Beyond Talent: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know About Boosting Math Success

While focus alone may not guarantee success, when combined with strong motivation, it can lead to outstanding results.

By: Heidi H.

When it comes to learning, especially in math, where students direct their attention and what fuels their effort can make all the difference. A recent study by Wheeler and Cabigas (2024) found that motivation significantly impacts math performance, with intrinsic motivation playing a particularly powerful role. Since motivation drives focus, the real question for educators is: how can we foster the kind of motivation that keeps students thriving in math?

Study Overview: What Happened?

In this study, 314 pupils from Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, were asked about two main things:

• Their focus

• Their motivation—students explained whether they learn because of…

  • Intrinsic motivation (they want to/like enjoying learning new things)

  • Extrinsic motivation (or because of rewards and expectations)

The researchers then compared their insights with the students’ Math scores to see if there were any significant correlations.

So, What Are the Results?

Focus supports motivation: Surprisingly, focus was not found to have a direct and significant influence on Math performance. However, it can improve academic success by supporting motivation and enhancing productivity despite distractions, working hand in hand with motivation to help students learn better.

Motivation matters most: A regression analysis revealed that motivation significantly influences performance in Mathematics. The study found that the way students are motivated also played a big role in their math performance. Those who were motivated by finding personal interest or excitement in learning (intrinsic motivation) tended to perform even better.

Takeaways for Educators (Teachers and Parents)

Whether you are an educator or a parent, here are some practical takeaways for an observable boost in mathematical performance:

1. Create a supportive and engaging environment

   Students thrive when learning feels exciting and safe. Teachers can bring math to life through real-world applications, visuals, and interactive activities, while parents can reinforce this at home by encouraging curiosity and showing how math shows up in everyday life—from grocery shopping to measuring ingredients.

   
   

2. Build motivation to drive performance

   Motivation fuels focus and success. In the classroom, teachers can set short-term goals and celebrate progress with feedback that focuses on effort. At home, parents can keep up the momentum by recognising small wins and encouraging a growth mindset, helping children see that progress matters more than perfection.

   
   

3. Use challenging but achievable math tasks

   Whether at school or home, students benefit from tasks that stretch them just enough. Introduce challenges that push students slightly beyond their comfort zone. These “challenges” should not be so hard they give up, but hard enough that success feels rewarding—building their confidence and motivation. Support them in working through questions, instead of jumping straight to the answer.

In summary, this study highlights that motivation plays a key role in improving students' math performance. While focus alone may not guarantee success, when combined with strong motivation, it can lead to outstanding results. By nurturing a love for learning and creating a supportive environment, teachers and parents can help students reach their full potential. Remember that small changes in attitudes and settings can lead to big improvements in learning outcomes!

What’s one small step you can take today to inspire motivation or strengthen focus in your classroom or at home?

Quick Action Checklist: Boosting Math Success

Here’s a simple checklist you can use to make math success more achievable:

• Did I make math feel relevant by connecting it to real-life situations (e.g shopping)?

• Did I create a safe and encouraging space for asking questions and making mistakes?

• Did I celebrate effort and small wins to build motivation?

• Did I offer a task that was challenging but achievable—not overwhelming?

• Did I guide them through a problem rather than jumping straight to the answer?

Reference: Wheeler, R. S., & Cabigas, M. E. A. (2024). Pupils’ focus and motivations: Their influence on mathematics performance. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 7(6), 2441–2452. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v7-i06-04