The Learning that Led to Today

19 Apr 202219 Apr 2022

"You aren't these kids' first teacher, and you won't be the last."-Jennifer N. When I was an early career teacher, teaching 4th grade, I wanted to teach my students everything.…

“Look! I showed my work!”

8 Sep 20218 Sep 2021

It's surreal to be back at my school, in person, after 18 months away. I feel a tremendous sense of vertigo when I look around at this place that is…

How Are Students Representing Their Ideas During Remote Learning?

27 Nov 20203 Apr 2021

I come from the Marilyn Burns School of Student Work Samples -- which is to say I prize student work that fills a large, blank page. (#TeamBlankSpace) Marilyn Burns, one…

Which Shape Covers More: Orchestrating a Sixth Grade Math Debate

27 Sep 202022 Jun 2021

First, we must mourn for the loss of the Way We Used to Teach. I love my work. If I let you scroll through the photos on my phone, you'd…

Problem Based Lesson #1: Launching Symmetry in Grade 4

7 Jan 202026 Jun 2020

This is a post in a series about problem based instruction in fourth grade -- centering on a series of lessons classroom teacher Claire* and I taught about symmetry. Part…

Getting Started with Problem Based Learning in Grade 4

6 Jan 202026 Jun 2020

What are the conditions that inspire teachers to take on problem based instruction? This isn't a story about how you can determine when a teacher -- novice or experienced --…

Using Diagrams to Build and Extend Student Understanding

16 Dec 20196 Feb 2022

Co-authored by Kristin Gray (@MathMinds) Originally published on the Illustrative Mathematics Blog (November 25, 2019) Take a moment to think about the value of each expression below.  $latex \frac{1}{4}\times \frac{1}{3}$…

Using Instructional Routines to Inspire Deep Thinking

21 Oct 20195 Feb 2022

Originally published on the Illustrative Mathematics blog (October 13, 2019). We want students to think about math deeply. Creatively. Analytically. Instead, what often happens is that students race towards quick solutions. So…

Talking about Geometry in Kindergarten, Part 2: The Shape Hunt

5 Jan 20196 Feb 2022

Talking helps us make sense of ideas. Talking helps us synthesize our ideas. Talking helps us communicate our ideas. We want to get this kindergarten class talking -- a lot…

Coherence, Round 2: The Power of Connecting Instructional Routines

20 Sep 201720 Sep 2017

For a million reasons, I love, love instructional routines*. They engage students, active thinking and discourse, and, with the structures in place, students are given the freedom to focus on…

Coherence and Telling the Story

6 Sep 201719 Sep 2017

The more I teach, the more I realize the importance of coherence. Beyond serving as a guiding principle of the common core, coherence shines a light on the pathway towards…