A parent once told me something that stuck. Their child had been learning math mostly through watching. Watching teachers. Watching videos. They watched carefully.Took notes.Followed along step by step. And on the surface, it looked like things were going well. The work was getting done.The answers were there. So naturally, everyone assumed the learning was happening. Until one day the parent asked a simple question: "Can you explain how you got that answer?" And the student just sat there...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Over the years, I’ve noticed patterns when I look at student work. Sometimes the homework pages that look great… ...are the ones that make me pause a little. Not because neat work is a bad thing. Clear, organized work is important. But sometimes a problem can look neat and still be missing something important. Some Red Flags Don’t Look Like Errors Most people think mistakes are the biggest problem in math. But sometimes the real warning signs are quieter. They don’t jump out right away. You...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
A few years ago, I had a student walk into my classroom and ask me a question I’ll never forget. He was a high school senior in a credit recovery class, trying to catch up before graduation. And he asked me: “Can you teach me how to add and subtract integers?” I paused for a moment, realizing what this meant. This was a concept most students learn in 7th or 8th grade, and yet he was still struggling with it in 12th grade. That means that for years, he had been guessing his way through...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
There’s a math example I use with students that comes from an old story.I don’t know exactly where it came from, but the lesson behind it is hard to forget. It starts very simply. Once upon a time, a girl saves a kingdom from trouble. As a reward, she can ask for anything. She merely asks for a grain of rice on the first day. And two grains of rice on the second day. Each day, doubles the amount from the day before for 30 days. At first, it feels almost silly to keep counting.Four grains on...
2 months ago • 2 min read
The other day, a student was working on a multi-step problem. They knew the steps. But when they got to 18 + 7, they slowed down. You could see the mental wheels spinning. They counted on their fingers, got the answer, then moved on. Nothing major, right? But by the time they reached the end of the problem, they were frustrated by how long it had taken. This is the moment I see over and over again. It’s not that students don’t understand the concept. It’s that everything feels… slow. They...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Pi Day is one of the few holidays that math gets all to itself. Most kids think:Pizza.Pie.3.14. To celebrate, we created a Pi Day Freebie with 5 hands-on activities that go beyond celebrating the number. They help students experience it. Help students understand why the number matters. Download it here:Pi Freebie.pdf Inside you’ll find: A hands-on “Pi Toss” experiment that leads students to discover 3.14 for themselves. A visual exploration of polygons that quietly introduces big ideas about...
3 months ago • 1 min read
One of my students fell behind recently. Not because she didn’t care.Not because the material was too hard. She had been sick on and off for a couple of weeks and missed some classes. When we started working together again, I asked a simple question: “Did you copy the class notes?” She hadn’t. Then she said something I hear all the time: “I can’t learn from notes. I need someone to go through it with me.” So we did something different. Instead of explaining everything again, I had her write...
3 months ago • 1 min read
I hear this all the time when I talk with homeschool parents: “We’ll get to math later today.” And I get it. The day starts with good intentions. But then it unfolds. Errands, siblings, activities, unexpected distractions. By the time you look up, math has slipped to the bottom of the list. Most homeschool parents don’t skip math on purpose.They skip it accidentally. This isn’t about effort or caring. It’s about scheduling. Here’s the tough truth, said with a lot of love: Math doesn’t grow in...
4 months ago • 1 min read
A few weeks ago, I tried something a little unusual. I stayed off my computer and electronics for three days. No emails. No scrolling. No constant background noise. Just a pause. What surprised me most was not how much time I gained, but how clear my mind felt. Things felt calmer. I noticed when I needed a break. I could focus more easily. It got me thinking about our kids. Screens are a big part of their daily lives. They learn on computers, attend online classes, and use technology in ways...
4 months ago • 1 min read