Building Math Confidence

Ann-Marie Hunter is a MyPITA executive member and has been a popular and well-received MyPITA presenter for many years. She is passionate about the need for students to develop confidence in their own abilities, initiated by teachers who focus on reducing Math anxiety. With improved Math confidence, students are more able to learn new concepts successfully. In this session, taped and edited by Ray Myrtle through the StartUP! program, and with financial support by MyPITA, we are able to share Ann-Marie's popular Building Math Confidence workshop with you. This workshop was filmed while being presented to new teachers, but the information in the videos is relevant to anyone looking to incorporate math games and practice into their math lessons, regardless of their level of classroom experience.

Ann-Marie references a program called Mastering the Basics. This program is created by a Canadian company called Power of Ten. Their resource packages for the Mastering the Basics series are available for $10 per grade level. MyPITA and StartUP! have no affiliation with the company. It is simply a resource that has been found to be extremely helpful. Power of Ten resource packages can be found here. Use of the resource is not required for this workshop; however, it may be a useful supplement for you in the classroom.

Part One: Introduction (11 minutes)
Why focus on building confidence?

About building confidence (2:25)
Appointment Clock activity (7:18)
Excellent Equivalents activity (10:07)

Resources: Appointment Clock Use * Appointment Clock * Excellent Equivalents Cards * Excellent Equivalents Code Sheet * Excellent Equivalents Games

Part Two: The Basics (7 minutes)
How Mastering the Basics builds confidence and reduces anxiety.

Mastering the Basics guidelines (0:38)
How to administer the program (1:14)

Resources: Reasons for Using BSTs * Guidelines for Mastery of the Basics * BST- Report on Basic Skills Test Record Sheet

Part Three: Questions (11 minutes)
Tips and Tricks to use Mastering the Basics successfully.

How long to use it for (0:56)
Teaching a combined class (1:50)
Weekly schedule (2:20)
Evaluation MTB vs. Math Minute (3:10)
Gifted students (4:24)
Student choice (11:11)

Resources: Reasons for Using BSTs * Guidelines for Mastery of the Basics * BST- Report on Basic Skills Test Record Sheet

Part Four: Basic Facts (5 minutes)
Reasons to focus on student mastery of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

All the facts you need to know (0:15)
Record keeping (1:59)
Managing and recording skill tests (3:37)

Resources: Basic Facts Sheet * Guidelines for Mastery of the Basics * SAMPLE Triangular Flash Cards (Multiplication) * BLANK Triangular Flash Cards (Multiplication)

Part Five: Number Literacy (10 minutes)
Place value and the ability to read and represent numbers.

Reading 3-digit numbers (0:48)
Writing numbers (4:52)
Reading any number (5:17)
Reading numbers teaches place value (8:25)
Place value chart (9:44)

Resources: Teaching how to read numbers * How to say any 3-digit number * How to say any number * Place value chart * Number literacy practice * Place value and rounding Grade 5 * Place value and rounding Grade 6 * Numeration test * Numeration test rewrite

Part Six: Decimals (4 minutes)
Reading and representing decimals and multiples of powers of 10.

Large numbers into words (0:37)
Number literacy sheet (2:13)
Modelling decimals with base blocks (2:39)

Resources: Number literacy practice * Vertical number lines * Decimal vertical number lines

Part Seven: Focus on the Facts (7 minutes)
Focusing in on Multiplication.

Power of 10 cards (1:50)
Triangular flashcards (4:26)
Reduced times tables and perfect squares (5:58)

Resources: Power of Ten Flashcards (purchase) * Times-table knowledge * Times-table blank spaced * Times-table with answers

Part Eight: Vertical Number-Line and Estimating (6 minutes)
Focusing in on Estimation and using the Vertical Number Line.

Showing relative size for whole numbers (1:41)
Showing relative size for decimals (2:27)
Estimating using rounding and powers of 10 (3:23)

Resources: Vertical number lines * Decimal vertical number lines * Practising multiplying by powers of ten * Using powers of ten to understand multiplication

Part Nine: Double-Digit Multiplication and Factor Pairs (9 minutes)
Representing and understanding the multiplication-factor link.

Expanded short-for multiplying (3:06)
Examination of factor-pairs (4:40)
Fantastic Factors page (5:45)
Factor Frenzy games (9:23)

Resources: Times-table knowledge * Factors and Multiples Theory * Factoring to demystify numbers * Double digit with decimals Grade 5 * Fantastic factors page 1 * Fantastic Factors page 1 key * Fantastic factors page 2 * Fantastic Factors page 2 key * Factor frenzy game

Part Ten: Factors and Divisibility Rules (6 minutes)
Learning and teaching the Divisibility rules.

Divisibility rules for 2,3,4,5, and 10 (1:15)
Divisibility rule for 6 (4:15)
RAINBOWS to show all factors (5:27)

Times-table knowledge * Divisibility rules

The Provincial Intermediate and Middle Years Teachers' Association (myPITA) is a Provincial Specialist Association (PSA) of the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF)
© 2025 Provincial Intermediate and Middle Years Teachers' Association

Please note that these resources are created and owned by third parties and may have been updated or altered since the resource was last reviewed. It is important that teachers use their professional judgement when assessing any resource for its applicability to the curriculum, their classroom and educational context, and the needs of their students. myPITA receives no financial benefit from use of these external resources.

Building Math Confidence!