Why We Need to Let Students Struggle (A Weekend with the Experts)
I recently returned to the classroom. I took part in a three-day workshop (or maths retreat) organised by the Institute of Mathematical Pedagogy, led by John Mason and Anne Watson.
Anne and John are not only highly respected Professors of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, but also genuinely kind, generous people who give an enormous amount of time and energy to the mathematics education community, and to anyone who crosses their path. If you don’t already know their work, I would strongly encourage you to look them up and read what they have written.
I had worked with Anne and John some years ago, around their kitchen table in Oxford. There were twelve of us, working on mathematical tasks, discussing them, and adapting them for learners. Those workshops were invaluable to me. Anyone who works independently, outside of a school environment, comes to value human interaction and shared thinking even more. So when Anne and John emailed about a three-day meeting in Oxford, I said yes without even knowing exactly what would happen. I knew the days would be rich in mathematics and pedagogy and I was not disappointed!
What did we do?
There were around 29 of us, including professors from universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, and King’s College. We were given a challenging mathematical task presented in the form of a short film and were asked to make sense of it.
Very little explanation was provided. We had to pick things apart, unpick ideas, sit with uncertainty, and work collaboratively to understand what was happening, develop conjectures, and refine them together.
Key takeaways from the three days
1. The power of being challenged
I was reminded how important it is to push myself and to feel genuinely stuck, both mathematically and pedagogically. As educators (and parents), we often teach what feels safe and familiar. But real learning happens when you struggle. It was refreshing to wrestle with a challenging mathematical task, to be unsure, and then to experience understanding emerging gradually over time.
2. Teaching is not always talking
Teaching is not only explaining or doing; it is also noticing, listening, and allowing silence. I am guilty of filling awkward silences too quickly, and stepping in to rescue students from being stuck.
Sometimes taking a step back, not speaking, and observing what your child does next can be invaluable to their progress.
3. The power of thinking “simple”
At the start of the task, many of us instinctively tried to calculate formulas, draw graphs, and overcomplicate things. We had to strip everything back and think simply. What do you see? What do you notice? This is a key part of deciphering the worded, multi-step questions in exams, and why things like example solutions can be really helpful when students are faced with a complicated task.
4. Perseverance, motivation, and enjoyment
Rich questions allow learners to struggle, persevere, and experience those “aha” moments. If students are never allowed to be stuck in lessons, we cannot expect them to do so for the first time in an exam.
5. Evoking hidden potential
There were moments when I genuinely felt I had no idea what was going on. Then a small thread would appear, ideas would bounce around, deepen, and evolve.
A final reflection
At Olivia Press, our work is rooted in the belief that meaningful learning takes time. Progress is rarely instant or linear; it comes from thinking deeply, sitting with uncertainty, asking better questions, and allowing understanding to grow.
These three days in Oxford reinforced why we design resources that challenge students to think, persevere, and make sense of mathematics for themselves.We don't just want them to practice techniques; we want them to build the confidence to handle the unknown.
