FAQ: Playful Math Journaling

Posted on by Denise Gaskins
Girl student thinking about her math journal prompt

Ever since the school year started, I’ve been getting questions about how to use my new Math Journaling Adventures logbooks.

[SIDE NOTE: These logbooks are included in this month’s Thanksgiving Sale! You’ll get an automatic 10% discount off all print books, applied at checkout, no special code required.]

“I love the way your math books get my children thinking.

    “Finally, they are having fun with math!

      “But sometimes I have no idea what the journaling prompt is all about or how to teach it. Where can I buy a solutions manual?”

      Um, that’s not how math journals work.

      The cool thing about journaling prompts is that they have no “right” answer. They are explorations into different parts of the world of math, nature walks in the land of numbers, shapes, and patterns. Springboards into whatever our children want to investigate, whatever sparks their interest.

      A few of the problem-solving prompts may have specific answers, but it really doesn’t matter if our kids find the exact solution a math professional might give. If they write what makes sense to them, they’ve accomplished the goal.

      If later, they think of something they hadn’t noticed, or they want to change their answer — well, that is mathematical thinking, too.

      Continue reading FAQ: Playful Math Journaling

      Notice–Wonder–Discover: The Foundation of Learning Well

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      Notebook on desk, with the words "Notice. Wonder. Discover."

      Most of us were never taught how to teach. And we certainly weren’t taught what to do when NOTHING is working.

      My friend Sonya Post is offering a new course that will help you rethink how learning actually works, how you can stop second-guessing yourself and start seeing real growth.

      I’ve taken the earlier iterations of her course, and I’d recommend it to all parents.

      Truly wonderful insights!

      Find More Information

      What the Course Covers

      The course consists of six weekly online workshops, plus an optional bonus session:

      • Session 1: Orientation – Why Learning Feels Hard
        The default scripts we carry from school, and how to overcome them.
      • Session 2: Notice – The First Act of Learning
        Before anything can be learned, it must be seen.
      • Session 3: Structure – Why Look for Structure?
        Structure is the beginning of understanding — and the root of algebraic thinking.
      • Session 4: Arbitrary vs. Necessary
        Not all information deserves equal weight. Here’s how to make space for thinking.
      • Session 5: Wonder – Curiosity That Moves Forward
        Wonder is not optional — it’s the engine of discovery, the heart of orientation, and the builder of wisdom.
      • Session 6: Discover – What Was Always There
        Discovery is our response to insight, how we orient inward and express outward after recognizing something true.
      • Optional Bonus Session
        Mothering as Orientation — A Christian Reflection.

      The course begins October 14: Notice–Wonder–Discover Course.

      More About Sonya

      You may have heard me mention Sonya before. She created The Best Math Game Ever, and she teaches the math course I wish my kids and I could have taken:

      And in fact, anyone who is taking one of her homeschool math courses (or signs up in the next few weeks) will get the Notice-Wonder-Discover Course included for free.

      Sonya says:

      “I don’t just build these resources — I use them. I’ve walked the road of frustration, math tears, and feeling lost about how to teach well. This course exists because I don’t want you to walk that road alone. This is the framework I wish I’d had years ago, and I can’t wait to share it with you.”

      I really can’t praise Sonya’s work enough. If you’re struggling at all with your teaching or family life, she’ll turn you around and give you new perspective on how to move forward with grace.

      Sign up now, before it’s too late:

      Get the Notice–Wonder–Discover Course

       
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      Featured image above copyright © Sonya Post.

      FAQ: How To Start a Homeschool Math Club

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      Denise Gaskins reading math with preschoolers

      The question hits my inbox whenever parents start planning for a new school year:

      “Hello! I am on the board of a homeschool co-op. We have had requests for a math club and wondered if you have any tips for starting one. We service children from K-10th and would need to try to meet the needs of as many ages as possible.”

      There are several ways you might organize a homeschool math club, depending on the students you have and on your goals. I think you would have to split the students by age groups — it is very hard to keep that wide of a range of students interested. Then decide whether you want an activity-oriented club or a more academic focus.

      When I started my first math club, I raided the math shelves in the children’s section at my library (510-519) for anything that interested me. I figured that if an activity didn’t interest me, I couldn’t make it fun for the kids. Over the years we have done a variety of games, puzzles, craft projects, and more — always looking for something that was NOT like whatever the kids would be doing in their textbooks at home.

      Let’s look at the possibilities by grade level…

      Continue reading FAQ: How To Start a Homeschool Math Club

      New Membership Tiers: One-on-One Mentorship

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      Two women chatting over tea

      Over the years, in my public writing and in personal correspondence, I’ve tried to help younger parents by sharing the things I wish someone would have told me forty years ago. Oftentimes, I will answer a question but never hear back what the person ended up doing or how their family got along.

      It leaves me feeling as though I could have done more to encourage them along the way.

      In the past few years, I’ve watched a professional writer I admire organize several more formal mentorships for younger indie authors to grow their writing and publishing careers. I think a similar program could be helpful for homeschooling families.

      So now I’m offering two new Patreon membership tiers that give you a direct one-on-one connection with me through email or email-plus-video.

      My goal is to help you think about math as a creative, playful investigation where you and your children explore concepts together using the math program or curriculum of your choice. This is not a tutoring arrangement. I will help you understand and teach math, but I will not do the teaching for you.

      Here’s How It Works

      (1) You email me every Sunday—or pick the day that works best for you, at least once every two weeks—to keep me up to date with what you are doing: good times, rough spots, progress or no progress, plans for the coming week. You can also ask any questions about math or education (or indie book publishing).

