difficulties (100 Ideas for Teachers)” by Patricia Baptie and Sue Dillon. (paperback version or Kindle version)

Now that you’ve looked at the list, grab a cool drink, find a cozy spot, and dive into the world of math education through these inspiring reads.

If you will be teaching for the first time next year, I have a blog post that you should read called 1st Week of Math Class Ideas. Good Luck!

***Please be aware that as an affiliate marketer, I may earn a commission for any qualifying purchases made through the links provided in this blog post. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and products that I genuinely believe will be valuable to you as a math teacher. Thank you and happy reading!

15 End-of-Year Ideas to Keep Your Math Students Engaged

The end of the year is fast approaching and you’re probably wondering what you can do in your secondary math class to make the most of the time left. Here are some suggestions. See what will fit your situation!

  1. The obvious thing to do is review. You’ve covered a lot of topics throughout the year, so take some time to go over key concepts and formulas. Throw in some practice problems, games, technology, and hands-on activities to reinforce what has been learned. Reviewing is boring, so as you read down this list, use some of these strategies in your reviews.
  2.  Another idea is to assign a project that allows students to apply what they’ve learned to a real-world problem. This would be a great way to see math in action and flex their problem-solving muscles. An example would be to have students model real-world phenomena, such as population growth or temperature changes, using algebraic functions. This project would require students to apply their knowledge of function notation and graphing to real-world scenarios.
  3.  You will probably be giving exams, so another thing to talk about is test-taking strategies. Discuss how to read and interpret word problems, how to show work, and how to avoid common mistakes. Practicing these skills would be beneficial to show students how the strategy works. Teach your students how to make a brain dump. This is especially helpful for state exams.
  4.  Create a fun and engaging math competition for students to participate in. This can be a great way to end the year on a high note and showcase students’ math skills.
  5.  Offer individualized feedback to students on their performance throughout the year. This can help them identify areas for improvement and develop a growth mindset. If you have over 100 students, this could be a daunting task. Ask students to self-reflect first, then you could quickly add a statement or two and comment on what they felt were their strengths and weaknesses.
  6.  Recognize students who have excelled or improved in math throughout the year. This can be done through awards, certificates, or other forms of recognition. It’s also fun to give silly awards since, at this point in the year, you know the students so well.
  7.  Encourage students to set goals for themselves and create a plan to achieve them over the summer or in the next school year. It is a great skill to learn how to set goals. The great thing is that you don’t have to look at them. Have students type the goals in the notes on their phones and then encourage them to occasionally look at them to see their progress. 
  8.  Reflection activities can help students process their math learning and prepare them for future math classes. Some ideas are surveys, class discussions, journaling, writing a letter to their future self, and creating a portfolio with some of their best work.
  9.  Choose a math-themed movie or documentary to watch in class and use it as a springboard for discussion and learning. Some great options include “Hidden Figures”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “October Sky”, and “The Story of Maths”.
  10.  Create or have your students create math-themed board games that can be played in class. This is a great way to review key concepts while having fun with your students.
  11.  Group challenges encourage teamwork, foster critical thinking, provide a fun and engaging experience, build problem-solving skills, and promote healthy competition. Some group challenges are scavenger hunts, escape rooms, Kahoot, Quizizz, Jeopardy, debate, and so forth.
  12.  Take your students on a math-focused field trip to a museum, science center, or even a local construction site. This can help them see the practical application of math in the real world.
  13.  Bringing in a guest speaker would be a nice change and break up the monotony at the end of the year. It can inspire and motivate students, provide a different perspective, introduce new topics, build connections, and offer networking opportunities.
  14.  Peer tutoring is a great way to add something special to the end of the year in a math class. It encourages collaboration, builds confidence, reinforces learning, provides personalized learning, and promotes social skills.
  15.  Go outside if it’s feasible. Let students take their math notebooks and pencils and sit under a tree to study or take chalk outside and let students work on math problems on the sidewalk. Getting outdoors at the end of the year is a great way to refresh and rejuvenate yourself and your students!

It’s super important to plan out the end of the year for your math classes. You don’t want to bore your students with endless reviews and exams. Instead, make it fun with cool activities that connect what they learned to the real world. Personalized feedback is a must too, so get to planning and make the end of the year a blast for your students!

Here are some of my own resources that I tend to use at the end of the year: