Risk Taking in

Mathematics
Tina Miller & Mairi Graham
EDUC 525 LT1
“risk taking is squelched in
most classrooms where
the ultimate key is to get the
correct solution, the first
time” (Dean, 2018).
 Essential Question:
How do educators
encourage risk taking
in the mathematics
classroom?
 Intellectual Risk Taking
•Definition: “Intellectual risk taking
(IRT) [is] defined as engaging in
adaptive learning behaviors (sharing
tentative ideas, asking questions,
attempting to do and learn new things)
that place the learner at risk of making
mistakes or appearing less competent
than others.” (Beghetto, 2009).
 “Intellectual risk taking is
associated with a wide range
of thinking, learning, and life
skills.” (Understanding
Intellectual Risk Taking,
Why is Risk 2011)
Taking
Making errors are an
Important? essential part of a student’s
ability to improve their
learning and future
performance.
 Contributing Factors
Teacher Age,
Math
Training Gender,
Classroom Anxiety/La
and and
Culture ck of
Competenc Cultural
Confidence
y Influences
Solution-
Learned
Focused
Helplessne
Mathemati
ss
cs
(Sharma, 2015)
 Our Mission
● Develop a brave space where students feel empowered to take
risks unlimited by the fear of failure. Their mistakes will enable
further learning and growth, and their mathematical curiosities
will be fostered.
● Provide practical strategies and activities that you can take into
your classroom.
Establishing Your Classroom Culture

3
1 2 Minimize
Model Provide the
Risk Low-Risk conseque
Opportuniti nces of
Taking es making
mistakes
(Gillespie, 2013)
 1) Model Risk-Taking
● Share your failures, demystify the teacher as “all-
knowing” (Ingram, 2017)

● Help students navigate the risk-taking process

○ Model how to handle a mistake  “the power of yet”
(Ingram, 2017)
○ Encourage perseverance through challenges
○ Focus on student strengths
○ Help students understand their thought process

● Encourage a growth mindset

○ Praise the learning process
 Model Risk-Taking

How the teacher reacts to

failure dictates whether
students feel safe to take risks;
it shows students how to treat
themselves and their peers in
moments of vulnerability.
 Provide Low-Risk Opportunities
● Taking risks in small groups
○ Disperses the risk taking
amongst peers
○ Collaboration encourages
mathematical discussion and
creative solutions (Mitchell,
2018)
○ Utilize impermanent methods
of interaction: whiteboards and
manipulatives

● Gamification
 Provide Low-Risk Opportunities
Open Ended Questions
The answer is 6 animals. Can you
○ No ONE correct answer
develop a word problem for this
○ focus on process-
answer?
driven problems and
not the end result
○ Accept multiple
methods of problem-
solving
○ Multiple entry points

*Let students sit “in the

struggle”* (Tips to encourage risk-
taking, 2017).
 Unsolved
Problems
Bubbling Cauldron
Problem
Minimize the consequences of making
mistakes
● Assessment Strategies
○ Ensure assessments align with risk-taking
pedagogy
○ Allow students to use formative feedback to
resubmit/modify their work (Gillespie, 2013).
○ Have multiple low-stakes assessments during the
learning process
○ Lessen peer vs peer competition
○ Minimize focus on the numerical grade or right
answer
○ Celebrate risk-taking
 Take-Aways
Support
Model students in Encourage a
Making persevering Growth
Mistakes through Mindset
challenges

Emphasize
Create low- Encourage
Low-Stakes
risk activities Collaboration
Assessment
Ten ways to foster academic risk-taking in math class, 2017)
 Extra Resources
● Math Pickle (Bubbling Cauldron, Pollinator Puzzles):
http://mathpickle.com
● Kahoot: https://kahoot.it
● Solve Me: https://solveme.edc.org/whoami/?puzzle=85
● Socrative:
 References
Allen, K. (2016, March 28). Taking risks for learning’s sake. Retrieved from https://www.nctm.org/Publications/Mathematics-
Teacher/Blog/Taking-Risks—for-Learning_s-Sake/
Are your students taking risks in their learning? (2019). Retrieved from http://gca.coe.uga.edu/are-your-students-taking-
risks-in-their-learning/
Beghetto, Ronald A. Correlates of Intellectual Risk Taking in Elementary School Science. Journal Research in Science
Teaching 46, no. 2 (2009): 210–223.
Dean, J. (2018, July 24). Risk taking in math instruction. Retrieved from https://www.thinkingmaps.com/risk-taking-in-math-
instruction/
Gillespie. (2013, March 3). Creating a risk-taking classroom environment. Retrieved from
http://reedgillespie.blogspot.com/2013/03/creating-risk-taking-classroom.html
Ingram, L.G., (2017, September 14). A classroom full of risk takers. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/article/classroom-full-risk-takers
Mitchell, M. (2018, July 24). Creating a culture of risk-taking in the mathematics classroom. Retrieved from
https://mathsolutions.com/uncategorized/creating-a-culture-of-risk-taking-in-the-mathematics- classroom/
Sharma, S. (2015). Promoting risk taking in mathematics classrooms: The importance of creating a safe learning
environment. The Mathematics Enthusiast, 12(1), 290-306. Retrieved from
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1349&context=tme
Strohmeyer, D. (N.D.) Intellectual Risk Taking. Retrieved from http://lessonsforthelearned.org/index.php/independent-learning-
overview/intellectual-risk-taking/
Ten ways to foster academic risk-taking in math class. (2017, March 13). Retrieved from
https://www.flymathclub.com/clubadvisorresources/academicrisktakersinmath
Tips to encourage risk-taking. (2017, February 28). Retrieved from https://engage.spiritofmath.com/engage/tips-to-
encourage-risk-taking-6365
Understanding intellectual risk taking. (2011). Retrieved from
http://assets.pearsonschoolapps.com/playbook_assets/Understanding%20Intellectual%20Risk%20Taking.pdf