My guest today is Duane Habecker, a veteran math teacher and designer of engaging digital math challenges. 

Duane is passionate about helping students understand math…not just on a superficial level, but understanding the logic and beauty of the language of numbers.

Supporting 21 districts with 6,000 students

Duane works in regional service center that serves more than 20 districts with 6,000 students, the vast majority of which use Chromebooks for remote and in-person instruction.

Like most districts, COVID has forced teachers to teach in new, creative ways. Duane has been on the front lines, helping teachers adapt and develop math lessons for a virtual format.

Duane and I spent a few minutes reflecting on the impact COVID has had on the classroom and speculating on the long-term impact (positive and negative) that this long period of remote instruction will have.

Duane and I have different perspectives on this question which made for a good conversation.

Designing student centered math activities

During his college years, a college professor helped Duane realized that while he was good at math, he didn’t understand math.

This was a critical personal discovery that completely changed how Duane approached teaching math to middle school students.

💡 More math ideas: Teaching math through student led screencasts

This realization helped shape some really neat math activities that Duane designed in Google Slides.

If you are a math teacher, Duane is definitely someone to connect with on Twitter!

I created these Google Slides versions of common math games. Students can play with a partner remotely via Zoom or Meet.

We MUST prioritize opportunities for students to talk with one another.https://t.co/sIM5SwpANz pic.twitter.com/pZzW9Pg4YT

— duane habecker (@dhabecker) December 7, 2020