About Congruent Thoughts with Aleks and George
Teachers change the world, and the world is changing the way we teach.
This blog’s for you!
Finding information is just a click of your mouse away, and most calculations can be performed more accurately and more quickly with the calculator on your mobile phone or using one of the many free apps available for your mobile device, laptop, or other digital tool.
As we search the web for lesson ideas, materials, and other like-minded educators, we have to ask ourselves “Is this something that will enhance learning? How can I use this in my classroom in the most effective way?
Our blog stems from a desire to help mathematics educators answer these and other relevant questions. It is concise, easy to navigate, and will usually consist of 3 suggestions, which come from experience and reliable sources.. we welcome your comments on how we can improve and are always looking guest bloggers.
Who are Aleks and George and why shoud I trust them?
We’re Aleks and George; two faculty members in Math Education in the National College of Education at National Louis University (NLU). NLU has been a premier institution which focuses much of its energy on K-12 education.
- We’ve spent the majority of our careers in education; as classroom teachers in public and private schools, consultants, supervisors, and undergraduate and graduate math education instructors.
- We teach and supervise dozens of preservice and inservice math educators each term.
- We are committed to using math ‘tasks’ as an instructional strategy to engage students in mathematics.
- We believe students should be computationally and procedurally fluent but as a result of understanding.
- We are committed to not reinventing the wheel; that is, there are many sources of high quality instructional resources that are freely available, linked to the CCSS, and can be easily included as part of any curriculum.
- We are life-long learners who continuously read, watch, and listen to improve our practice.
Our job is make you a ‘more effective’ teacher
- We know classroom teachers are under siege; too much testing, too many reports, too many non-teaching responsibilities, too many choices.
- Our blog includes math tasks which promote students’ mathematical thinking and understanding.
- Our blog includes web sites which contain hundreds of math tasks at various grade levels which have been developed and vetted by professional.
- Our blog includes mathematics classroom instructional materials, strategies, learning environments, and other teaching and learning ideas which will contribute positively to your objectives and goals.
Sounds like something you may be interested in? Subscribe below. Then relax while we do all the searching for you (or go grade some papers. Who are we kidding?)
(Note: the photo at the top of this page was taken in an elevator by George. It’s the panel of buttons usually found in elevators but is different than most elevator panels. This one is very math teacher ‘friendly’; the main floor is zero and, therefore, 1 is one ‘unit’ up from the ground, while -1 is one ‘unit’ below ground level. Please feel free to use this photo in your teaching.)
Congruent Thoughts with Aleks & George 
