Hey, Reader!

Is there a comment or piece of feedback you find yourself giving your students over and over (and OVER) again? 😂

When I first started teaching, I quickly realized that a lot of the math mistakes my students were making were VERY common.

One of my favorite things about teaching the same grade level for several years was that I eventually got to the point where I could predict exactly where my students were going to need extra support!

And this heavily influenced how I created the lessons in my guided notes and YouTube videos.

Let me give you an example: finding slope from a graph.

I KNEW I was going to have to remind my students to make their slope negative when the line was going down from left to right approximately 500 times. 😅

So instead of jumping straight into rise over run, I started teaching a lesson on the four different types of slope FIRST.

We spent time identifying positive, negative, zero, and undefined slopes before we ever started calculating anything.

And this little shift made a HUGE difference!

It really helped nail down the importance of looking at the direction of the line FIRST, before worrying about calculating the slope.

Is identifying the four types of slope technically a standalone standard? Nope.

But does it make a big impact when students move into the actual standards-aligned lesson? ABSOLUTELY!

You'll see this same idea sprinkled throughout several of my lessons:

• Simplifying expressions before jumping into multi-step equations
• Reviewing area and perimeter before introducing surface area
• Solving a familiar two-step equation alongside a multi-variable literal equation for the first time

Sometimes it's those little extra steps that make the biggest difference in helping students understand a new concept.

And after nine years in the classroom, I learned that anticipating those common mistakes and addressing them BEFORE they happen can save you a whole lot of reteaching later!

Now, your turn!

What's one math mistake you find yourself correcting approximately 500 times a year? 😂

Hit reply and tell me! I have a feeling we'll all have a few things in common!

Happy teaching! 🧡

Helpful Links:​
📝 Guided Notes – Ready-to-teach lessons that save planning time & support student success
🗂️ Free Pacing Guides – Your entire year planned in one place
🎥 Math Lesson Videos – Reteaching & absences made easy

❓ How can I help? Just reply — I read every message!