Top 25 blogs for math in the classroom
1. Miss Calcul8
The writer of this blog teaches “life with a bit of algebra and geometry on the side.” And her goal is a lofty one: “I expect to be the best teacher that has ever lived, to change the world, and to live wealthy.” Along the way, she shares her thoughts on differentiated instruction, classroom management, standardized testings, student culture, and more. This thoughtful blog offers teachers a lot of insight, as well as practical tips and ideas.
This thoughtful and engaging blog reflects on ideas such as how to motivate students, the effectiveness of testing, and the purpose of homework and games. The blog is written by a high-school math teacher, and there are ideas for the classroom and for more effective teaching. Special attention is also paid to technology. Notable recent posts include How to Motivate, Differentiating Instruction for Classes, and Guided Study – Support?
A middle-school Algebra teacher shares “ideas and strategies for teaching math in middle school” on this blog. There are ideas for games and lesson plans, as well as links to songs, videos, and other resources. There are also specific lessons and ideas according to concept, such as graphs and charts, geometry, linear equations, and more.
This blog offers “notes, inspiration and resources for teaching the way we love and loving the way we teach.” Along the way, you find lots of tips and ideas to guide and inspire your teaching. Some notable recent posts include Blackboards, Follow Up: Distinguishing Teaching from Teachers, and Math Reflections: What I’ve Learned So Far….
This practically-minded blog focuses on sharing ideas for high-school math teachers whose students are below grade level. The author, Dan Greene, encourages a collaborative approach, promising to share strategies that he tries in the classroom and asking his readers to do the same. The results include lesson plans, worksheets, game and activity ideas, and more. In addition to the resource-rich posts, there are also files permanent files by topic that include lesson plans, documents, activities, tests, and more. A very useful site for high-school math teachers of any level student!
The author of this blog helps teach elementary and middle school teachers how to teach math. Posts are in-depth and thoughtful, and they cover theoretical questions, games, lesson plans, strategies, and more. Notable recent posts include The Design of Mathematical Notation, Nonlinear Lesson Design (Giant Ants of Doom), and Is “One, Two, Many” a Myth?
Ideas for math games, puzzles, riddles and more abound on this blog, which focuses on learning and teaching K-12 math in a fun way. Some of the top games listed on the blog include Contig Game: Master Your Math Fact, Math Game: What Number Am I?, and The Game That Is Worth 1,000 Worksheets. There are also links to resources, worksheets, and other useful blogs.
The writer of this new blog teaches Algebra II and Precalculus in Brooklyn, but he also claims that his students get a “minor in sarcasm.” Fellow teachers can find reflections on pedagogy, connecting with students, classroom management and more. There are thoughtful discussions about the role that teachers have and how they can better engage students. Posts about classroom experiences and new ideas can also offer inspiration. Notable posts include Mathematical Badassymptotes and Taking Down Applebee’s.
9. Math Stories
“Mr. K” blogs about his process in “learning about learning,” and along the way, he shares a lot of practical tips and ideas for math activities, lesson plans, games, and more for the math classroom. In addition, there are book reviews, reflections on personal experiences, and discussion about pedagogy.
10. I Speak Math
Here you’ll find in-depth discussion of different aspects of teaching math, from homework to group work to test review. Posts are thorough and insightful. Notable recent posts include Disspelling the Great Math Myth: Effort Trumps Ability in Mathematics Achievement, Change Someone’s Math…Care, and Amazing Things to do with Google Docs.
11. Signed Numbers
This blog offers a “hands-on approach to teaching math,” with a focus on teaching math to deaf students. The author endorses a collaborative approach, offering tips and ideas for teaching strategies, and encouraging other teachers to do the same. There are in-depth posts on curriculum, assessment, classroom projects, and more.
12. dy/dan
Dan Meyer is a former high-school math teacher and a current doctoral student at Stanford University. He says that his primary interests are curriculum design and teacher education. Notable recent posts include Great Application Problems – A Rubric, The Kannapolis Sessions, and The Wolverine Wrangler.
13. Mathing…
This resource-rich blog includes ideas for games, lesson plans, using technology in the classroom, and more. There are links to resources, sources of inspiration, useful blogs, and more. Posts are detailed and thorough, and there is a lot of practical information that teachers can use in the classroom. Notable recent posts include Unit Circle in GeoGebra (Radian Measure), Saving Video Clips for Educational Use (Part 1) (followed by a part 2), and Reflecting on Student Comments.
