I have only a couple of real memories from when I was in kindergarten. One of them happened at lunchtime. I had my little lunch box in my hands and I was standing in the line waiting to get my milk carton. Except, I must have been energetic that day. I don’t remember what I was doing, but I do remember…
If we were having a conversation face to face, you might say to me something like, “So, you have 24 episodes (posts) about the ways I might be using math in my daily life. But my question is how does all of this help me learn math?” Or “how does this relate to the math my child is learning? How does…
For all you writers out there who thought you were off the hook because you use words for your creative expression, this post is for you. I guess it’s for the readers out there, too, now that I think about it. Because there is also math hidden in the words you use to write your stories and poems and in the…
Back in this post, I shared some of the ways math shows up in nature. Specifically, a few places we see the Fibonacci sequence and the related golden spiral and golden ratio. Every time I revisit the topic of Fibonacci numbers, I am completely fascinated by it and I can very easily get pulled into the rabbit hole learning about sequence,…
How often do you think about money? Are you someone who buys whatever you want without much thought or someone who carefully considers each dollar that leaves your bank account? No matter which category you fall into, you probably work within a budget of some kind. That makes you a math person. Of course, it’s no surprise there’s math involved when…
People say the craziest things sometimes, don’t they? Our personal beliefs come from our life experiences and the emotions we feel during those experiences play a role in what gets cemented into our belief system. I’ve heard several mentors and coaches teach this model over the years as a repeating cycle. They all use slightly different words around it, but here’s…
Today, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You know, the one that gets in the way and often interrupts a math journey. The thing that drives so many people crazy enough that they ultimately decide math isn’t for them. But first… Let’s back up all the way to the beginning and start with a little bit of learning progression,…
Since I started the podcast a few months ago, most of the episodes I’ve recorded (and the posts I’ve made here to accompany them) so far either focus on a specific mathematical idea you frequently use, sometimes without even realizing it, OR on the math involved in a particular activity you do on a regular basis. There’s a few other topics,…
Humans are creatures of habit. We like routine. So much so, that we even keep doing things that we know aren’t serving us. You know, like staying up late and hitting the snooze button. My job is a nine month position, so I get a full three months away from the office during the summer. I chose this schedule so I…
Do you have a vivid memory from math class? One that has stuck with you for years. There are a handful of distinct memories I have from when I was in the third grade. I loved my teacher…truth be told, I loved all my teachers except a couple from high school…and I loved school. Yes, I was that kid. A first…
Are you a musician? Meaning, do you play a musical instrument? I remember learning to play piano when I was a young child. I think I was five or six years old when I started lessons with the music director at the church we attended. She taught me how to sit properly on the piano bench, where to place my fingers…
If you are anything like me, you make endless lists, mostly of things that need to get done. I love a good list for a few reasons: Have you ever written something on your list that you did before you made the list just so you can cross it off? Tell me I’m not alone here! Would you be surprised to…
I think it’s time to clear some things up. I talk about “math people” a lot. LIke a lot, a lot. I have conversations with students, with friends, with people I meet on the street or on the airplane, and even with the guy who sold me my car. Here’s how it usually goes with strangers. Someone will ask what I…