Writing to Learn Math: Problem-solving cares less about whether an answer is right and more about whether a solution makes sense.
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
Writing to Learn Math: What did the author mean? Put the thought in your own words. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
Writing to Learn Math: Research prompts help students view math as a human endeavor.
Do you want your children to develop the ability to reason creatively and figure out things on their own?
Help kids practice slowing down and taking the time to fully comprehend a math topic or problem-solving situation with these classic tools of learning: Notice. Wonder. Create.
There’s a new math journaling prompt this week.
Have your kids tried it yet?
This week’s prompt features one of my explain-your-reasoning to get kids thinking (and writing) about math while avoiding the formality that turns so many students away from geometry proofs. Or you might prefer last week’s prompt, featuring a classic math brainteaser and encouraging students to create their own related puzzles.
Or, if you’re reading this post later and missed those, there’s another great new prompt this week for you to explore.
Check it out:
I’ve been getting questions about my Math Journaling Adventures books:
“I’m so excited to try math journaling! We bought your Logbook Alpha, and my 11-year-old math-averse son is trying to be a math rebel at every turn.
“But I feel uncomfortable with the idea of rebellion. Doesn’t he need to learn how to solve math problems the right way?”
One of my favorite things about math is that there really is no “right” way to solve math problems.
As I pointed out in my ongoing Mental Math series, even a problem as basic as 6+8 can be approached from many directions. So perhaps I should say, the “right” way is however the student wants to make sense of the problem.
In math, sense-making and reasoning are always the most important things.
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.
Thursday is Pythagorean Triple Day, one of the rarest math holidays.
The numbers of Thursday’s date: 7/24/25 or 24/7/25, fit the pattern of the Pythagorean Theorem: 7 squared + 24 squared = 25 squared.
Any three numbers that fit the a2 + b2 = c2 pattern form a Pythagorean Triple.
One of the best ways we can help our children learn mathematics (or anything else) is to be lifelong learners ourselves.
Here are a few stories to read as you sip your morning brew. . .
Download your printable Morning Coffee journal
This week’s rabbit hole started with a thought-provoking blog post by Sara Van Der Werf…
“We are all mathematicians. We all have the power to notice, describe, and generalize patterns. You have all had this ability since birth.
“If we believe this then every day we must plan lessons that allow students to act as mathematicians. We must put something in front of our students to notice. We must put something in front of our students to describe, to generalize.”
—Sara Van Der Werf
Read more about how to develop mathematical thinking in this fourth installment of professional development for homeschooling parents.
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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 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.
“Morning Coffee: What Is Mathematics?” copyright © 2025 by Denise Gaskins. Image at the top of post copyright © Kira auf der Heide / Unsplash.
One of the best ways we can help our children learn mathematics (or anything else) is to be lifelong learners ourselves.
Here are a few stories to read as you sip your morning brew:
Once again, my rabbit hole started with a thought-provoking blog post from Dan Finkel…
“Not everyone can become a great artist — but a great artist can come from anywhere.”
—Ego, from Ratatouille
“Ego’s parsing of the phrase anyone can cook is not obvious, and it’s not really the primary meaning of the phrase. The truth is, there are really three meanings all wrapped up there: anyone can learn to have the joy and pleasure of cooking in their life, even if they don’t become a master chef. Some people will get serious about it. And the visionaries who change the way we think about the art can come from anywhere — lock them out of the field and we all suffer.”
—Dan Finkel
Read more about how anyone can learn math in this third installment of professional development for homeschooling parents.
* * *
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 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.
“Morning Coffee: Anyone Can Learn Math” copyright © 2025 by Denise Gaskins. Image at the top of post copyright © Kira auf der Heide / Unsplash.
There’s still time to check out my Math Journaling Adventures project and discover how playful writing activities will help your students learn mathematics. Preorder your books today!
Meanwhile, here’s a math puzzle to share with your kids…
Write down any whole number. It can be a single-digit number, or as big as you like. For example:
64,861,287,124,425,928
Now, count up the number of even digits (including zeros), the number of odd digits, and the total number of digits your number contains. Write those counted numbers down in order, like this:
64,861,287,124,425,928
even 12, odd 5, total 17
Denise Gaskins' Let's Play Math 