14. Math Bratt
Don’t let the title fool you: This brand-new blog actually has a lot of heart. Posts explore the ins and outs of teaching math and offer some thoughtful insights mixed in with teaching ideas. Check out Grading and Number Subset Game.
15. Math Faery
Elizabeth Hamman is a math professor at a college in California, and she blends creativity into her teaching style. Her blog offers reflections on teaching, ideas, and resources. Some notable posts include GALE: The Guild for Active Learning and Engagement in Science, Tecnology, Engineering, and Mathematics, What I Learned About Learning, and Tablet PC Tips.
16. f(t)
Here you’ll find plenty of anecdotes and the personal experiences and thoughts of the blog author, a high-school math teacher. Posts cover topics such as lessons, technology, reviews, assessment, curriculum, projects, games, and more. Individual focus is also given to specific math subjects, such as algebra, trigonometry, and geometry.
17. Mister Teacher
A fifth grade teacher in Wyoming blogs about math, science, and social studies. But math gets a lot of attention on this blog, and there are ideas and information for games, resources, interactive classroom tools, lessons, and more. Technology is also a focus, so teachers can find information on iPhone apps for math, mobile math resources, and whiteboard activities focused on math.
Ms. Cookie has been teaching math for 13 years. On her blog, she shares reflections about the ups and downs of teaching, as well as ideas for classroom activities and math lessons.
Here you’ll find a lot of the same kind of discussion found on other math blogs, but the focus is on statistics and teaching statistics. There are also tips and ideas, as well as links to a lot of other useful blogs.
20. Math Tales from the Spring
A high-school math teacher blogs about teaching and “life in general.” Recent posts cover experiences on a committee for end-of-year testing and a conference on teaching math, mixed in with personal reflections.
21. Math Mama Writes
Sue VanHattum is the math mama and a college math teacher. She has written an anthology about math learning, and her blog focuses on all levels of math learning. Posts range from book reviews to mastery tests to classroom games.
22. MeTa Musings
MeTa represents math education, technology, and assessment. Recent discussions focus on grading and assessment, but you’ll find plenty of analysis here about methodology and the politics of teaching. There are also links to the “With Students in Mind” podcasts.
A first-year math teacher shares reflections of teaching in a public high school. Topics include building relationships, class culture, classroom management, grading, lesson plans, reviews, and more.
A second-year math teacher at a private school shares strategies, successes, and failures. Topics include assessment, math anxiety, teaching philosophy, and more.
25. Mathological
Sarah Cannon blogs about her experiences and reflection on teaching math. This blog is more about personal reflection than about sharing strategies, but many teachers are sure to find common ground here.
August 5th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Thanks for including me in your list. It is an honor to be included in this group. Several of the blogs on the list are ones that I follow faithfully. I am constantly amazed at the creativity and insights that these bloggers share that I can use in my own classroom. I look forward to checking out the blogs that are new to me and add to my favorites!
August 5th, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Thank you, Christy! You do a wonderful job with your blog, and we’re happy to create this list for new readers to get to know you and the other wonderful bloggers.
August 5th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
nice work here. a few years ago
i maintained an enormous blogroll
of math stuff but it was obsoleted
by the “feeds” revolution and i’ve
lost track. some of these i still
follow and some i outright don’t
like but there were a few here
passing *both* of the “new”
and “interesting” tests…
October 14th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Wow! That’s an amazing resource you have here in your blog. Congratulations!
January 22nd, 2011 at 5:02 am
Wow, what a GREAT resource! Thank you so much. Interestingly, having just created my own math blog (Rick’s Algeblog: http://www.algeblog.com), I had been surfing around looking for just these types of blogs and had already joined a couple on this list prior to seeing your “top 25″! Even though my blog is still in its infancy (would that make it a Pre-Schooler?), I hope that my 25+ years of experience as a math teacher will add some useful insights to others in the math-blogging world!
February 6th, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Thank you for mentioning my blog in this list! Most of the blogs mentioned are already in my reader. We have a pretty tight knit community and we freely share resources, ideas, and day to day frustrations.