I remember when the idea to create Math In Facts first crossed my mind—I honestly thought it was genius. Throughout my years of teaching, I had focused on Math & ELA. While I enjoyed teaching Math & Science, I missed opportunities to educate my kids about the real world. In ELA, I could seamlessly incorporate anything I deemed important. If there was a person or event I wanted them to know about, I could easily find an article, write something, and turn it into a Reading Comprehension. Unfortunately, this flexibility was lacking in Math.
I usually was dedicated to incorporate relevance year-round, but around January was always when the urge really cranked up! In January of 2017, this led to the inception of Math in Facts, with the first version featuring the Times Square Ball and the second centered around Martin Luther King, Jr. My students loved the activity. I was son intrigued with the conversations they were having while they engaged in high-quality mathematical review questions.
When I posted Math in Facts, I was confident it would be a "hit." I believed there were many other teachers who, like me, longed to incorporate specific topics into their Math classes. However, my TPT sales suggested otherwise.
Initially discouraged and doubting the product, the reality of the REAL reason surfaced shortly after.
During a field trip to the National Civil Rights Museum, my students proudly answered questions and talked about Martin Luther King, Jr. because they knew things about him. Several times, my kids would say, "Ms. Williams, we know this. This was on our Math in Facts." I can't describe the feeling I had, knowing that, as their Math teacher, I played a part in my kids learning facts about someone or something so important. This reassured me that it did not matter who else doesn't like or agree with any product I create, as long as my students do.
My commitment to creating products that align with my educational values is stronger than ever. I want to encourage other teachers and creators to follow their passions and create resources that they truly believe are important. Don't be swayed by external factors like sales numbers, likes, or random feedback from random educators on Social Media. Trust in the significance of your work. Each creation has the potential to make a positive impact, and staying true to your beliefs is key.
Let's inspire one another to bring valuable and authentic content into the education community.
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