​Let's talk about instructional methods in math class. Every educator has their own approach, and you know what? That’s great! There's no one right way to do it! It's all about finding what works best for you and your students. Maybe you already have a method that works, maybe you’d like to tweak it, or maybe you are looking for something different. So, I want to share my journey with you – why my "old" method just wasn't cutting it, and how my "new" approach has totally transformed my classroom. HOW I USED TO TEACH Alright, let's rewind a bit and take a peek at what I used to do in my math ..read more

There are many things that are better in PAIRS, such as… Macaroni and cheese Shoes ?? Cereal and milk ? ? Soap and water Twix bars (my favorite!) Salt and pepper Christmas and snow ?❄️ Peanut butter and jelly Left and right ⬅️ ➡️ Cheese and wine ? ? ​You know what else works well in pairs?!.... STUDENTS reviewing math – they can share insights, discuss problem-solving strategies, and learn from each other; promoting a collaborative learning environment. WHY have students work in pairs? ​Just like everyone wants a best friend, because life is better whe ..read more

Hey there, mathtastic educators! I'm always on the lookout for fresh ways to support you all, and guess what? Your input has sparked some fantastic ideas that I'm super excited to share. I ran a giveaway over at the Algebra and Beyond Community  where I threw in a survey to pick your brains. Turns out, there is a need for review activities that your students can work on independently, giving the ability to check answers in a snap. ​Now, here's the interesting part: while the digital world is overflowing with self-check options, I noticed a gap in the PRINTABLE department. So, I put on m ..read more

If you’ve visited my website before, you know I’m all about real-world math projects that come straight from my classroom. Today, I’m pulling back the curtain to reveal my process of creating these projects from the beginning to the end. That’s right, I’ll explain my FIVE “must haves” for designing math projects. This blog post is your access to fresh ideas and handy tools, so you can create your own math projects for your classroom! Let the creativity begin… If you want ALL the Math Project Must Have details via video and download the FREE notes and example project, CLICK HERE. Real World ..read more

​ ​Are you searching for some fun and creative ways to practice quadratic equations? Then, you’re in the right spot!   Quadratic equations can be such a cool topic to teach and practice if you have the right tools. I’ve rounded up some of the best activities to help your students review quadratics. We've got activities that include real world connections, graphing, factoring, and solving quadratics.  You can check them all out below... Looking to Solve Quadratics? Battle My Math Ship from Algebra and Beyond ​A game for two players who try to guess the locatio ..read more

Let’s talk math projects….   As a teacher, I love to implement projects into as many units of study as possible. Projects can push students to use a higher level of thinking, because often, projects include more creativity, application, evaluation and analyzation than the average assignment or activity. This is a great way for us, as teachers, to see that students’ have the capability to expand upon their skill set.   Students also enjoy doing something outside the normal lesson. Projects can give students’ choice, which can boost their engagement and motivation, allow them to capit ..read more

If you’ve been following me for a bit, you know that I LOVE real world projects! And it all began with this one….   Linear Equations are All Around Us! This was the FIRST project I ever made for my students.  It made me fall in love with integrating projects into my classroom. I created it in a way that gives students' options of topics and various levels of difficulty. And most importantly, my students had FUN doing math!!! What real world topics does the project include? There are soooo many real-world scenarios that involve linear equations, but I tried to use a variety of on ..read more

I remember when I was in school and my teacher would say, “you have 15 minutes to complete your quiz and then we are moving onto the next activity”. It would make me panic and then I wasn’t able to focus to do my best work.   Therefore, one of the things I never want to do to my students is put pressure on them to finish an assessment in a certain amount of time, so the class could move onto the next task. It’s WAY too much pressure!   Of course, I can’t give them all day to complete it, BUT I can give them an ample amount of time to finish and check their work. But, by doing so, I ..read more

​Calling all NEW Middle School and High School Math Teachers!!! I have very important advice for you…the best advice I’m ever going to share…ready for it?!   YOU CANNOT DO ALL THE THINGS!!!   Yes, it’s in caps because I am shouting it! I remember when I was a first-year teacher and I thought I was going to be the best teacher by creating amazing activities, make every lesson “fun”, get to know each student’s strengths and weaknesses to differentiate for each one, integrate real world projects in every unit of study, follow all the new education trends, etc. I learned pretty quickly ..read more

​ I am a HUGE advocate for teaching students how to use a graphing calculator to check their answers. In fact, it’s probably one of the MOST important skills I’ve taught my students. Yes, I know…being able to find a solution algebraically is extremely important, and of course, I teach them that. And, of course, I require them to show their work. BUT, when they turn in an assessment, I want them to be confident that their answers are correct. Feedback is extremely helpful, and by using the graphing calculator it can be instant! ​ You know, I probably should have titled this post “The Lost Ar ..read more