Meet the Teacher



It's hard to believe it, but as the school year flies towards winter break, I am already well into my fourth year of teaching 6th grade math in a rural Wisconsin school district! My wife, Nicole, and I have been married for two years. She teaches first grade in the same district. I look forward to a couple of years, when I get to have some of her students in 6th grade math for the first time!


There are a lot of reasons I am where I am today, but let's start with one of the biggest, my family (yes...that family you see below!). It's safe to say teaching runs in my family. My mom and dad both spent careers in education: my mom a first grade teacher and my dad the principal of my high school. My parents have shown me the importance of education and the impact educators can have in the lives of students! Both of my older brothers have also been a big inspiration for me. One of my brothers is a high school choir director and the other is a civil engineer. I always look forward to seeing my four nephews and nieces!


For those who know me, they can tell you that one of my biggest passions is baseball. I grew up playing it and following it with my two brothers (yes, you can play baseball with three people if you are creative) and have loved it ever since. I currently coach the high school team in my district and still play on the local team during the summer.

7 comments :

  1. Hi ! I am a 6th grade math teacher that came back into the classroom last year after 15 years of homeschooling my own kids. What a challenge last year was ! I spent the year reading and deciding how Inwanted to do things differently. Love your ideas. My biggest question is how you keep the groups on task when you are working with a small group. I have rather large classes (average if 30 kids) and would like to have 6 groups of five rotate through 6 stations over a period of 3 days. Just concerned that I will have to stop small group work to make sure others are not too loud or doing something other than station work.

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  2. I asked the question above and the re-read your math workshop post and saw you answered it there. My apologies for asking a question that you answered in your post! It's early here :-)

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  3. how do you take those brain teaser and put them on the power point so that it can be printed just in black and white? Love the idea as I am a supply and would love to use this but have no clue how

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  4. Hi Alex,

    I love your bundle I purchased the middle school math bundle and some 5th and 6th grade enrichment task cards. Awesome work-thank you!

    I am trying to make the transition to a math workshop model that you use in your classroom. I am a little bit apprehensive as I have always pretty much been a direct instruction kind of guy. My question is if I am following a curriculum how do you teach the lesson of the day and still have time to do all the other stations? Are you able to teach your lesson as a mini-lesson-and then get to the stations? I am a little unclear of how this would look in my classroom.

    I would love to hear your ideas and your experience.

    Thanks again! I have been telling others about your great products.

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  5. I've never created or commented on a blog before, but I was inspired by the effort that went into the creation of this site...so here is my first posting: Excellent work! Homeschool in canada

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  6. Was checking out the inside mathematics website and looked at some of the problems. Wondering if the solutions for all the levels are posted somewhere. :-)

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  7. Hello....I love the dry erase tables!! One question: do students complete other work on them? Tests, practice sheets, etc.? I am wondering if completing a math worksheet on it with pencil affects the paint? Thanks in advance,

    Dawn

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