That there is Whitney Becker - a middle school math teacher from Alabama. Whitney joined us to discuss what activities are great on the first day of school to show students what we as teachers value instead of just going over the rules and syllabus. 

This is another  Math Mentoring Moment episode where we talk with a member of the Math Moment Maker Community who is working through struggles and together we brainstorm possible next steps and strategies to overcome them.

You’ll Learn: 

• What activities should I use on the first day of school?
• How do I show my students what I value early in the course? 
• What activities are good for group work? 
• Should we do a math activity on the first day?

Resources: 

• Cell Phone Problem From Illustrative Math 
• What Do You Do On The First Day Of School? - Dan Meyer
• Name Tents
• How To Start The School Year Off Right / Episode 36
• 100 Numbers To Get Students Talking
• Amsti.org
• TapIntoTeenMinds.com 
• Stacking Paper

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Get a Customized Math Improvement Plan For Your District.

Are you district leader for mathematics? Take the 12 minute assessment and you’ll get a free, customized improvement plan to shape and grow the 6 parts of any strong mathematics program.

Take the assessment

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.