Blog

Strategies, ideas, and resources to help you Mold Math Mindsets.

Place Value Discs and Strips…Oh My! Tips for Organizing Your Manipulatives

Mar 31, 2017

The world of manipulatives is wide - and often messy and chaotic! Today, we share tips for organizing and getting the most from your manipulatives, specifically place value discs and strips. Why Place Value Discs and Strips? The manipulatives that I have found to be...

3 Acts Math Tasks: Resources and Lessons

Mar 24, 2017

I've blogged before on the topic of 3-Act Math Tasks, but I wanted to share some great resources that feature a host of 3 Acts that you can use and resources to help you use them more effectively in the classroom! First of all, let's review. The biggest thing that 3...

My Caribbean Adventure

Mar 16, 2017

I was given a referral by a colleague who asked if I was interested in doing any work in the Dutch Caribbean. At first, I thought he was joking. But when it turned out that he wasn't, I told him I would MAKE time! My destination: an island called Sint Eustatius,...

Kinesthetic Number Sense

Mar 10, 2017

We have all been there...trying to get students to develop one-to-one correspondence with concrete objects. You have a pile of counters ready on your table."Watch how I do it," you say. "1, 2, 3, 4." And with great patience, you carefully move one counter at a time...

8 Standards for Mathematical Practice: Pop Quiz!

Mar 3, 2017

Think you know the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice? Take this quiz to see if you understand application of these practices through scenarios from a popular TV show: Big Bang Theory! Watch the video clips (each has an identifying letter assigned to it), decide...

8 Standards for Mathematical Practice

Feb 24, 2017

The 8 Standards for Mathematical Practices are what I feel is the biggest shift in history in how we teach math. We are not simply putting a new name on the old way of doing business in math education, but instead we are actually changing to a new method of educating...

The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

Feb 17, 2017

Teachers of mathematics for centuries have helped students understand mathematics using “manipulatives”-- visual objects that help illustrate mathematical relationships and applications. Manipulatives allow students to visually examine, explore and develop concepts....

The Rocketbook Wave Smart Notebook

Feb 10, 2017

I love technology, and I do use my iPad and computer for a lot of things, however there's just certain times that call for a good old fashioned piece of paper and pencil. If you are like me, you are always taking notes for various meetings, brainstorming sessions, or...