End of Year Math Awards for Middle School Math Classrooms

As the school year wraps up, many teachers look for meaningful ways to recognize student growth in math. End-of-year math awards are a simple, effective way to celebrate effort, improvement, and achievement while reinforcing a positive classroom culture.

In middle school math, students often make significant progress in problem-solving, reasoning, and confidence — even when that growth isn’t fully reflected in final grades. Thoughtful classroom awards help highlight that progress and encourage a growth mindset. Recognizing perseverance, collaboration, and mathematical thinking can be just as impactful as recognizing academic performance.

You don’t need a formal ceremony to use math awards. Many teachers present certificates during a regular class period, share a brief comment about each student’s strengths, and allow time for photos or reflection. Even small moments of recognition can make a meaningful difference for students in grades 6–8.

If you want an easy, ready-to-use option, I created a set of FREE Middle School Math Awards designed specifically for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classrooms. This resource includes printable math certificates and editable PowerPoint versions so you can customize student names. The awards recognize both academic skills and character traits such as effort, persistence, and positive participation in the math classroom.

You can find them HERE:

Using end-of-year math awards helps students leave your classroom with a clear sense of accomplishment, confidence, and pride in their mathematical growth.

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Michelle Sigaran

How To Fill Learning Gaps in Middle School Math

Learning gaps are common in middle school math. Students miss instruction, concepts don’t fully click, or skills fade over time. The challenge is helping students catch up without reteaching everything or falling behind pacing.

The good news is that filling learning gaps does not require starting over.

Focus on the Essentials

Not every gap needs full reteaching. Identify the key skills students must understand to be successful with current content. When you focus on what matters most, support becomes more manageable and less overwhelming.

Use Visual Supports

Visuals help students reconnect to prior learning quickly. Anchor charts, summary notes, and reference sheets give students something to rely on when they feel stuck. These tools build independence and confidence over time.

Spiral Skills Instead of Stopping 

Stopping instruction to reteach can slow momentum. Instead, spiral important skills through warm ups, practice problems, or short reviews. Repeated exposure helps gaps close naturally while learning continues.

Keep Practice Low Stress

Students are more willing to engage when practice feels safe. Games, task cards, and partner activities reduce pressure and encourage participation. Confidence grows when students feel comfortable trying.

Stay Structured and Clear

Even on flexible days, structure matters. Clear directions, routines, and expectations help students stay focused and reduce confusion. A calm classroom supports better thinking.

Progress Over Perfection

Closing learning gaps takes time. Small improvements matter. When students feel supported instead of behind, engagement and understanding improve.

You do not need to start over to help students succeed. Small, intentional strategies can make math feel more accessible and manageable.

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Michelle Sigaran

Teaching Solving Algebraic Equations with Bar Models

Solving algebraic equations can feel overwhelming for many middle school students, especially when instruction focuses only on steps and procedures. Bar models offer a simple way to make equations more visual and meaningful.

Instead of asking students to memorize what to do, bar models help them understand what the equation represents.

Why Use Bar Models in Algebra?

Bar models allow students to see the structure of an equation before solving it. This helps students:

• Identify what is known and unknown
• Understand relationships between quantities
• Feel more confident when solving equations

When students can visualize an equation, the math often starts to make sense.

Start with One-Step Equations

For an equation like
x + 7 = 19

Have students draw one bar to represent 19 and split it into two parts. One part is 7 and the other part is x. Students can easily see that x is the missing piece.

This approach reinforces that solving equations is about finding a missing value, not following rules.

Use Bar Models for  Multiplication and Division

Bar models also work well for equations such as 3x = 42 

Students draw a bar divided into three equal parts that total 42. Each part represents x. From the model, students can see why dividing by 3 makes sense.

This visual support is especially helpful for students who struggle with abstract reasoning.

Connect the Model to the Equation

After drawing a bar model, ask students:

• What does each part represent?
• Which part is unknown?
• How could this be written as an equation?

This helps students connect the visual model to algebraic notation.

Visual Supports Make a Difference

Consistent visuals help students remember strategies and build independence. Anchor charts and posters give students something to refer back to as they solve equations.

I created a set of Solving Equations with Bar Models Anchor Charts and Posters to support this exact work. The charts show how to model and solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division equations using bar models.

👉You can find the resource HERE

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Final Thoughts

Bar models help students slow down, think, and understand what an equation means. When students understand the structure, solving becomes less intimidating and more successful.

If you are looking for a simple way to strengthen algebra instruction, bar models are a strategy worth adding to your classroom.

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Michelle Sigaran

Why Math Mindset Matters

A strong math mindset is one of the most powerful tools we can give our students. When students believe they can grow, learn, and improve in math, everything changes—how they participate, how they respond to challenges, and how they see themselves as learners.

Instead of shutting down when something feels hard, they begin to see struggle as part of the process. 

A math mindset creates confident problem solvers, reduces anxiety, and opens the door for deeper, more meaningful learning. And the best part? It’s something we can intentionally nurture every single day.

What Math Mindset Really Looks Like

A growth-based math classroom doesn’t just praise effort. It normalizes:

• Making and analyzing mistakes

• Trying more than one strategy

• Taking time to understand, not just finish

• Explaining thinking, even when unsure

Students need to see these ideas often enough that they start repeating them internally.

Make Mindset Visible

You can talk about productive struggle all year long, but without visual reminders, students forget.

That’s why I created my Math Mindset Anchor Chart Posters — short, powerful messages paired with math-specific subtitles, written so middle school students actually connect with them.

These posters aren’t decor. They quietly coach students every day while they work.

Easy Ways to Use Them

Here are simple ways teachers are using the posters: 

• Create a dedicated “Math Mindset Wall”

• Ask students after a lesson: “Which poster matched your experience today?”

• Print mini versions for student notebooks or desktops

• Use posters as math journal prompts

• Tell groups they must apply at least one poster while solving a problem

• Use as an exit ticket question: “Which mindset helped you today?”

When used intentionally, students don’t just see the mindset — they begin to live it.

Want them Ready to Go?

If you want mindset to be embedded in your classroom without creating everything yourself, you can grab the full Math Mindset Poster Set HERE

They include:

• 20 mindset statements with matching subtitles

• Colored and black & white version

• Clean, modern layouts that fit any classroom decor

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Michelle Sigaran