Getting to know your students is a traditional part of the beginning of the school year. But when we’re teaching in an online or paperless situation, how can we get to know our students in a digital environment?
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4 (More) Books for Math Teachers
I love reading books and I’ve always been more of a nonfiction book person than a fiction reader. As a math teacher I particularly love getting new ideas for teaching math. If you’re looking for some fresh ideas and strategies that you can use in your classroom, then these books for math teachers will be right for you.
In this post we’ll be diving into each book, breaking down exactly what to expect in each book. No matter where you are in your math teaching journey, you’re sure to find something that will help and inspire you as a math teacher.
[Read more…] about 4 (More) Books for Math TeachersTeaching with Flair: Adding Personality to our Classrooms
As teachers we can sometimes be afraid to share too much of our personality with our students. After all, we have serious work to do in school. When I remember my math teachers from junior high and high school I mostly remember how serious they were. In retrospect I’m sure they had interests and personality, but that’s not how I remember them. To be honest, I had practically no personal connection to them.
[Read more…] about Teaching with Flair: Adding Personality to our ClassroomsHow to Use Digital Math Mazes
Math mazes are a great way to engage students. They’ve become my go-to strategy for starting math class and getting students engaged in independent practice. Students are working on math but it doesn’t look like a classic worksheet. Instead, it looks like a game or puzzle and many students will let down their defenses and work on math in a fun way. They work great as a warm-up, a review, or as independent practice. (We’ve talked at length about how awesome math mazes are here and here.) But how can you use them in distance learning?
[Read more…] about How to Use Digital Math Mazes5 Ways Math Games Motivate Students
As math teachers we experience highs and lows. It can become easy to focus on the lows and become discouraged. Many students come into our classrooms with years of negative math experiences and we’re expected to get them to learn. Sometimes it seems like an uphill battle, and it can feel like the more we struggle the less progress we make.
Just the other day our 6-year old son came home from school and told us how his music teacher was jumping around the room with the kids and crawling on the floor. This is a new teacher who has been struggling with classroom management. I was a little startled and then Theresa said, “Well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, I guess.”
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