the Structures of Equality book is now available!

Practical Ideas for Elementary Math Teachers

Classroom-tested strategies for word problems, number sense, and making math meaningful.

Read More

Some students make it all the way to third grade looking like they’ve got it. Then multiplication shows up and everything falls apart. Here’s why, and what the gap actually is.

June 3, 2026

Why Procedural Fluency Can’t Come First

Learn More
Read More

Most teachers ask the same questions during word problems: “What operation do we use?” or “Are there any keywords?” These questions feel helpful. But what if they’re pulling students away from the very understanding we’re trying to build?

April 15, 2026

Why the Questions We Ask During Word Problems Work Against Understanding

Read More

These 5 low-prep strategies help you create inclusive classrooms where students access, interpret, and engage with ideas from the very first moment.

February 11, 2026

Student Engagement Strategies for Elementary Classrooms

Read More

Explore how early math routines help students understand that numbers are composed of other numbers: a foundational idea that supports place value, fractions, and meaningful problem solving.

August 6, 2025

Numbers Are Composed of Other Numbers

Learn More
Read More

We tell students that adding makes numbers bigger and subtracting makes them smaller, but even in kindergarten, we see examples that don’t fit.

July 23, 2025

Misconceptions About Addition and Subtraction

Read More

“Equal” doesn’t just mean “the same.” Let’s unpack what equal really means in early math, and how to help students make sense of it using concrete experiences, representational models, and clear language.

June 25, 2025

More Than ‘the Same’: How Do You Explain Equal?

Read More

Most kids don’t struggle with math because they can’t do the calculations—it’s because they don’t fully understand how numbers work together. SoE changes that by helping students see the bigger picture: how numbers break apart, how equality actually works, and why units matter.

April 16, 2025

The Mathematics Behind Structures of Equality: Understanding Equality and Decomposing Numbers

Learn More
Read More

Ever notice students try to sneak counting on their fingers? Many kids have been told not to. Here’s why they actually should.\

March 26, 2025

Why kids should count on their fingers

The number 24 is in the middle of a circle. There are lines drawn to varying forms of the number that show more sophisticated place value understanding: 2 tens, 4 ones; 24 ones; 1 ten, 14 ones; 20 + 4; 1 tens stick and 14 ones dots
Read More

Place value is about more than the position of digits; it’s the foundation of our number system. This blog explores how we can help students think flexibly about numbers.

September 25, 2024

Understanding place value: the key to building number sense

Read More

When a student can read a word problem but can’t solve it, the issue often isn’t reading. It’s an underdeveloped number concept, and here’s how to spot it.

March 20, 2024

Critical Learning Phases: Why Reading Comprehension Isn’t Always the Reason Students Struggle with Word Problems 

Learn More