Smith Curriculum and Consulting

Where Interactive Teaching and Extreme Learning Collide

15 Items Every Teacher Needs for Back to School

Though we all wish summer would stick around forever, it’s time to start thinking about back to school again. As much as we’d rather spend our days on the beach or hanging out with our own kids, we’ve got to get those supply lists ready and stock up on all of our classroom needs before the students wipe out all of the good stuff! Whether you’re a first-time teacher or a seasoned veteran of the clas ... View Post

Grading and Math Workshop… How Does it Work?

So many of you have messaged me about the struggle when it comes to grading your students work in Math Workshop and how either you HAVE to grade it for students to actually take action or you need to grade it to make sure that they are understanding what is going on. First, I want to remind you... Math Workshop stations are REVIEW MATERIAL! This is material that students have already had a full ... View Post

Dear Teacher… A Letter You Must Read

Dear Teacher, First, we want to thank you for everything that you do. You delight in our children on their good days and stand beside them through the challenging ones. You put their needs before your own. You gauge your own personal success on our children’s accomplishments. There is no way to put into words the gratitude that we feel for all of the love, caring, and effort that you put into h ... View Post

7 Reasons to Use Math Workshop in Middle School

As challenging as it must be to incorporate our mathematical standards in each year, it is just as challenging to meet the needs of a classroom full of learners. The goal is clear each year, we must teach the standards and show growth but the pathway to get from Point A to Point B is not always as clear. We must change things up and that is where Math Workshop and Guided Math play a crucial ... View Post

Planning Middle School Math Workshop Stations (and Upper Elementary too)

How Do I Work Smarter and Not Harder when it comes to something that involves a lot of planning and organization, like middle school math workshop, is what you may be asking me right about now. Well my friend, I'm here to tell you that it can be done. You can do this, I promise. Once you have established how you are going to organize your stations, stick with it. Don't change this up from week ... View Post

Frustrated With Teaching Fractions & Need Fraction Activities?

Without a doubt the number one struggle I hear when I talk to teachers is that teaching fractions is a pain. Not that the teachers don't understand them or know how to teach them but they are such a struggle of a concept for students to understand. And the fact that there are so many concepts to cover with fractions it basically could be taught every day for at least a full school year and you ... View Post