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Jenna Laib

Jenna Laib

The Blog of a K-8 Math Specialist

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Tag: presume competence

curriculum…

Getting Started with Problem Based Learning in Grade 4

6 Jan 202026 Jun 2020
What are the conditions that inspire teachers to take on problem based instruction? This isn't a story about how you can determine when a teacher -- novice or experienced --…
child study

Building Mental Representations

25 Nov 201917 Nov 2019
"Sabrina is fascinating. She will look at a problem for three minutes, not appearing to be thinking about it at all, and then come up with the correct answer," her…
assessment…

What does it mean to be “struggling” in math class? (Eduardo’s Story)

5 Feb 20195 Feb 2019
It was a sea of dots. Eduardo's work for 47 + 27 Over and over again, for both computational and story problems, third grade student Eduardo drew dots. Eduardo's work,…
curriculum…

#TeamBlankSpace

3 Jan 2019
Every time a child says, 'I don't believe in fairies,' there is a fairy somewhere that falls down dead.J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan (1904) When a work page is overly rigid…
in the classroom

No More Mathematical Matchmaking: The Return of the Inaba Place Value Puzzles

26 Nov 201827 Nov 2018
When I first started teaching, I believed in being a mathematical matchmaker. I thought that differentiation meant giving students different tiered assignments -- it seemed much better than pushing every…
assessment…

Presuming Competence: Using Clinical Interviews to Support Classroom Instruction

13 Nov 201827 Nov 2018
"She's not on an IEP, but she's struggling in class. What should I do?" I don't know the student -- Alejandra, or Ali, for short -- very well, so I arranged…

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Upcoming Conference Presentations & Workshops

December 2025 & January 2026
EDC (Waltham, MA)
“Data Routines: Slow Reveal Graphs”

January 15, 2026
Math Coach Virtual Learning Network (virtual)

February 4, 2026
TERC’s Forum for Equity in Elementary Mathematics (free virtual webinar)
“Using Insights about Student Thinking to Shape Classroom Experiences”

SEE OTHER RECENT & UPCOMING EXPERIENCES…

Recent Posts

  • Culture & Identity in the Math Classroom 22 Nov 2025
  • Inputs and Outputs 20 Oct 2025
  • Anderson’s Endless Zeroes 12 Apr 2025
  • How Many Nivelsnorts: Assessing Silly Story Problems 7 Nov 2024
  • Tomás and the Jellybeans: Increasing Access 5 Nov 2024
  • Why Do I Love This Student Work: Examining Context & Bias 22 Oct 2024
  • “Yes! And!” 10 Oct 2024
  • For Our Math Education Community 29 Sep 2024
  • The Love Graph 17 Jul 2024
  • Estimating Products and Co-Planning in Grade 4 30 Jun 2024

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K-8 Math Educator

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Tags

#tmwyk access centering students ideas child study clinical interview desmos division education equity five practices formative assessment fractions games geometry grade 1 grade 2 grade 3 grade 4 grade 5 grade 6 grade 7 grade 8 illustrative mathematics intervention investigations Investigations (Inv3) kindergarten listening making connections mtbos multiplication problem-based instruction problem-based learning productive discussions race remote learning slow reveal graphs student thinking student work writing
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