We don’t jump on the blog very often to talk specifically about Maneuvering the Middle curriculum. When we do, it is because we created something that has been requested by teachers all over the country! Let’s hear it for Math Digital Activities! You might have seen our post on some ideas for going paperless here, but we have spent the last few months creating our own resources for ...
6 Tips for Math Small Groups
Last summer, Noelle and Kim presented an amazing professional development on math small group Instruction at the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematical Teaching, or C.A.M.T. Noelle then hosted a webinar on the topic. We wanted to make sure this knowledge was accessible to anyone at any time, so we brought it to the blog. Watch the video on math small groups below! In ...
Teaching Proportional Relationships
Proportional relationships are ingrained in our everyday. While most students pick up on the process to solve proportions fairly quickly, there is so much foundational conceptual knowledge that we do not want to skip over. Today, I am sharing how proportional relationships go far beyond just solving for a missing number and how to set a foundation for success in Algebra. Here are all ...
5 More Teacher Organization Hacks
When I hear the word “organization,” I think of beautiful containers filled with immaculate supplies organized in rainbow color order. While that might be very pinnable, it is not often the reality in a classroom or in the life of a teacher. Function and time saved trump beauty in my classroom. I need organization to save time or to save my sanity. I asked some of my teacher friends to ...
Making the Most of Your Schoology Account
One of your biggest classroom tools is a Learning Management System. Schoology, Google Classroom, and Canvas are all Learning Management Systems (LMS) and are so helpful in the organization of your class and for going paperless. Here are five tips that can turn your Schoology page into a useful tool in your classroom! 1. Organize our home page I like to organize my Schoology ...
How to Teach Integer Operations
Are you eager for students in your classroom to conceptually understand integers and master the skills required for integer operations? Keep reading and get a freebie! STUDENT Background WITH INTEGERS If you are in a state that teaches Common Core, 6th grade is when the conceptual understanding of integers begins. Students are expected to be able to place and order integers on a ...
First Day of School Routines and Procedures
I am part of a Facebook group called Middle School Math Teachers. The group has 6,000 members and is VERY active. The most common post is teachers going into their first year asking for classroom management advice, so I thought it would be pertinent to dive deeper into not just routines and procedures in general but also which ones should be taught the first day. There is nothing ...
Classroom Ideas from an Experienced Teacher
Can it already be time for another middle school classroom tour? Welcome to Ms. Henry's 5th grade math classroom! She has basically been my other half when it comes to math talk at school, and I am so glad that we are featuring her room today. Many of her classroom ideas are not only brilliant but also practical! A few things to note: Ms. Henry has been teaching math for 15 ...
Returning from Maternity Leave as a Teacher
Returning from maternity leave as a teacher can feel daunting. Add a classroom and it can feel impossible. When I returned from my maternity leave, I was only the second teaching staff member to have a baby and return in the 4 years I had been at the school, so I felt especially anxious about the transition. I learned so much from both my experience and my mistakes. Since my daughter ...
Teaching Kindness to Middle Schoolers
This last school year, I had my first grade level of students who had been together since kindergarten with no merging of kids from different elementary schools to shake things up. You might think that these students would all be friends since they had many years together, but the exact opposite was true. This group had a very complex history that would not be characterized as kind. ...
