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.

The right answer doesn’t tell you whether a student understands. Student-drawn models do. Here’s what to look for and how to respond

Do your students struggle to write equations from models? Here’s how to help them translate.

The questions we ask during word problems shape how students think about math. Here’s what to ask instead and why it changes everything.

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?

A resource for caregivers to help their child make sense of math word problems. Learn how to spot the math main idea and support understanding at home.

When students label their thinking precisely, their understanding becomes visible. By requiring the unit and the descriptor, we help students show meaning with their models.

This post explores how to select or adapt number stories that invite sense-making, honor students’ experiences, and align with instructional goals.

After three years with Structures of Equality, fourth grade teacher Jasmin isn’t just trying it out, she’s all in. Her story offers insight into what changes when comprehension leads and scaffolds support real thinking.

The Parts Equal Total structure isn’t a shortcut for solving; it’s a way to understand what’s happening in the story. This blog explores how PET supports comprehension from the earliest grades through more complex problems.

A reflection on how Pam Seda’s work validates my mission to bring equity, comprehension, and deep thinking into math classrooms.

Many students struggle with math not because of computation, but because they don’t know where to start. Learn how Structures of Equality (SoE) helps students decode word problems and build confidence in problem-solving.