Connecting the dots
Ever noticed how some students ace a quiz… but freeze when they have to apply that same knowledge in a new context?
Helping students transfer what they’ve learned from one topic or subject to another is one of the most powerful (and challenging!) parts of teaching. It’s not just about remembering facts—it’s about seeing the bigger picture, making connections, and thinking critically.
In my teaching, I’ve seen how real learning starts when students begin to connect the dots. That’s when engagement grows and confidence builds.
Do your students struggle with transferring knowledge from one topic to another?
How do you help them make meaningful connections?
Let’s share what works—and what we’re still figuring out. Your experience might be just the spark someone else needs!
What a great question! In my approaches to teaching and learning in mathematics I have found that teaching what is mathematics and the history of mathematics alongside the mathematics itself has been a game changer. I began this approach 3 years ago and have been refining it. Something I am still working on? Concurrently I am trying to teach mathematical fluency, the movement from the graphical to the symbolic to numerical and I struggle sometimes to find resources to support this. I have also realized that years 7-9 need to be more exploratory and less procedural, with multiple forms of assessments, not just tests. So I am exploring other options that demonstrate critical understanding vs thinking