{"id":232,"date":"2024-05-22T10:50:28","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T14:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/?p=232"},"modified":"2024-10-28T11:29:14","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T15:29:14","slug":"9-math-a-thon-dos-and-donts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/9-math-a-thon-dos-and-donts\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Math-A-Thon Do&#8217;s and Don&#8217;ts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Math-A-Thons are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/comparison-most-popular-fundraiser-ideas-for-schools\" rel=\"\">school fundraisers<\/a> where students answer as many math problems as they can over a 1- or 2-week period and solicit donations from friends and family to support their school. Math-A-Thons are our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/comparison-most-popular-fundraiser-ideas-for-schools\">top rated school fundraising idea<\/a> because they provide educational value to the students, are easy to manage for the administrators, and incur minimal costs. However, there are some important steps to take and pitfalls to avoid to ensure that they are as successful as possible.<\/p>\n<div style=\"border-top: 1px solid #dbdbdb; border-bottom: 1px solid #dbdbdb; margin: 25px 0 30px;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"height: 60px; margin: 0 19px 0 0; float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/calculator-icon.png\" alt=\"School Math-A-Thon Fundraiser\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding: 5px 0 1px;\">New to Math-A-Thons? Check out our<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 0 0 15px;\"><a style=\"padding: 0; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/mathathon-fundraiser-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Complete Guide To Math-A-Thon Fundraising<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>DO Consider Summer Math-A-Thons<\/h2>\n<p>Summer Math-A-Thons provide a few unique benefits:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin-top: 10px!important;\">\n<li>Few conflicting events<\/li>\n<li>Great review of the past year&#8217;s material<\/li>\n<li>Early start to annual fundraising efforts<\/li>\n<li>Reacclimates students to school environment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>DON&#8217;T Discount Fall, Winter, and Spring<\/h2>\n<p>Math-A-Thons can be held year round and still be successful and beneficial for students.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fall<\/strong> events tend to have high engagement and can be a great introduction to the new school year&#8217;s curriculum or a review of the previous year&#8217;s curriculum<\/li>\n<li><strong>Winter<\/strong> events are all about school spirit. We recommend offering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/read-a-thon-reward-systems-that-boost-participation\/\">collective participation rewards<\/a>, which can help rally students for a common cause.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spring<\/strong> events provide a fun way to review the year&#8217;s material and prepare students for end-of-year exams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>DO Encourage Teacher Involvement<\/h2>\n<p>Teachers&#8217; involvement helps to reinforce the importance of the educational aspects of the events. They can encourage participation and provide extra academic support for students that need it. In ForOurSchool&#8217;s Math-A-Thon platform, teachers can also record worksheets for students that prefer offline participation as well as track performance of each student in their class.<\/p>\n<h2>DON&#8217;T Require Student Participation<\/h2>\n<p>Math-A-Thons are not homework. They are fun and interactive opportunities for students to build a positive association with math. But to do that, participation has to be voluntary. When a student is told that they must solve math games, it can cause stress and diminish their excitement for the event. Instead, encourage participation through positive incentives and by highlighting the benefits of the fundraiser.<\/p>\n<h2>DO Celebrate Math Accomplishments<\/h2>\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\">ForOurSchool.org<\/a>, we help many schools host their Math-A-Thons. One school we worked with incentivized participation by offering a pizza party to any class that collectively solved 3,000 math problems. The school told us that one of their students, who typically struggles with math, really enjoyed participating in the event and solved nearly 1,000 problems on their own. When the teacher announced that the class won the pizza party largely due to this student&#8217;s effort, the student beamed with pride and planned to solve even more problems at home.<\/p>\n<p>This type of public recognition and pride in a student&#8217;s math ability is difficult to replicate with homework or tests. Take the opportunity to congratulate and celebrate students who excel.<\/p>\n<h2>DON&#8217;T Discourage Using Hints or Help<\/h2>\n<p>Allow students to seek help and use hints if they get stuck. The goal is to support learning and understanding, not just to test their current knowledge. Encouraging collaboration and problem-solving can make the event more educational and enjoyable.<\/p>\n<h2>DO Reward Meeting Class or Grade Math Goals<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/read-a-thon-reward-systems-that-boost-participation\/\" rel=\"\">reward system<\/a> that the previously mentioned school used to incentivize participation was ideal. They set a collective goal for each class, encouraging all students to participate to their ability. This fosters teamwork and a sense of shared achievement. Rewards can help to celebrate these accomplishments and be something as simple as extra recess time.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a school donation goal, publicize how that money will be used. Set a stretch goal where excess funds go towards a fun event for the students, which still incentivizes donations without focusing on individual contributions.<\/p>\n<h2>DON&#8217;T Reward Meeting Donation Goals<\/h2>\n<p>Avoid tying individual rewards to the amount of money raised. This can create inequities among students and shift the focus away from the educational aspect of the event. Instead, keep the emphasis on learning and personal achievement.<\/p>\n<h2>DO Align Math Levels with Student Abilities<\/h2>\n<p>Ensure that the math problems are appropriate for each student&#8217;s skill level. Tailoring the difficulty of the questions to match students&#8217; abilities keeps them engaged and prevents frustration. This approach allows each student to experience success and build their confidence and math skills.