Confession: Manipulatives made me nervous. In my first years as a teacher, I basically ruled out anything that would require additional classroom management, so no algebra tiles would be found in any of my lessons. I think more than anything, though, I didn’t completely understand them. In fact, when I was a student, my teachers didn’t use them, so I didn’t think they were necessary. ...
Making Algebra Relevant
In my years of teaching, I had the opportunity to teach Algebra 1 as an on-level course for 9th grade freshman and as a pre-AP course to 8th grade students. While the two ages and settings (middle school vs. high school) differed, the content remained much the same. As a math teacher, Algebra 1 is the definition of fun! For me, all of the pieces come together, and you have the ...
Desmos Activities to Try in Algebra 1
I am in awe of what a treasure Desmos is! If you are an upper middle school or high school teacher, and you haven’t explored all that Desmos has to offer, run to the website right now. Desmos is a FREE interactive tool used to graph, model, collect data, and question students over collection of higher math concepts including but not limited to the nine topics found below. These ...
Teacher Planner Printables
I have wanted to share with you the tool that helped me stay organized as a teacher since…oh… three years ago. But, I never quite got around to it. (Definitely the mark of an organized person.) “What is this tool?” you might be wondering. TEACHER PLANNER PRINTABLES Scroll down to the bottom to receive your free download. Three years ago, I shared this post about my Flexi. We ...
Books to Read this Holiday Break
Two years ago, I was on the Make Reading Fun Team (not our real name, but that was basically the idea). Our job was to promote the love of reading to our students through donut parties and book exchanges. It was on that team I decided to make it a goal each year to read 24 books. It always helps to have books in the docket so I don’t waste time deciding on my next read. Here are some ...
My Teacher Student Loan Forgiveness Story
It is no secret that teachers aren’t in it for the money. So, during my first year as a teacher, I struggled to make ends meet -- I was planning a wedding, and I was trying to pay my minimum balance for my student loans. I went to a state school where my parents helped me with some of my expenses, but when I graduated, I had around $32,000 in student loan debt. Note: This post will ...
22 Must Have Gifts for 2020
The holidays are a wonderful time to be generous and think of others, but what happens when you are asked, “What do you want for Christmas?” I usually give a blank stare. Does that ever happen to you? If so, here are a few gifts for 2020 that you might consider gifting or adding to your own wishlist. 22 MUST-HAVE GIFTS for 2020 Under $20 Cook Once Eat All Week ...
Benefits to Online Teacher Collaboration
About a month ago, we launched a Facebook group with a simple mission: connect middle school math teachers who are using Maneuvering the Middle curriculum. Teachers can often dwell in a vacuum — there were days that I barely saw another adult when I was teaching. It can feel isolating, so we set a goal that our Facebook group would be a place of teacher collaboration and ...
How to Teach Solving Equations
Solving equations is foundational for middle and high school math. Students actually have been doing this since first grade! However, students can make careless errors or struggle when it comes to following the many procedural steps required to solve an equation. The Standard In 6th grade CCSS, students are asked to solve one-step equations with positive whole numbers (6.EE.7). Seventh ...
Using Canvas in Your Classroom
Going paperless can seem like a daunting task in the classroom! Here are some tips and tricks to make the transition from handouts to an environmentally-friendly classroom easy using Canvas. For those who are unfamiliar, Canvas is a learning management software that allows for each student to access material and submit assignments, and it makes communication easier for teachers. 1. ...
