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One day when I was teaching second grade, the math coach suggested that we should do a lesson with the students on square numbers. 

“Are you kidding?  These students are only...

I met with a group of librarians this week and we talked about Math Practice #3 – “Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.”  We had such a...

This started out as a post about picture books that include Math Practice #1 (Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.) but it turned out that it is also a post about books that...

When my daughter was 8 years old. We hiked 23 miles in one day.  Two years later we did it again.

 One of her teachers had created this hike as a fundraiser.  Each year she invited...

Young children love to snuggle up with an adult and listen to a story. These books are some of the best math picture books to read with children and they teach math at the same time. If you are...

Older elementary children still love listening to stories.  Reading together helps reduce stress and creates a great feeling of connection between the reader and the...

One morning a tour group passed through my second grade classroom.  The students were chattering in small groups about different math tasks they were doing.  Manipulatives were...

“Frustration is not a sign you are not learning, but ease is.”  ---  David Epstein 

This quote always stings a bit.  My mommy heart doesn’t want...

What does it mean to be computationally fluent?  Has this definition changed?  A generation ago, being good at math meant being fast and accurate.  I’m not sure...

Many believe that some people are born with a “math brain” and some are not.  However, recent work by Jo Boaler and Carol Dweck has shown us that there is no such thing as a...

Students are using math manipulatives to support their thinking at school.  When they are doing math at home, it would be great for them to have the same tools available.  This...

When I taught second grade, I always helped my students to create a math kit that they would keep at home.  We filled it with manipulatives and math games.  With these kits,...