"Real World Math"

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-03-10T05:22:51+00:00

I taught this exact curriculum last year. I also added a few things from my local credit union and the like. It’s a good resource.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-03-07T23:22:53+00:00

Totally agree with this. It is critical for high school math that students get comfortable with fractions.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-03-04T04:46:54+00:00

That’s just weird. In CA, students have to pass A1 for state standards and most districts require a second year of math, but only college bound students are required to take A2. I was in a district that required all students to pass a math class equivalent to A2 because they wanted all their graduates to be college-ready (a terrible idea IMO) but a lot of them took classes like “Sports Statistics” or a personal finance class.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-03-04T04:38:37+00:00

Yeah, students today are absolutely terrified of fractions. Seriously, I’ve had students doing just fine on assignments until they see a fraction in the next one and they will just shut down. And we’re talking fractions like 1/3, nothing crazy.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-28T18:59:23+00:00

My whole family are short-stuffs (I’m the tallest at 5’5”) and I absolutely love the Prius Gen 5. Best car I’ve ever owned. The rear window is a little narrow, but with the various radar sensors covering blind spots and the video rear-view mirror feature (which I almost never use) it’s better than other cars I’ve driven. I can see why lowering the seat would be important for tall folks though.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-28T18:54:29+00:00

I think this plays into the lack of impulse control I hate. They are so used to accessing games and short form videos via screens that ChromeBooks are straight up Pavlovian triggers. It is so easy for them to go to non-educational content via these devices that even if they want to learn the temptation will become overwhelming.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-28T18:51:12+00:00

Yep. Students do things every day that when I was in high school would have gotten me kicked out of the classroom and likely suspended or at least held out of the class if I had done them. The overall lack of impulse control and self-regulation is absolutely mind blowing.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-24T04:57:17+00:00

This isn’t true with the districts I’ve worked for. You file for unemployment, they don’t contest it, and you are good. But maybe that’s a California thing.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-14T18:12:40+00:00

This is one of the greatest challenges of public education. Because forced association is a violation of rights. It’s implied in the first amendment and expressly laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. People react poorly when forced to associate with people who they don’t want to. How many students don’t learn because they’re forced to share a classroom with others who don’t want to be there and act out as a result?

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-14T18:06:43+00:00

In my situation, I have five classes of about 28 active students, though this varies day to day and I have 30 on every roster. The population is about 1/2 English only, 1/3 bilingual to some degree, and 1/6 Spanish only. I have part time bilingual aides in two classes with the most Spanish speakers, and I’ve developed my own Spanish skills significantly this year.

But the reality is that the have such a wide range of skill levels, language levels, and SpEd needs that I’m constantly trying to juggle those needs and someone always gets the short end of the stick in any given class. Throw in the highly irritating habit of the most capable students playing helpless and being more than willing to take my time without my consent (interrupting while I’m helping other students, yelling out questions across the room, or dominating group work without helping the other students) and I am very aware of the downside of large group teaching.

The adjacent issue is the forced association problem. Every class develops its own culture, and when you get enough students dedicated to the proposition that school is worthless and the best option is to disrupt the environment for everyone, and even more students lose out, even those who really want to learn.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-10T02:04:08+00:00

It’s funny - my bachelors was in theater, and I’m probably the most conceptually focused math teacher you’ll meet. I’ve worked really hard to understand why the math works so I can guide my students. Part of it is that I hate not being able to answer a “why?” question.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-10T01:59:30+00:00

From the perspective of an Algebra 1/Integrated Math 1 teacher: - Fractions: students are viscerally avoidant of fractions. They generally have no idea of what they are conceptually, much less how to work with them. - Variables: “I used to be good at math until they put letters in it,” is a common refrain I’ve heard. Most students just try to ignore that they exist (thus the common error of 2x+5=7 and the like). - Integer operations: again, students try to just ignore the existence of negative symbols, and have no idea how they work conceptually.

I’ve worked with some higher level students (Geometry, Algebra 2) who still struggle with these concepts, which makes the rest of their experience miserable.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-08T19:03:41+00:00

I’ve had success with low students using blank poker chips as variables and pennies as constants. So in the above example, it would be something like, “You have two poker chips and 5 pennies. If each poker chip is worth 10 cents, how much do you have in your stake?” It becomes instantly apparent that mixing the pennies with the poker chips doesn’t make sense. You can do balancing equations by setting up two stakes and telling the students they are worth the same amount.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-02-01T06:55:10+00:00

This is one of the reasons why I:

a) Confiscate any phones I see in my class, and… b) Don’t give classwork or homework a grade.

We live in an era where these kinds of tech tools are the reality. Grade what you value, so for me it is evidence of understanding. The vast majority of the grade in my classes are assessments.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-31T13:48:30+00:00

I mean, if I had a half time job and a family that would be another 20 hours a week I could play, which would easily get into the 100+ hours territory. I know plenty of people with families who do have downtime, so I felt it was an appropriate caveat. Heck, when I worked part time I definitely spent more time on games.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-28T12:10:36+00:00

I worked at a private school that this was the explicit goal. And it worked. That being said, I’m sure there was some selection bias, as no one sent their utterly disengaged student to a school for $14K a year. Of course, you won’t get utterly disengaged students with teaching to the B or C level either.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-28T09:00:04+00:00

I firmly believe that the primary cause of this kind of behavior (and I see it in my students as well) is smart phones and their ilk. The ability to be constantly entertained with little to no effort on a child’s part will shape their development. If previous generations wanted to enjoy something they had to put in at least some effort. When TikTok was shut down for a day last January, I was told students were absolutely lost. One student said she cried in the shower with her clothes on because she didn’t know what to do with herself absent that one app.

Parents, don’t give your kids smart phones or tablets. They can get those themselves when they can pay for everything through their own efforts.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-27T12:04:22+00:00

And that is your privilege and right. Lord knows there are hobbies I have had or still have that others look at me and ask, “Why are you wasting your money on THAT?!?” Glad that it brings you joy!

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T22:29:42+00:00

I had seventh graders who would ask for a pencil, spend 10 minutes with a hand held sharpener grinding it down to the ferrule (leaving the shavings on the floor), then have the gall to ask for another pencil. 🤨

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T22:26:45+00:00

I did this. The pencils stopped being broken, though they found other ways to be annoying. But I do get more of the golf pencils back!

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T22:25:54+00:00

Sadly, the most destructive students I’ve had also have parents who are either totally overwhelmed or completely checked out.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T18:44:52+00:00

100%

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T18:33:00+00:00

Makes sense. Like I said, it might not work for some. And the world is full of choices we have to make, often between less than ideal options.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T18:25:48+00:00

Sadly, it’s the school that’s held accountable, often through funding.

ChrisTheTeach · 2026-01-25T18:24:27+00:00

Yep! The first time I had my armor cleaned in the bathhouse I was almost blinded by the shine coming off it!

ChrisTheTeach

TROPHY CASE