Kirk's Tutoring

08/31/2026

Found this proof that a 1/2 exponent is the same as square root going through old photos just now

08/30/2026

Would you show this to third graders?

I don’t mean ask them to solve it. Just show it to them and ask them what they notice about it.

This is the kind of thing that Minds On Math with Jonily Zupancic does and I believe it aligns with how children actually learn math.

Far too much of the emphasis of traditional math curricula is on problem solving. If fact, it you ask any group of middle school students, “what is math,” the answers you get will all involve finding the correct answer.

That is wrong. Math is a vehicle to teach thinking and reasoning. I have started telling my new students that I am their Thinking Coach.

Asking questions should be just as important as solving problems. Asking good questions is a life skill that will help students succeed. Let’s help students develop that skill.

08/29/2026

Math is a visual medium.

Delve into the power of visuals in enhancing math instruction. Join...

08/24/2026

You cannot control every opinion or correct every misunderstanding. You can remain rooted in truth, live with integrity, and refuse to let another person’s story replace your God-given worth.

Our free weekly devotional offers space to hear a steadier voice. Find it at the link in bio.

08/14/2026

Showing the commutative property of multiplication.

First we counted eight 3s. Then we counted three 8s.

Does the order of numbers in a multiplication problem matter? Nope. The rectangle is the same regardless.

08/12/2026

I want to brag on my adult GED students.

This was their X-Problem-of-the-Day and they crushed it.

These are people with children and jobs who didn’t understand school math. During our time together one of them bought a house and moved. That led to some great math discussions about area, (how big is the lot in square yards, surface area, (how much will it cost to repaint) and interest rates calculations.

All of this to say, they don’t spend a lot of time studying math.

I guess I am also bragging on the practice of repeated exposures. They get an X Problem every week and we never spend a lot time on them. We factored trinomials in May and they still were able to do this easily. So, whatever we did, stuck with them.

08/11/2026

How do these slides make you feel?

Honestly, how you feel about math will affect how you “perform” in math classes.

What if math was taught through exposures and experiences instead of with textbooks?

Instead of asking students to solve, just ask them, “What do you see, & tell me about.” That is an exposure.

Would you show these to third grade students? I would. They don’t have to understand what they are looking at. I would just ask them to tell me what they see. Every student can do that. The playing field is level for all students.

08/10/2026

Play the game in silence. When a learner knows the rule they put up their hand and the teacher suggests a number and asks the learner to do the same with it and give the answer. If the learner gets the right output the teacher writes it on the board. The game continues until most of the learners have guessed the rule. Then learners who have guessed it explain what the teacher was doing for the benefit of those who did not guess it

08/09/2026

From the first (and very thorough!) review of my new book, Charlotte Mason’s Living Math.

https://www.learningwellathome.com/foundations/review-of-charlotte-mason-a-living-math/

08/09/2026

I just noticed a lack of quotation marks. These slides are from a recent newsletter.

If you aren’t familiar with author Denise Gaskins , you are missing out on some good stuff.

I love when a student goes down a rabbit hole and will happily join them. Yes, they are disappointed when we don’t get an answer, or the answer is unsatisfactory, but the journey is the thing.