<\/p>\n<p>If you are ready to get started with your own event, check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/mathathon-fundraiser-guide\/\" rel=\"\">guide to running a successful Math-A-Thon<\/a>. Alternatively, Read-A-Thons can also be profitable, educational, and fun school fundraisers. If you are interested in trying that, we&#8217;ve provided a list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/8-read-a-thon-dos-and-donts\/\" rel=\"\">Read-A-Thons DOs and DON&#8217;Ts<\/a> to help you.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding:1rem 0 0;text-align:center;margin:0\">\n<h4 style=\"margin-bottom:1.5rem;font-size:calc(1.375rem + 1.5vw);font-weight:300;line-height:1.2\">Make Fundraising Fun and Educational<\/h4>\n<div style=\"padding:0 0 3rem;font-size:0.975rem;\">ForOurSchool.org is a Math-A-Thon and Read-A-Thon platform focused on enhancing math skills, promoting literacy, and fostering community spirit<\/div>\n<div style=\"--bs-gutter-x: 1.625rem;--bs-gutter-y: 0;display: flex;flex-wrap: wrap;margin-top: calc(-1* var(--bs-gutter-y));margin-right: calc(-0.5* var(--bs-gutter-x));margin-left: calc(-0.5* var(--bs-gutter-x));justify-content: space-between !important;\">\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto;    box-sizing: border-box;padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);width: 50%; margin-bottom:1.5rem\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important;background-clip: padding-box;box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12);position: relative;display: flex;flex-direction: column;min-width: 0;word-wrap: break-word;background-color: #fff;border-radius: .5rem;padding:1rem;\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none;color:#000\"><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100px;box-sizing: border-box;padding: 20px 20px 1rem;height: 100px;border-radius: 50%;margin: 0 auto;align-items: center;justify-content: center;display:flex;border: 2px solid #FDE;background: #FEE;\">\n                  <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:100%\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/donation.png\" alt=\"Outstretched hand with heart over it signifying requesting donations\" title=\"Donation request icon\">\n               <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:bold;padding:1rem 0 .5rem\">Personalized Donation Pages<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:.9375rem\">We provide the most secure platform at the best price. That means more money for your school and students!<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto;box-sizing: border-box;padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);width: 50%; margin-bottom:1.5rem\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important;background-clip: padding-box;box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12);position: relative;display: flex;flex-direction: column;min-width: 0;word-wrap: break-word;background-color: #fff;border-radius: .5rem;padding:1rem;\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none;color:#000\"><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100px;box-sizing: border-box;padding: 20px 20px 1rem;height: 100px;border-radius: 50%;margin: 0 auto;align-items: center;justify-content: center;display:flex;border: 2px solid #e7e6be;background: #f0f0d9;\">\n                  <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:100%\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/leaderboard.png\" alt=\"Podium with star above first place signifying leaderboard\" title=\"Leaderboard icon\">\n               <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:bold;padding:1rem 0 .5rem\">Flexible Setup<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:.9375rem\">We offer a range of customization options, allowing you to tailor your event to perfectly suit your school&#8217;s needs.<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto;    box-sizing: border-box;padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);width: 50%; margin-bottom:1.5rem\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important;background-clip: padding-box;box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12);position: relative;display: flex;flex-direction: column;min-width: 0;word-wrap: break-word;background-color: #fff;border-radius: .5rem;padding:1rem;\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none;color:#000\"><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100px;box-sizing: border-box;padding: 20px 20px 1rem;height: 100px;border-radius: 50%;margin: 0 auto;align-items: center;justify-content: center;display:flex;border: 2px solid #b5dfba;background: #daf0dd;\">\n                  <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:100%\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/arithmetic.png\" alt=\"Plus, minus, multiplication, and equal sign operators signifying arithmetic math problem\" title=\"Arithmetic icon\">\n               <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:bold;padding:1rem 0 .5rem\">Extensive Math Practice<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:.9375rem\">Students can access over 400 math games online or via printed worksheets, with problems aligned to their grade level and ability.<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex: 0 0 auto;    box-sizing: border-box;padding-right: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);padding-left: calc(var(--bs-gutter-x)* .5);width: 50%; margin-bottom:1.5rem\">\n<div style=\"border: 1px solid #696cff !important;background-clip: padding-box;box-shadow: 0 2px 6px 0 rgba(67, 89, 113, .12);position: relative;display: flex;flex-direction: column;min-width: 0;word-wrap: break-word;background-color: #fff;border-radius: .5rem;padding:1rem;\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/\" style=\"text-decoration:none;color:#000\"><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 100px;box-sizing: border-box;padding: 20px 20px 1rem;height: 100px;border-radius: 50%;margin: 0 auto;align-items: center;justify-content: center;display:flex;border: 2px solid #badfea;background: #e1f8ff;\">\n                  <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width:100%\" src=\"https:\/\/asset.forourschool.org\/img\/icons\/progress-bar.png\" alt=\"Progress bar steadily growing representing personal goals that can be set\" title=\"Progress bar icon\">\n               <\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1.125rem;font-weight:bold;padding:1rem 0 .5rem\">Personal Reading Goals<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:.9375rem\">Students are encouraged to reach their personal reading goals through motivational messages and unlockable avatars.<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a>\n         <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Math-A-Thons are school fundraisers where students answer as many math problems as they can over a 1- or 2-week period and solicit donations from friends&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":403,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232\/revisions\/403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forourschool.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}