Are you a middle school math, science, or STEM teacher looking for an exciting way to engage your students this year? This middle school math contest may be exactly what you need.

Our Middle Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MidMCM) is an international contest designed to provide middle school/level students with the opportunity to work as team members to engage and improve their modeling, problem solving, and writing skills. Contest problems are accessible using the mathematics taught at the respective levels of the contests.

Students 14.5 years or younger on the start date of the contest can participate in the MidMCM. During the contest period, teams of up to four students apply mathematics to model and develop a solution to a real-world problem. 

Here are some reasons to participate this year.

Students can put what they’ve learned to the test.

The MidMCM requires that middle school students apply things they have already learned in a practical, real-world, problem-solving situation. And this spans many areas – academically, personally, and interpersonally. So they use skills they have learned in math, science, and language arts classes, while building confidence and developing critical skills they will use in future classes and even in their career. 

It gives students a chance to develop leadership and collaboration skills.

Since the MidMCM is a team contest, it requires the ability to collaborate and learn how to listen and communicate effectively. Students learn how to flow between being a presenter and being an active listener, give positive criticism, and consider the viewpoints of others.

Laura Celik, a team advisor and a 7th and 8th grade science teacher at Princeton Charter School, said: “Every time I entered their classroom, someone was up at the whiteboard explaining their ideas, and the rest of the team was shouting out their support or disagreement… This team had a clear team leader who led the sessions, and another teammate who kept everyone on track when it came to meeting deadlines.”

Students love the experience and have a lot of fun.

Many of the students who participate in our math contests, do so year after year. This is for many reasons, but perhaps the biggest is that it is a fun and educational experience for them. 

One MidMCM participant said: “COMAP was a great experience that allowed us to understand what it meant to think about a problem on a larger scale and for an extended period of time. Not only did it develop our analytical skills but also our collaborative and organizational skills.”

There are a lot of other benefits.

There are so many other reasons to participate in our math contests, from handling pressure, to technical writing, to developing friendships. Read more on our post, 9 Compelling Reasons to Enter a Math Contest.

There are even benefits for educators who advise a team:

• You are able to excite and motivate your students in a fun way.
• You can apply lessons learned in the classroom to a real-world problem.
• You encourage students to work together and develop new skills.
• You can challenge students beyond everyday curriculum.
• You will see amazing growth in your students from their participation.

Ready to get started with the MidMCM? Click here to learn more.