My undergraduate advisor Robert Davis told us (& I'm paraphrasing): When the moon is full, you can see the man in the moon. Look again. Can you also see the rabbit in the moon? Then it's possible to see many more things in the moon. Keep that in mind sheet you're teaching your students.

Planning From Student Work: What -> So What? -> Now What? In February, I gave a webinar for TERC's Forum for Equity in Elementary Mathematics. I was honored to be invited to speak -- it's an impressive lineup! -- and Karen Economopoulos and I conceived of my talk as a direct follow-up to Marilyn Burns' December session, "Reasoning: The Essential Foundation for Building Students’ Understanding." Marilyn explored numeracy through the lens of clinical interviews with elementary students; my talk would take up the question of what to do once we've learned about student thinking.

New Blog Post:
Planning From Student Work: What? --> So What? --> Now What

In February, I gave a webinar for TERC's Forum for Equity in Elementary Mathematics. In this blog post, I share the main ideas from "Using Insights about Student Thinking to Shape Classroom Expereinces."

I especially loved her novel Intimacies. I think she's an amazing writer.

Now I'm wondering about if it's a good problem for kids and, if so, what grade.

I agree that the Italiano heading throws in a wrinkle.

I never heard of Tony. I love him already.

I often have used chocolate bars as a context for teaching fractions, but I'm flummoxed about this one. Thoughts?

It's not a takedown!

Did you miss @jennalaib.bsky.social's Session? Watch the recording of it now!

www.terc.edu/mathequityfo...

This is a terrific read. I know I should explain why, but I'm still chewing on the ideas and suspect I will for a while.

2025-2026 Speaker Series Using Insights about Student Thinking to Shape Classroom Experiences by Jenna Laib 2/4/26, 7-8 EST

Session 3 of our Speaker Series is 7-8 EST on 2/4/26. Hear @jennalaib.bsky.social on how data gathered from students can inform responsive instruction that builds on their strengths, addresses their needs & creates meaningful math learning for all. Register: lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/HKaippJ

I'm looking forward to this tomorrow! Free for all.

Lots of math here. Makes me want to go to Milwaukee.

Infinite Pancakes, Anyone?

Need a mathematical deep dive diversion? This from today's NY Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/20/s...

"This is why I return again and again to interviews: they help me see growth that scores alone cannot capture, and guide me towards the thinking students are ready to build next."

Measuring Growth in Mathematical Reasoning: What Mia’s Thinking Reveals Mia* is a fourth grader who participates in a small-group intervention with me that focuses on multiplication. She is enthusiastic and playful — curling the dot in the i in her name into a he…

Inspired by @mburnsmath.bsky.social's session, Session 3's speaker @jennalaib.bsky.social wrote this. "To assess learning & development, I need to look more closely at how Mia reasoned thru the tasks, not just how many ?s she answered correctly. This is what I love most about interview assessments."

Without pennies, should retailers round up or down? States offer their 2 cents. • Stateline Calls from businesses for federal guidance on how to handle the elimination of the penny have so far gone unanswered, pushing some states to take up the issue.

A question to explore with your students? Without pennies, should retailers round up or down? States offer their 2 cents. stateline.org/2025/12/18/w...

So reaffirming to read your post. Interviews have changed my teaching dramatically and I've blogged lots. (Marilynburnsmath.com) I loved reading about your perspective and experience.

Yes, late for holiday gifts this year, but good for exploring anytime in math class. Now I'm thinking about the cowlick theorem.

Address Unknown by Kathrine Pressman Taylor, a novella written in 1938 that I learned about a year ago. An epistolary novel. Stunning.

No wonder those kids in a class my first year of teaching could all talk out loud without their lips moving. Ah, being a first-year teacher had its unique challenges.

2025-2026 Speaker Series Using Insights about Student Thinking to Shape Classroom Experiences, by Jenna Laib 2/4/26 7-8pm, EST

Did you miss Session 2? Watch the recording of @mburnsmath.bsky.social's talk about reasoning: www.terc.edu/mathequityfo...

Then register for @jennalaib.bsky.social's session which will explore how data gathered from students can inform responsive instruction! lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/HKaippJ

I hope you'll join me. I'm ready to share.

Is There a Better Way to Cut a Cake?

Math and cake. I love it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/d...

I'm looking forward to giving this talk. Hope you'll join me.

New Blog Post:
Culture & Identity in the Math Classroom

How do elements of the culture students bring into the classroom interact with the classroom culture we create? What does it mean to shift or honor them?

Thanks for this. It got me thinking.

Where You See a Fancy Fish, Engineers See Alan Turing’s Math

I loved this article. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/s...

Speaker Series 2025–2026 Knowing Our Students: Fostering Equitable Math Learning Communities The 2025-2026 Series focuses on the importance of knowing students as math learners and as learners with diverse backgrounds, exper...

I'm looking forward to being one of the presenters at TERC's Speaker Series and also hearing from the other speakers.
www.terc.edu/mathequityfo...

I think kids also have trouble with the ones you mentioned. Also 6 x 3, I've found.