When I bring up Quick Practices and Student Leaders I hear many of the following phrases: “They take too much time!” “My kids are bored!” “I have too many other things to cover!” “I lead them quicker and better than my students do!” “The student leaders don’t get it and...
Thomas Edison is notoriously quoted saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” This logic applies to us when we are helping our students learn their math facts. Every year, we decide to use the same strategies...
Anytime problems are hard. They take a lot of time, dedication, and are rigorous. Due to this, anytime problems CAN BE DONE ANYTIME. They do not have to have a specific time period for students to work on them and complete them. ONLY NEGOTIABLE BLUE While teaching...
Story problems start in second grade and continue while increasingly getting harder. It is our job to ensure that we provide our students with the best opportunity of learning how to see a two-step story problem and what to do when they find themselves presented...
One of the best ways we can feel more productive in our online teaching endeavors is through doing what we already do in the regular classroom (that works) and applying it to our new virtual classrooms. I made two videos this week to help us think...
Are you running intervention groups? Are you working with tier 1, 2, or tier 3 students? Of course, my guess is the answer is "ALL THREE." What we know, is even if you are also supported by resource, intervention, or SpEd teachers (God bless those souls),...
“Behavior charts and similar public shaming methods don't teach self-regulation. They mainly harm vulnerable learners.” This quote from Educational Leadership hit me right in the gut. The feeling, that deep-rooted pang in my stomach that simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me feel physically sick, was/is a...
PART 3 How do we prevent the shut down in our mathematics classrooms? Simply, treat mathematicians like you treat writers. I find it fascinating the content areas where we are more apt to allow students to be creative, to work on their craft before submitting a ‘final’ idea,...
Part 1: Having Empathy as a Math Teacher There is more to student engagement in math class than just having good classroom management. Sure, all of your students may be behaving well, but are they engaged, participating, and confidently interacting during your lesson? I believe student engagement...