iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

What are your FAVORITE math tasks? What are CLASSIC math tasks? What is one math task EVERYONE should do in their lifetime? (any level, short, long - what math should us math teachers be engaging in?)

static.klipy.com

Pengu Pudgy with Telescope

ALT: Pengu Pudgy with Telescope

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

“I’m doing a Lego Counting Collection the first week of school!” - HS Math Teacher. Why would HS math teachers want to to engage in a K-2 math routine? Learn more this Saturday, 2/28 at 2pm CST live or catch the recording at the @buildmathminds.bsky.social Virtual Summit. virtualmathsummit.com

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

What do these arrangements of legos tell you about a student's mathematical thinking? Join Nina Smith & me Sat 2/28 at 2pm cst at the @BuildMathMinds Virtual Summit. It's going to be fun! Register Here! virtualmathsummit.com #iteachmath #mtbos

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

I am elevating this one more time. Thanks to all of your support. Floors were ripped out yesterday in my house - it is slow and I am feeling displaced and overwhelmed with this and a ton of other things going in. "when it rains, it pours" or in my case floods. www.gofundme.com/f/support-fo...

gofundme.com

Donate to Support for Sara After Condo Flood, organized by Amy Carroll

Sara, my sister, is going through an incredibly tough time. Two weeks ago, during a sub… Amy Carroll needs your support for Support for Sara After Condo Flood

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

gofundme.com

Donate to Support for Sara After Condo Flood, organized by Amy Carroll

Sara, my sister, is going through an incredibly tough time. Two weeks ago, during a sub… Amy Carroll needs your support for Support for Sara After Condo Flood

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

I'd love it if you did me a favor and checked out my former student teachers YouTube channel she is building to teach Excel skills to others. If you have time, watch her quick videos, like them and subscribe. Give her feedback. She is the best. www.youtube.com/@HowToManju

youtube.com

Manju

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

I am speaking with my friend MN friend Nina Smith at the @buildmathminds.bsky.social virtual summit on Sat, Feb 28th. I would love for yout to hang out with us! info here: virtualmathsummit.com?inf_contact_... #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Been tallying up my thoughts. They are in the usual space.

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

I did something tonight that I have not done in over five years. I once talked about this thing I did all the time in this space. I miss the glory days of #mtbos. If you know me, you can find more about what I am thinking. #minneapolis

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Norojo @norojo.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Name Tents for the win!! @saravanderwerf.bsky.social They are my favorite teacher thing. www.saravanderwerf.com/week-1-day-1...

A student drawn robot saying "I finally understand math mwahaha" on a name tent

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

I have not blogged in a long time, but this gem from my blog is perfect for educators this time of year. An easy and fun activity for all - low prep, low stress - students love it. If you need an easy win check out the 5x5 game. www.saravanderwerf.com/5x5-most-ama... #iteachmath #mtbos

saravanderwerf.com

5×5 Most Amazing Just for Fun Game - Sara VanDerWerf

UPDATE DECEMBER 2021 - Simplified Version: I've spent quite a bit of time in K-5 world the last several years. This year I introduced this game to my Elem math Ed students. They loved it. Since they a...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

My coworker Mike is a new mathematician today.

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Seen @nctm.org this morning. I’m not there but my coworker Mike is. Say Hi to him. #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Hey Math Friends in Atlanta. I am not there, but so jealous. Can you post pics of the sessions you attend and people and slides and...let me have an at home experience. Also, look for my MN friends there. Hang out with them. (also look for my coworker Mike Huberty in costume)

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

I turned 57 today! All previous posts connect to this number. Happy Thursday all. (just humoring myself)

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

I know some of you have been wondering about my posts in the last 12+ hours. I am just humoring myself. But I know some of you are worried - here is my proof - within a couple of hours I received these texts from my sister, brother and mom. More soon to connect all the previous posts today.

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

My age today is NOT a prime number, BUT a lot of people think my age is a prime number? How old am I? #mtbos #teachmath #mathstoday

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Yes I made a homemade ‘Happy Perfect Square Day!’ pin to wear today. Do something that involves a right triangle today & let me know what it is. #iteachmath #mathstoday

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Blake Esselstyn @mapblake.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

I know three people whose birthday is today. I told them that they should celebrate at 1:04. =)

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Blake Esselstyn @mapblake.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

I just learned from a math teacher that it is a day: Perfect Square Day! And this is a special one for this century, because 2025 is 45² bsky.app/profile/sara...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

1 day! Does it have to be squares off of each side of the triangle? Also, my nephews at ages 3, 4 and 5. Enjoy. #iteachmath #mathstoday #mtbos docs.google.com/document/d/1...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

What math task? What math context? should make it into the K-12 Math Hall of Fame? Let's hear your choices! #mtbos #iteachmath #mathstoday

