Math Choice Boards: Empowering Students to Show What They Know

In many math classrooms, assessment looks the same for every student: one worksheet, one test, one way to show understanding. However, traditional assessments don’t always capture the full picture of what students actually know and can do.

That’s where math choice boards come in.

Math choice boards give students multiple ways to demonstrate their understanding of a math concept while still holding them accountable to the same learning goals. When used intentionally, they can increase engagement and provide teachers with rich insights into student thinking.

What is a Math Choice Board?

A math choice board is a structured menu of tasks related to a single math topic or set of standards. Options target the same essential understanding but vary in format, strategy, or representation. The goal is multiple pathways to the same learning target.

Why Choice Matters in Math

Giving students choice is not about lowering expectations - it’s about removing unnecessary barriers.

Benefits of math choice boards include:

1. Increased Student Ownership

When students have a say in how they show their understanding, they are more invested in the work. Choice shifts learning from something that happens to students to something they actively participate in.

Engagement increases when students feel trusted to make decisions about their learning.

2. Clearer Insight into Student Thinking

A worksheet or workbook page often reveals whether an answer is right or wrong - but not why.

Choice boards allow students to explain, model, justify, and represent their thinking in different ways. This gives teachers clearer insight into:

• conceptual understanding

• strategy selection

• misconceptions that may not appear on traditional assessments

3. Built-In Differentiation

Choice boards naturally support diverse learners without requiring different assignments for every student. All students work toward the same objective, but in a way that aligns with their strengths and needs.

4. Stronger Mathematical Communication

Math choice boards often emphasize explanation, representation, and reasoning - key components of mathematical proficiency.

When students explain their thinking through models, words, or real-world contexts, they strengthen both their understanding and their ability to communicate mathematically.

Final Thoughts

Choice alone isn’t enough. Effective math choice boards:

• are aligned to specific standards or learning targets

• hold all students accountable for the same core understanding

• balance creativity with mathematical accuracy

By giving students meaningful options for showing what they know, we create classrooms that value thinking, understanding, and flexibility over one-size-fits-all instruction.

Resources
Head to the Math Projects & Choice Boards section in the All Access Math Hub for a variety of Choice Boards.

Not yet a member? Try this sample Choice Board with your students and let us know how it goes!