In my experience teaching in Primary School, I applied some practical techniques like using the fingers to add and subtract number, using the rubic cubes, etc.
Also, I have taught in Junior and Senior secondary Schools and my experience shows that students understand mathematics classes more when the Maths teachers are very friendly and encouraging. Once the students naturally love their teacher, they often want to learn and will definitely pay attention. Such attention is earned by the teacher from the composure and dispositions of the teachers involved.
Mathematics is a beautiful subject which is applied in all areas of life. I remember teaching a student whom
the parents brought back from the UK especially because of how bad he has been doing in Mathematics. I engaged ber for two months and from experience, I discovered she hated Mathematics because she claimed her Mathematics teacher used a racist slur on her. She stopped attending classes and henceforth her interest for learning and understanding Mathematics dwindled. When I took up the student as her tutor, I first worked on her psychology after which she began to love Mathematics.
Also, when I teach my students a certain topic in Maths, I try to show them the practical applications to each of those topics just to make it much more easier.
Again, during my days as a part time lecturer in Federal College ofLland Resources Technology, Owerri, where I taught students of Surveyor and Geoinformatics, I applied practical examples to drive my points home.