      (2) I’ll write back with encouragement and tips, and I’ll answer questions to the best of my ability. Caveat: I’ve forgotten everything except the broad brushstrokes of calculus and beyond.

      (3) If you signed up for a video mentorship, include in your first email a list of several dates and times when you would be available for our monthly one-on-one chat. I’ll compare that with my schedule to find a time we can meet.

      Interested?

      These new tiers are limited to a few members each—first paid, first in. Check out all the details on my Patreon home page.

      Join me on Patreon

       
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      Thank you for reading!

      “New Membership Tiers: One-on-One Mentorship” copyright © 2025 by Denise Gaskins. Image at the top of the post copyright © deagreez1 / Depositphotos.

      Charlotte Mason Math: Living Books

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      “The Reading Lesson” painting by Jonathan Pratt, public domain

      [An addendum to my earlier Charlotte Mason Math series.]

      “Our business is to give [children] mind-stuff, and both quality and quantity are essential. Naturally, each of us possesses this mind-stuff only in limited measure, but we know where to procure it; for the best thought the world possesses is stored in books; we must open books to children, the best books; our own concern is abundant provision and orderly serving.”

      — Charlotte Mason, Toward A Philosophy of Education

      Most homeschool teachers, whatever our curriculum or schooling approach, understand the importance of teaching with living books. We read aloud biographies, historical fiction, or the classics of literature. We scour library shelves for the most creative presentations of scientific topics that interest our children, and encourage our high school students to go back to the original documents whenever possible.

      And we teach math with a textbook.

      Not that textbooks are inherently bad, because math is an abstract science. We need to meet the ideas  — the “mind-stuff” — of math on their own terms, and textbooks can help with that.

      But it’s not enough.

      Continue reading Charlotte Mason Math: Living Books

      Musings: Math Is a Social Game

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      photo of three young girls talking about numbers

      Childhood Memories

      When I was in school, math was something each person did on their own for homework, quizzes or tests.

      Even when the teacher sent us to work on the chalkboard, each person did their own problem. We would never think to collaborate on math.

      To look at someone else’s answer was considered cheating.

      Continue reading Musings: Math Is a Social Game

      Podcast: Using Math Journals and Games

      Posted on by Denise Gaskins
      mother and daughter math journaling

      I have a new podcast interview, and I think you’ll enjoy it!

      Check out Cindy Rollins’s The New Mason Jar on your favorite podcast app, or listen on the website:

      Go to the podcast ❱

      Here’s an excerpt…

      Writing to Learn

      Just as a nature journal records our children’s explorations and discoveries in nature, so a math journal tracks our children’s explorations in the world of mathematics.

        In a math journal, children record their experiences with numbers, shapes, and patterns through drawing or writing. Journaling teaches them to see with mathematical eyes — not just to remember what we adults tell them, but to create their own math.

          The process of writing forces children to pin down their thoughts, to transform nebulous concepts into firm ideas, to struggle with vagueness and build understanding.

            As William Zinsser says in his book Writing to Learn: “Writing is how we think our way into a subject and make it our own. Writing enables us to find out what we know, and what we don’t know.”

              Through journaling, children develop a richer mathematical mindset. They begin to see connections and grow confident in their ability to think through new problems.

              We had a great discussion! Listen to the whole thing:

              Go to the podcast ❱

               
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              Are you looking for more creative ways to play math with your kids? Check out all my books, printable activities, and cool mathy merch at Denise Gaskins’ Playful Math Store. Or join my free email newsletter.

              This blog is reader-supported. If you’d like to help fund the blog on an on-going basis, then please join me on Patreon for mathy inspiration, tips, and an ever-growing archive of printable activities.

              “Podcast: Using Math Journals and Games” copyright © 2025 by Denise Gaskins. Image at the top of the post copyright © AntonLozovoy / Depositphotos.

              Math Journal: Playing with My Own Ignorance

              Posted on by Denise Gaskins
              photo of a girl wondering about math

              Mary Everest Boole, wife of English mathematician George Boole, once described algebra as “thinking logically about the fact of our own ignorance.”

              This definition made me chuckle. Like any human being, I am ignorant on many things, but I usually avoid thinking about that.

              So I wondered what would happen if I took Mrs. Boole’s advice and tried thinking logically about my ignorance.

              How far could I go?

              Perhaps you’d like to try this experiment with your children. All you need is a pen and paper or a whiteboard and markers and a bit of curiosity.

              Math Journaling Adventures series by Denise GaskinsAnd if you enjoy this exploration, check out my Math Journaling Adventures project to discover how playful writing activities can help your students learn mathematics. Preorder your books today!

              Continue reading Math Journal: Playing with My Own Ignorance

              FAQ: Can I Use Your Books as a Math Curriculum?

              Posted on by Denise Gaskins
              Father helping girl with math homework

              I recently listened to you on Cindy Rollins’ podcast, and I was captivated by your perspective on math. It was exciting, freeing, and wonder-filled. I would absolutely love to be able to teach in the ways you described.

                We use early-elementary Saxon Math right now, which is thorough, but has SO MUCH to do that I’ve always struggled to do it all. Then I feel like I’m missing things, and I never know quite what is important. And yet, the actual lessons move so slowly that my kids get bored with the repetition.

                  I use a published curriculum because I have no idea of an appropriate scope and sequence, or similar flow of learning. With your playful approach to math, how do I know where to start, and what to do each day?

                    Do you have a suggested order to approach your books to have a full math approach? A sort of curriculum, per se, using your books.

                    [For those who missed my chat with Cindy Rollins about a Charlotte Mason approach to math, you can listen to it here.]

                    Continue reading FAQ: Can I Use Your Books as a Math Curriculum?