Word problems try and tell students a story about the math problem in front of them. They are a useful way to connect abstract numbers to concrete situations, so students can learn early on to apply ...

Students often struggle to connect math with the real world. Word problems—a combination of words, numbers, and mathematical operations—can be a perfect vehicle to take abstract numbers off the page.

I have a crushing workload and the anger to prove it. With less than two years before I can leave, how do I avoid alienating everyone? Credit...Photo Illustration by Margeaux Walter for The New York ...