When Math Gets Tough: Guiding Students Through Productive Struggle for Deeper Learning (Grades K-5)

By Stacy Kula and Lorelei Coddington

How can elementary math teachers support students through struggle without stepping in too soon--or leaving them stuck?

When Math Gets Tough provides a powerful, research-backed answer. Drawing on a four-year, grant-funded study across linguistically and socioeconomically diverse elementary classrooms, Lorelei Coddington and Stacy Kula show how productive struggle--when thoughtfully scaffolded through discussion-based practices--builds deep mathematical understanding, persistence, and positive math identities for all young learners. Instead of rescuing students at the first sign of difficulty or letting them slip into unproductive frustration, teachers learn how to maintain high cognitive demand while guiding collaborative problem-solving. Packed with authentic classroom transcripts, student work samples, reflection prompts for professional learning communities (PLCs), and a practical rubric for analyzing struggle in real time, this book equips educators to transform challenge into a driver of conceptual growth and equitable achievement.Key insights include:
Practical Strategies: Learn how to launch tasks, diagnose levels of struggle in real-time, and respond without lowering cognitive demand.Real-World Evidence: Explore authentic classroom transcripts, student work samples, and teacher reflections that show productive struggle in action.Equitable Support: Access specialized tools and resources designed to support multilingual learners during collaborative problem-solving.Actionable Tools: Utilize a specialized rubric for analyzing struggle and professional learning prompts perfect for PLCs and teacher education.When Math Gets Tough demonstrates that when educators embrace struggle as an essential part of learning, math classrooms become vibrant spaces of inquiry, resilience, and mathematical agency.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080778513X
• ISBN13: 9780807785133
• Release Date: December 2026
• Publisher: Teachers College Press
• Length: 208 Pages