There’s something magical about the first five minutes of a math class. Students are settling in. You’re scanning the room. The vibe is either focused… or flying off the rails. So how do I make those first five minutes count? With two intentionally designed math problems per day. 💡 My
Ever feel like planning math workshop activities is its own full-time job? You want: Rotations that make sense Activities that actually align to your standards Students who can work independently (without constant reminders) And the magical feeling of being prepared for the whole week before Sunday night… But instead, you’re
I’ll be honest with you—my first few years of running math workshop were… a lot. Every week felt like starting over.Groupings changed.Centers were rushed.Behavior management? 🙈Let’s just say “organized chaos” was generous. But here’s what changed everything:I stopped trying to reinvent the wheel every week…And started using a system that
If you’ve ever looked at your math workshop block and thought: “How do I keep everyone engaged… without cloning myself?” You’re not alone. Managing a room full of learners at different levels, with different needs (and moods 😅), is a serious challenge. That’s where differentiated choice boards come in—and why
Interactive Notebooks are magical when they work… but let’s be real: building one from scratch is a lot. And if you’ve ever found yourself: Staring at Pinterest in a panic at 10 p.m. Printing 14 versions of a foldable because none of them fit your lesson Wondering where this random
If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for ways to make your classroom more engaging without spending hours reinventing the wheel. That’s exactly why I updated my Foldable Templates Pack — and I think you’re going to love what’s new. Whether you’re just getting started with interactive notebooks or
Looking for a way to make circle geometry actually fun for your middle schoolers? If the mere mention of area and circumference makes your students yawn (or worse, groan), it’s time to switch things up. Enter: the Create a Pizza Project—a hands-on, low-prep activity that gets students thinking critically while
January has come and gone, and honestly? I barely remember it. Why? Because I was sick. The first week of the new year hit me hard with relentless sinus pressure that refused to go away. All I wanted to do was steam in the shower, press my hands against my
As teachers, we’re always looking for engaging ways to help our students practice essential math skills. One area where many students need extra support is multiplying whole numbers. If you’re looking for a hands-on and interactive approach to reinforcing multiplication concepts, the Multiplying Whole Numbers Sort is a fantastic resource
Using choice boards isn’t something new but they are something that takes a little bit of extra prep work to implement into your classroom for math workshop. **There may be affiliate links within this post that I do earn a small commission off of each purchase. How to Use Choice
Back in the Spring of 2009, I was going on interviews as I was moving to the Austin, TX area. During those interviews, I was open to anything K-8th grade as I had the certifications at that time and wanted to change it up from only having taught 2nd and
If this school year is anything like the last two, you are probably thinking… What can I do this year that will keep my students engaged while also meeting their current academic needs as well as filling the learning gaps they have from previous years? Over the past two years,