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

9 days until Perfect Square Day! I know 9/9/25 is a perfect square, but 9/16/25 hits a bit different as it connects with a 3/4/5 right traingle. On another note, I made my nephews pose for this pic when the turned ages 3, 4 & 5. Download a countdown HERE: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

If you really want a deep dive into the 8 SMPs and hudreds of resources - check out our playlist of 10 half-hour webinars with tons of rescourses linked in the description of each video. www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

youtube.com

MN 8 Mathematical Practices Webinar Series - YouTube

10-part MN Math Leaders Webinar Series on the Eight Mathematical Practices (MPs). Every benchmark in the future 2022 MN Math Standards includes a link to one...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

The 8 SMP's are new in MN so we are creating lots of resources. If you want a refresh, check out our stuff. Today we released a free resource anyone can use (K-2 3-5 6-8 HS & educators) to notice the assets of others engaging in the SMPs. Learn more here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NS_...

youtube.com

FREE RESOURCE for the 8 Mathematical Practices from the MN Math Leaders

YouTube video by MN Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM)

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

youtube.com

FREE RESOURCE for the 8 Mathematical Practices from the MN Math Leaders

YouTube video by MN Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM)

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

It is a dream come true. I am now a math instructor at the University of Minnesota! Ski-U-Mah! I didn't get a job here or anything. I'm just a math instructor physically on their campus. #HappyBdayHowie #HowieHuaAppreciationDay @howie_hua

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Casey Rutherford @rutherfordcasey.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Re-reading “Never say anything a kid can say,” gold from the early 2000s. A fave quote: lecture is “the transfer of info from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of the student without passing through the minds of either.” hybridalgebra.pbworks.com/f/Never+Say+...

hybridalgebra.pbworks.com

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Many years ago a teacher friend shared the research of visual noise in a classroom and I changed the look of my room. I could of done better, but here is a tour of my math classroom. www.saravanderwerf.com/peek-inside-...

saravanderwerf.com

A peek inside my classroom space - Sara VanDerWerf

My first day with students is this Monday. I am sitting here on a Saturday night exhausted after prepping all week and also working twice at Minnesota's State Fair at our Math On-a-Stick booth. You al...

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Happy Pythagorean Triple Day! -with a throw back pic of my nephews when their ages were 3, 4 & 5.

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

MCTM's YouTube Channel Hit 500 subscribers today! Have you subscribed yet? I've put up over 20+ videos in the last year. We expect to put up 50+ videos in the 2025-26 school year. Subscribe today! www.youtube.com/@executivedi... #mathstoday #iteachmath #mtbos

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

Sometimes you do things to make only yourself smile and you don’t care if anyone notices. Today my jewelry has the following polygons: triangle, quadrilateral, pentagon, hexagon and octagon. I need to find jewelry with heptagons, nonagons, decagons…

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

How might you use Choral Counting in Trig or Pre-Calc? #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

I recorded 16 unique webinars this year. I'm preparing for summer PD and going through my slides to steal some for this summer and I keep thinking "Wow, I did some really good stuff" & "I didn't know I was that good" lol Really, I did not know I could do so much good in one year. #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

With the death of the US Penny - I would love to see your best math problems we could write around this? Like do we need to increase our attention in math classrooms to 'rounding' or... #mtbos #Iteachmath www.wsj.com/finance/penn...

wsj.com

Exclusive | Treasury Sounds Death Knell for Penny Production

The one-cent coins are expected to stop entering circulation early next year. Businesses will need to round prices up or down.

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MInnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics (MCTM) @mctm-mn.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

How do teachers integrate computational thinking into science, math, and ELA? Come hear 3 specific ideas from three different content areas from the MDE Academic Standards Team. Learn more and register here www.mctm.org/event-6194972

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

It’s great to know that kids are still turning calculators upside down to make words on calculators. The number 8008 can not be too far behind…you will know it when they start to 376616. #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Did you know MN's own Ben Orlin made 'Math With Bad Drawing' styled images for the 8 Mathematical Practices (thanks to @mctm_mn )? He also added texts to each. You can find MN versions of his work and how to use them to unpack standards HERE: drive.google.com/drive/u/1/fo... #iteachmath #mathstoday

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

What would go on a 'Retro Edition' Teacher version of this? (btw - my number on the one below is so low, I thought I would need to start using negative numbers) #mathsteacher #iteachmath

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Sara Van Der Werf @saravanderwerf.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

MN has never been a CCSS, which means we have not widely looked at or used the 8 SMPs. Our next math standards will include these, so I have been doing a webinar series for MN educators and leaders on the MPs. If you have time, I'd love your feedback www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

youtube.com

MN 8 Mathematical Practices Webinar Series - YouTube

10-part MN Math Leaders Webinar Series on the Eight Mathematical Practices (MPs). Every benchmark in the future 2022 MN Math Standards includes a link to one...

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