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Visualizing Math with VR

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One day in AP Calculus, I remember learning about the washer and shell methods for finding volumes of revolution. The process required us to look at a graph, imagine it rotating around an axis, and then sketch the resulting three-dimensional shape. For many of us, including myself, this was incredibly difficult. We weren’t just solving an equation; we were being asked to mentally construct a 3D object from a 2D image. I still remember my teacher saying, “I wish I had something better to help you visualize this.” Looking back, this would have been the perfect opportunity to use virtual or augmented reality in the classroom. As technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives. Whether we see this as positive or negative, it is undeniable that students today are growing up surrounded by technology. Because of this, I believe educators have a responsibility to design learning experiences that connect with students’ everyday lives. VR has become...
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Asking Better Questions in the Math Classroom

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       Teacher questions often shape the direction of learning in a mathematics classroom. In many cases, questions are used to guide students toward a specific answer or to check whether they understand a procedure. While these types of questions have a place in instruction, they do not always encourage students to think deeply about the mathematics they are learning. When teachers ask questions that prompt explanation, reasoning, and reflection, the classroom shifts from simply finding answers to making sense of ideas.      Thoughtful questioning can open space for students to explore their thinking. Instead of asking questions that only require a short response, teachers might ask students how they know something is true, why a particular method works, or whether there might be another way to approach the problem. These questions invite students to slow down and examine the reasoning behind their work. In doing so, students begin to see mathematics...
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Using Manipulatives in a Secondary Math Classroom

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       In elementary school, I can recall using manipulatives for many different concepts that we learned. For example, we used “linking cubes” when learning to count and when first introduced to addition and subtraction problems. We also used “base-ten blocks” when discussing place value and small clocks when learning to tell time. These physical tools kept me more engaged and allowed me to better understand the topics we were discussing because I could visually see the concepts in front of me. However, I can rarely remember using manipulatives once I moved up into higher grade levels.       In middle school and high school math classes, it can be difficult to find ways to use manipulatives, especially if students have not been using them previously. Introducing virtual manipulatives could be the “bridge” that is needed to supply that visual picture for students. Rather than having to provide the physical tools for every student, going virtual co...
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When Gamification Goes Too Far in Education

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Gamification has a place in math education. I believe that making learning interactive and engaging can absolutely benefit students, especially in a subject that many already feel intimidated by. However, there is a clear line between using gamification as a tool and letting it take over the learning itself. After exploring platforms like Prodigy, I began to see how easily that line can blur. When I tried Prodigy myself, I expected to understand why it is so widely used in classrooms. At first, it feels engaging. The graphics are bright, the pace is quick, and there is always something happening. But after spending more time on it, I started to notice that the most motivating part of the experience was not the math. It was the rewards. Leveling up, earning coins, unlocking pets, and customizing characters quickly became the main focus. The math questions felt like short interruptions between rounds of gameplay rather than the purpose of the activity. That is where my frustration comes ...
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Balancing Technology and Traditional Skills in the Classroom

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There is no question that technology has transformed math classrooms for every grade level. Elementary through college, this change has been prevalent. But where is the line to draw? How much do we need to learn if technology can just do it for us? As a future math educator, these are questions I have been asking myself. How can I balance the use of technology to enhance learning and teach traditional skills? In math, technology isn’t necessarily good or bad. It all depends on situational awareness and how it is being used. On the positive side, technology can deepen understanding, especially with graphing and visual aids. This can help students see what they are solving and grow deeper conceptual understanding. For example, students can explore the relationship between a quadratic equation and its graph. They can observe transformations and their equations in real time instead of memorizing the quadratic equation. This can be good for them because it prioritizes understanding instea...
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What does it mean to be a Math Teacher: Getting into the Profession

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I have not always been the biggest fan of math. One of my first negative experiences was in my first-grade classroom. We had been instructed to complete 100 multiplication problems and if we could not do it in the 50-minute timeframe, we would forfeit recess and PE class that day. That made me and quite a few peers feel awful about math. It got better in second grade though! We had been using Rocket Math, and that competition really amped me up to get better at my quick math facts. However, heading into third grade we had to learn how to use a calculator. I was not a fan. I spent so much time mastering my math facts that the idea of using a calculator seemed ridiculous. I moved past this quickly though as we started working with some numbers that were much larger or more complex. Finally, in the fourth grade, I finally met my match, long division. I was sent home with an assignment of 1-50 odds, all of them being long division practice problems. The next day, I showed up and turned in ...
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Learning Through Trial and Error

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       A lot of people grow up thinking that math and art skills are things you are either born with or you are bad at forever. Phrases like “I’m not a math person” or “I can’t draw” are said so often that they rarely get questioned. This kind of fixed mindset turns struggle into failure instead of seeing it as a normal part of learning, and it affects how students engage in classrooms that increasingly rely on digital tools to teach complex ideas.      In math, confusion is often treated as a sign that someone is just not smart enough rather than proof that the material is challenging. Once students decide they are bad at math, they tend to avoid it, participate less, or rely on shortcuts. Tools like calculators, equation solvers, and AI can be helpful, but when they are used only to get quick answers, students miss the reasoning behind the math. This can reinforce the belief that real understanding is reserved for certain people rather than something...
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