A Cost/Benefit Analysis of Using a Math Workbook

Published: March 28, 2025

I believe there is a cost and benefit to every instructional decision made in a classroom. We know that the craft of teaching requires an insane amount of decision making. Some estimate that a teacher makes 1,500 decisions every day. These are important decisions that impact the well-being and growth of our youngest citizens.

Let’s do some math with that estimate.

• 1,500 decisions per day x 180 days = 270,000 decisions in a school year
• 1,500 decisions per day / 360 minutes in a school day is about 4 decisions per minute
• 270,000 decisions in a school year x 30 year career = 8,100,000 decisions made by a career educator

We rarely have the time to analyze the potential impact of every decision we make. We often don’t have access to the kind of feedback and collaboration that allows us to honestly assess the impact, both positive and negative, of the instructional decisions we make day to day and year to year.

Ironically, end of year state assessment data is often the way in which teachers are judged for the quality of their decision-making in the classroom. Yet, these same assessments regularly cause educators at every level in the system to make costly decisions instructionally that are harmful to students and their learning culture. Building tracking structures based on those state assessment results is an example of a harmful instructional decision. I believe tracking practices would drastically decrease if the assessment culture brought on by “No Child Left Behind” was replaced with more innovative ways to gather student achievement data.

Recently, I’ve been coaching several math teachers who love using the math workbooks provided by their program. As I’ve taught with them in their classrooms and planned upcoming lessons with them, we’ve navigated and explored different ways to leverage their student workbooks. I’ve had several interesting cost/benefit conversations about using student math workbooks which I’ve tried to summarize in the table below.

Personally, in my own practice, using math workbooks with my students seemed to always encourage a race to get the right answer no matter how I structured it. I also knew the students who would find much of the workbook content beyond their current skills and often “helped” by showing procedures and tricks. In my own classroom, I’ve found that I can create a stronger math learning community when students are problem solving from task cards onto blank paper or whiteboards. Yet, the teachers I’m coaching have found fun ways to incorporate student math workbooks into menu options because they find value in using their student workbooks regularly.

In this cost/benefit analysis, it will weigh out differently depending on the educator’s values and context. I’m not saying to toss out your math workbooks. There are many valid reasons and potential benefits for keeping it in your toolkit. At All Learners Network, we know that it is not the program or program materials that are most important. It is an educator’s responsive decision-making and pedagogy that are most important. We hope that All Learners Online (ALO) resources help to empower educators to be responsive decision makers who can support all of their students’ math growth. Whether you use All Learners Online materials to supplement a math workbook or to replace the workbooks that your students have, we will keep striving to design materials for all. We know the value of a deep toolkit of accessible resources when supporting all students.

Click here for the printable version.

What Now?

1. Register for an ALO account today to start getting access to resources to use during your math block.

2. Read our blog post “Perseverance and Growth Mindset” to discover how else to build an environment where students are comfortable problem solving.

All Learners Network is committed to a new type of math instruction. We focus on supporting pedagogy so that all students can access quality math instruction. We do this through our online platform, free resources, events, and embedded professional development. Learn more about how we work with schools and districts here.