This week's academic spotlight shines on Lansing Middle School 8th Grade Math teacher Miranda Cote and her innovative approach to building teamwork and resilience in the classroom.
Ms. Cote invited me to observe how she engages her students in a hands-on learning activity called the "Cup Challenge." In this activity, students collaborated to build cup formations using only a rubber band tied to four strings. The twist? Students could not touch the cups with their hands—each student was responsible for controlling one string, requiring them to work together as a team to achieve their goal.
At the end of the activity, Ms. Cote led a reflective discussion on how their struggles while building the cup formations mirrored the challenges they might face in math class. She emphasized how their reactions to difficulties—whether in the Cup Challenge or in solving complex math problems—can significantly impact the overall success the class could see.
"Being a math teacher, I see all types of perspectives on math from students. Some like math and have no struggles, and some find it very difficult and frustrating. This challenge is meant to teach students that despite their different viewpoints on the subject, we are all on a team to ensure the success of everyone in class," said Ms. Cote.
It was fun seeing the students work together and stay positive and patient as they struggled to complete the progressively more complex cup challenges they were told to reconstruct. I loved how Ms. Cote stressed the need for patience and understanding throughout the activity.
"The skills needed to complete this cup challenge—communication, respect for others, understanding, and empathy during times of high stress—are all skills students also need to be successful in my class," said Ms. Cote.
The activity was met with enthusiasm by the students, who enjoyed the challenge and recognized its deeper significance.
"I really liked the activity because it helped me get along with my classmates and better understand the assignment," said Austin Kerr.
"I liked this project because it was fun even though working with the people in my group was difficult because of the cups," said Jayden May.
Others highlighted how they had to adapt with their partners to complete the challenges.
"I liked this project because the people at the opposite end of the group had to move with the person opposite of them," added Anthony Silva.
Through this engaging and thoughtful activity, Ms. Cote wonderfully demonstrated the importance of collaboration and perseverance, both in math class and beyond. Her dedication to fostering these essential life skills in her students is one of the many reasons we are proud to have her with us here in Lansing.
Great job, Ms. Cote!
