Every year it seems as if working on Order of Operations is a brand new concept for my students, as if it has all of a sudden become a foreign language. I will admit that if you are just looking at a mnemonic device it might as well be a foreign language.. PEMDAS, BEDMAS, GEMS, yep, none of that makes sense to a student and when you throw it in with other mnemonics they have been exposed to it is ... View Post
23 Math Websites for Middle School Students
Finding the right tools to engage your students, assess their progress, and close learning gaps is one of the most important jobs of a teacher. Websites and online applications can be a great resource to help reinforce concepts and help students gain mastery of skills and standards especially during Math Workshop. After asking in my Surviving Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Grade Math (for Teachers) ... 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
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