Sometimes, my math classroom can feel like it’s all teacher-directed instruction. I’m guilty of being the main talker in my classroom – I have so much content to get through and so little time! Plus, I don’t want my students talking about math strategies incorrectly, and many of my students want to sit quietly and […]
3 Quick Ways to Get Students Talking in Math Class! Read More »
April and May bring many things – flowers, warmer weather, field trips, and fresh air. However, they also bring the dreaded end of the year state tests. For students and teachers alike, high-stakes state testing is draining and disheartening. However, you can take steps to help your students feel more prepared for these unavoidable assessments.
How to Prepare for End-of-Year State Testing: Tips & Tricks for Teachers Read More »
Fractions are one of the most difficult math concepts for students to master. Each year, I see students in 7th and 8th grade who struggle with a wide range of basic fraction skills, including differentiating what a numerator and denominator actually mean. Of course, school closures with COVID-19 did not help! Many teachers and parents
Mastering Fractions: Effective Intervention Strategies Read More »
In my opinion, fractions are the hardest concept for elementary and middle school students to truly understand – and many students agree with me! Each year, I have middle schoolers who can’t tell me what a numerator really means or try to add or subtract denominators within a problem, so fraction review is something I
Engaging Resources & Strategies to Make Fractions Stick in Your Classroom Read More »
As soon as the first snowflake falls here in Michigan, my students are thinking about winter break. This makes it really hard to hold their concentration and motivate them to do their best on school work for weeks in December! I’m sure my class is not the only one that feels like we are hanging
Add a Dash of Holiday Spirit to Your Math Class: Easy Tips & Effortless Ideas Read More »
Let’s face it, integer operations are an essential math skill. However, they can be incredibly difficult to truly cement into the brains of middle school and high school students. Think about it: students spend 6 or more years learning that 3 + 5 is always 8, no matter what. This fact, and other math facts
Resource Round-Up: Must-Haves for Mastering Integer Operations Read More »
Halloween is right around the corner, and if your students are anything like mine this time of year, they are bouncing off the walls! My students are so excited to share candy, plan out costumes, and plot their trick-or-treating route. Shockingly, they are not as excited about practicing math…WEIRD! It goes without saying that surviving
4 Effortless Ways to Celebrate Halloween in your Math Classroom Read More »
As a math interventionist, one topic that I see students struggling with year after year is adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. Earlier in my career, I remember struggling through a fraction unit, trying the 4 square method, multiplication charts, and anything I could remember from my own days in school or find on
We all make mistakes, so let’s learn from them! One of the most difficult parts of being a teacher is having a great lesson with your students and thinking they are totally understanding the math concept, only to have them complete an exit ticket or homework assignment completely wrong! It can be discouraging, especially when
We All Make Mistakes – Error Analysis in the Middle School Math Resource Classroom Read More »
Every now and then, I see a post on a teacher facebook group regarding middle school students and their lack of automaticity with math facts. Teachers flood the comments with well-intentioned suggestions of math fact websites and games to play or share similar struggles from their own classrooms. I always comment the same thing, ‘give
Just Give Them Multiplication Charts, Already! Read More »
