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Students in Mr. Peters’ math class at Coal City Middle School are focusing on learning the Order of Operations, a key skill for middle school mathematics.
“This unit helps set students up for success as they move into more complex expressions and equations, so we’ve been taking time to build strong habits and clear understanding. Our focus has been on learning how to approach multi-step problems with confidence and accuracy,” Mr. Peters said.
He explained that students have been practicing the PEMDAS sequence—Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division (from left to right), Addition and Subtraction (from left to right)—and discussing the importance of following this order.
“Students have completed guided examples with me, worked through class practice problems, and taken on independent tasks that challenge them to apply each step. The goal is to help them slow down, think carefully, and make sense of each part of a problem before moving on,” Peters said.
Mr. Peters noted that his students are showing significant effort by working together at the board, explaining their reasoning, checking their work, and having discussions about avoiding common mistakes.
“Their confidence is growing, and they are beginning to recognize patterns that help them approach new problems more strategically,” according to Peters.
As lessons continue, students will keep building their skills through additional practice and feedback.
“Mastering the Order of Operations now will support everything we’ll tackle later in the year, and the enthusiasm in the classroom shows that students are ready for the challenge. It’s been an exciting start, and I’m looking forward to seeing their continued progress,” Peters said.
