As teachers, we must cultivate the structures and beliefs in a classroom community that lay the foundation for the mathematical growth of our students. Our foundation is built on a set of nine key beliefs. (continue reading)
Teaching elementary school math can be unpredictable and challenging, but you're not alone. Here are a few tips and tricks that keep us going when the going gets tough! (continue reading)
At the beginning of the school year, one of the most important things we do as teachers is get to know our children. It is during this “get to know you” time that we can easily learn about our students’ confidence levels. (continue reading)
One of the most important factors in successful student-centered instruction and learning is perseverance. If we let our students give up after the first try or get overly frustrated when they make a mistake, we are doing them a great disservice. (continue reading)
In order for students to learn and understand mathematical concepts, they must live in classrooms that support cooperative learning and mathematical discourse. Students develop an understanding of mathematics when in an atmosphere where they feel safe to learn, take risks, make mistakes, and grow. (continue reading)
Teaching questioning skills is not an easy process. It involves patience, scaffolding, and focused instruction. Asking a question is not something that a lot of our students know how to do innately, especially at the primary level. (continue reading)
As students move up the grades and further in their history educations, they will be expected to write about it in increasingly sophisticated ways. (continue reading)
It may seem strange to think about cultivating focus. Although natural abilities can vary, focus can be improved, cultivated, and taught. (continue reading)
Because of the myriad ways writing workshop and oral language development are linked, it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. (continue reading)
A fine line is drawn when the principal acts as coach. If we want teachers to take risks and grow, we must learn to notice things with a coaching lens. (continue reading)
