Place value can feel like a big concept for little learners. When you first introduce tens and ones, you might hear things like, “But why is the 4 a four here and a forty there?” or watch a student confidently tell you that 62 has 6 ones and 2 tens. Yep, we’ve all been there! The secret to…
A classroom number line is one of those tools that often gets hung on the wall at the beginning of the year and then forgotten. While it certainly adds a helpful visual to your classroom decor, it has the potential to become so much more than just another thing hanging on your wall. Come along…
Be honest. How many times have you printed a beautiful set of math task cards, laminated them, cut them out… and then used them once during centers? We’ve all done it, and whew, it hurts! As primary teachers, I believe we need resources that work hard for us and save us time. That’s why I…
If you’ve ever started prepping sub plans and immediately felt overwhelmed, you’re not alone. As teachers, we all know that sub days come with a very specific set of worries. Will the sub be able to teach the skill in a way my students will understand? Will students understand the directions? Will behaviors spiral because…
If you’ve ever tried teaching math in the primary grades without the right tools, you know how tricky it can be. Young learners need hands-on, visual, and interactive supports to build number sense, understand operations, and connect abstract concepts to real-world math. That’s where having a few must-have math tools makes all the difference! In…
Teacher confession time. . . . teaching tens and ones used to cause me so much stress! In the early years of my career, I struggled to help my students understand this concept in a meaningful way. Can you relate?! But here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming for you or your students….