by Angela McIver, PhD

I set out to develop a math program for elementary students that challenged them beyond expectations, with lessons and activities that make students want to learn more.

I completed my PhD at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. My dissertation Understanding the Numerical Reasoning of Middle School Students focused on understanding why so many students struggle with math after leaving elementary school. What I learned from interviewing 40 middle school students (20 at the end of their sixth grade year and 20 at the end of their 8th grade year) fundamentally changed the way I think about teaching and learning.

After graduate school, I continued interviewing hundreds of students across the country (from elementary school to college) about their understanding of basic math concepts. These interviews led me to the conclusion that few students are provided the appropriate curriculum or rigor necessary to develop strong math foundations in elementary school; and when they are, their experiences are neither engaging nor confidence-building. I set out to develop a math program for elementary students that challenged them beyond expectations, with lessons and activities that make students want to learn more.

Dinner Table Math grew out of my business Trapezium Math Club. I started Trapezium Math Club because I knew that elementary students were capable of doing far more challenging math than elementary math programs were asking of them. Our math games and activities are the result of years of testing with Trapezium Math Club students and students in schools where Trapezium has a partnership. They represent many hours of debriefing with teachers about successful and unsuccessful lessons; the redesign of lessons and materials to address unforeseen challenges experienced by students; and the need to maintain rigor while moving away from the worksheet driven classroom.

With Dinner Table Math my goal is to empower parents to build strong and confident math learners at home with activities that we know work with children.

#dinnetablemath #math #learning #strugglingstudents #elementarymath

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What elementary instruction misses about fractions

By Angela McIver • 04 Oct, 2023

As I was meeting with my team this morning to refine our unit on fractions, we discussed how even the brightest students become confused about fractions over time.

Mathnasium vs Kumon vs Trapezium Math: Which Program is Better?

By Katy Hellman • 23 Mar, 2023

Looking for the best kindergarten math enrichment program? Here’s a guide to help you determine which one is best for your child’s learning needs.

Why We Skip Count: And Why We Time It!

By Angela McIver • 22 Apr, 2022

As a former middle school math teacher, one of my biggest challenges was teaching pre-algebra to students who had not developed automatic recall of basic facts. The students who struggled most in my classes were those who could not quickly do math in their heads. Most elementary schools do a poor job of developing this skill.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Parent Teacher Conferences Make this Year Great for your Child and Their Teacher

By Angela McIver • 19 Nov, 2021

For many teachers, the upcoming parent teacher conferences will be the first face-to-face meetings with parents in almost two years. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts as you prepare for your parent teacher conference.

Reimagining Schooling in a Post-Pandemic World

By Angela McIver • 07 Apr, 2021

It’s been more than a year since U.S. schools closed and children were relegated to remote learning from their bedrooms and kitchen tables. And, while much attention has been given to what students have lost, little attention is given to what has been gained. If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s that education models can no longer be based on a one-size-fits all approach. As educators move to re-open schools, School Boards across the country must use what they’ve learned to encourage Districts to reimagine schooling for every student.

How the Pandemic Saved Trapezium Math Club

By Angela McIver • 20 Jul, 2020

The new year started off with such optimism. . . At math club we had commissioned a new Mathemagic play to be debuted in March. We were excited about the Spring Monstermathathon and had solidified our plans for summer camp. But, two seismic events turned everything upside down and forced us to change direction, resulting in the decision to close Trapezium Math Club ... and then to re-open it!

What Math Instruction Can Gain From Reading Research

By Angela McIver • 17 Feb, 2019

I often ask these students to describe what’s going on in their head when they are struggling with a math problem. I interview students who struggle in math. The students I interview range in age from elementary and middle school to adult learners in job training programs. I give students simple elementary math problems and ask them to explain how they would solve them. While these interviews have fundamentally changed the way I think about how we should teach math to struggling students, my biggest “aha” moment didn’t come from the interviews, but from a day of volunteering in my youngest daughter’s kindergarten class many years ago.

Mulan and the problem with elementary math

By Angela McIver • 04 Feb, 2019

When I run professional development sessions for teachers, I often ask them “What do you own?” What I really want to know is, “What skill or math content do you own as a teacher and can say - with confidence - that your children will have mastered by the time they leave your class?”