The Math Learning Center Blog

Recently I watched a toddler in a doctor’s office working to sort shapes in one of those wooden shape sorter benches. He concentrated intently on his work. Rather than trying a block in each opening, he would study the block in his hand carefully before attempting to fit it into the correct spot. Often he had the right shape but needed to reposition it to fit. We become aware of shapes around us...

At the beginning of the school year, I establish “Attendance Person” as one of the classroom jobs. Our Attendance Person counts heads around the circle to determine if everyone is present. This helps us practice one-to-one counting as well as oral counting skills. We use Attendance Sticks—two stacks of Unifix cubes numbered to represent how many should be present and how many actually are present...

Each year we partner with the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) to offer scholarships to teachers across the nation. Recipients of this scholarship are able to enhance their knowledge, teaching, and leadership by enrolling in university coursework that will result in becoming a certified mathematics specialist. Congratulations to this year's winners: Kristin Peters, from...

“In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.” So begins a modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. The story follows a ravenous caterpillar’s path as he eats his way through one apple on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on—until he is really fat and has a stomachache. Theorists in education philosophy have long pointed to an integration of...

Playground consultant—this sounds like a dream job for a fourth grader, doesn’t it? Sheridan Elementary School teacher Lisa Gross thought so. After beginning a Bridges STEM unit on playground design and simple machines, she reached out to the parks department in the city of Lake Forest, Illinois, to see if there was an opportunity for her students. Her class of fourth graders is now consulting...

I’m sure all of you have heard about the underrepresentation of women in the professional fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM). I’ve recently written quite a bit about this situation, and links to these materials are in the references given below. Current research and school performance results show that girls are as capable as boys in the STEM disciplines. As educators, you...

Over the years, many educators ate more than their share of eggs in order to collect enough cartons for students to study fractions. A time-tested model for fractions, egg cartons breathe new life when paired with MLC’s free app, Number Frames. (And you won’t have to eat quite so many eggs!) In a few short steps, you can learn how to use the Number Frames App to create egg carton fraction models...

If you are involved in education, or perhaps just watch the news, you’ve probably heard plenty of stories about controversial issues in U.S. education. From the testing changes to gender disparities in achievement to tracking practices, it’s easy to get caught up in the debates. Math, a subject that provokes anxiety for many, is a central focus for many of these discussions. Fortunately, Jo Boaler...

Stanford professor Jo Boaler is working to change attitudes about math education. She observes that many of us grew up with these convictions: Only smart people can do math. The right answer is the only thing that matters. Questions show ignorance. Math is about following rules and procedures. Math is a solitary endeavor. If you’re slow at math, you can’t be good at it. Boaler counters with...

Higher levels of student engagement have been shown to increase student success. If you search Scholar.Google.com , you’ll find studies from around the world showing that students who are the most engaged generally do better in school and beyond. Below are three items we think you need to see to help your students engage with learning in your classroom. Before Class The old adage holds true: If...