Back to School with Math Expressions: 10 Questions Every Math Expressions Teacher Asks Before School

Teaching Math Expressions this year? Get practical back-to-school tips & classroom routine strategies tried and tested by Shannon Kiebler.

Every August, I hear many of the same questions from Math Expressions teachers.

How do I get students talking about math?

When should I introduce manipulatives?

Should I jump right into the lessons?

How do I keep the first few weeks from feeling so overwhelming?

The funny thing is…those are many of the same questions I asked myself every year.

In fact, without fail, I'd find myself sitting in the teacher's lounge during the first week of school saying the exact same thing: "They can't do anything."

Every teacher around the table would laugh because they knew exactly what I meant.

Our students didn't know how our classroom worked yet. They didn't know how to work with a partner, where the manipulatives belonged, how to explain their thinking, or even how to transition from one activity to the next.

And that's exactly how it should be.

Those first few weeks aren't about getting through as much math as possible. They're about building the routines, expectations, and confidence that will support your students for the rest of the year. These 10 tips, ideas, and strategies will help you set yourself and students up for success from day 1.

1. How Should I Prepare for the First Weeks of School When I Teach With Math Expressions?

One thing I've learned over the years is that it's easy to spend a lot of time preparing things that won't have much impact once students arrive.

The preparation that makes the biggest difference usually isn't another worksheet or another bulletin board. It's thinking through the routines your students will use every day.

How will they get materials?
How will they work with a partner?
How will they share their thinking?

Math Expressions provides wonderful opportunities to establish these habits from the very beginning. Spending a little extra time teaching those routines early creates a classroom that runs much more smoothly as the year goes on.

2. What's the Biggest Mistake Teachers Make During the First Week Of School?

One pattern I've noticed is that we sometimes expect students to know things we've never actually taught them.

WE know how to use math tools.

WE know what a "turn and talk" looks like.

WE know what productive partner work sounds like.

Our students don't—not yet. I get it. As a teacher, we often get 'teacher amnesia' and forget that last year's students knew how the class worked because WE taught them!

Every procedure is worth teaching, modeling, and practicing right from the beginning. Those few extra minutes during the first week often save you countless interruptions later in the year.

**3. Should I Start Teaching Math Expressions on Day One?**

Absolutely.

One of the things I love about Math Expressions is that the lessons naturally give you opportunities to teach much more than mathematics.

You're introducing classroom expectations.

You're modeling mathematical conversations.

You're showing students how to explain their reasoning, listen to one another, and solve problems together.

The mathematics and the classroom culture grow together.

4. What's One Math Routine That Will Save Me the Most Time?

If I had to choose just one, I'd probably say materials.

It may seem simple, but knowing how to quickly gather, use, and return manipulatives can save an incredible amount of instructional time over the course of a school year.

When I taught, we practiced those routines just like we practiced math. Sometimes we'd even time ourselves and celebrate when we became a little quicker or a little smoother than the day before.

Students usually enjoy the challenge, and before long, those routines become second nature.

5. How Much Time Should I Spend Practicing Routines?

Probably a little longer than you think.

Classroom routines are an investment.

The first week may feel slower because you're teaching every expectation carefully, but those lessons continue paying you back throughout the year.

By October, students know what to do because you've taken the time to teach them well.

**6. When Should I Introduce Math Expressions Manipulatives?**

You don't have to introduce every manipulative during the first week.

In fact, I've always preferred introducing them gradually. During planning time, check with your teacher's manual to see which manipulatives are recommended for the upcoming unit and focus on those.

Each new tool becomes an opportunity to talk about when it's helpful, how it's used, and how we care for it.

Students become more confident, and the manipulatives become meaningful tools instead of distractions.

7. How Do I Get Students Talking About Math?

One thing I've noticed is that mathematical discussions become much easier when we remember that students need to learn how to have those conversations.

Model what good math conversations sound like.

Display students sentence stems that make it easy to refer to all year long.

Practice partner discussions with simple problems before asking them to explain more complex thinking.

The confidence students build during those early conversations often carries into the rest of the school year.

8. What If Everything Still Feels Messy?

It probably will for a little while.

Every classroom needs time to settle into its rhythm.

If your room feels a little noisy or transitions take longer than you'd like, you're not doing anything wrong.

You're teaching students how your classroom works.

That takes time.

And it's time well spent.

**9. How Can Math Expressions Make My Life Easier?**

One of the reasons I've loved teaching with Math Expressions is that so many of the instructional structures are already built into the curriculum.

You don't have to invent every routine or every discussion opportunity yourself.

As you become more familiar with the program, you'll probably find that many of the supports you need are already there—you just begin using them more intentionally.

10. What If I Still Don't Feel Ready?

I don't know that any teacher ever feels completely ready.

Every class is different and every group of students bring new personalities, new strengths, and new challenges.

You don't need to have every answer before the first day of school. The goal is to begin the year with a thoughtful plan and the confidence to adjust as you get to know your students.

That's exactly why I continue offering Back to School with Math Expressions each summer.

It's an opportunity for us to spend some time together talking through classroom routines, practical strategies, and the parts of Math Expressions that can make those first few weeks feel just a little easier.

If you'd like to start the year with more clarity, more confidence, and a plan that's ready for day one, I'd love to have you join us at one of the available dates:

Free Workshop: Back To School With Math Expressions

Categories: : back to school