Three Simple Shifts to a Reasoning Classroom
For years, traditional math instruction has trained students (and teachers) to believe that math is a race to find a correct answer. When students face
How to Teach the Multiplication Area Model Flexibly (And Why It Matters)
The area model for multiplication is a fantastic tool for making sense of multi-digit multiplication. But too often, we turn this beautifully visual concept into
A Number Line Isn’t a Math Strategy (Here’s Why!)
A Number Line Isn’t a Math Strategy If you’ve spent any length of time looking at elementary math curriculum and perusing ideas on Instagram or
How to Use Cuisenaire Rods to Build Fraction Understanding
Cuisenaire rods (sometimes called number rods) are a fantastic tool for getting students to reason about numbers, but one of my absolute favorite ways to
Constant Difference: A Key Mental Math Subtraction Strategy For Quick Calculations
Mental Math is important. The ability to calculate in your head is what allows you to know when you get the wrong change back at
How the Friendly Number Mental Math Strategy Progresses: Elementary to Middle Years
As teachers, we know that strong mental math skills are foundational for developing number sense and math confidence. One strategy that can make a big
Three Simple Shifts to Increase Fact Fact Fluency in Your Classroom
What do you think of when you think about fact fluency? Do you think about your students who can get answers quickly? Do you think
Using Number Tiles to Build Number Sense, Understanding, and Metacognition
We know that flexibility is an essential part of fluency, but it can be hard to wrap our heads around how to teach it. Number
Five Simple Activities to Help Your Students Build Fraction Sense
Do your students possess fraction sense? Fraction sense involves a deep, conceptual understanding of fractions as numbers. This goes far beyond simply shading parts of