Why does it matter?
The question “Does what you learn in class help you outside of school?” helps educators check-in on whether or not students are being supported in making connections between their lives, the world outside school, and what they are learning in the classroom. Making learning relevant to students promotes engagement, motivation, and equity.
Connect learning to students’ lives
Challenge your students to keep a subject-matter journal that connects learning to their lives. See here a detailed description of Math journals and how they can enhance students’ understanding and how they can provide students the opportunity to “make a deeper connection to math’s many real-life applications.”