Reinvent math instruction for grades 4-6 by bringing hands-on learning, inexpensive manipulatives, and real-world connections into your classroom. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned pro, this course will help you get your students excited about math!

Over the next six weeks, you'll learn the best ways to walk students through the complexities of elementary school math. From teaching them the best way to learn complicated vocabulary to turning them into problem-solving detectives, you'll discover lots of fun and practical ways to extend your students’ learning into their homes, the community, and the world. Whether you end up using clever geometry manipulatives or handmade fraction bars, math journals or Family Math nights, you'll soak up dozens of strategies that require little or no money if you supply a lot of imagination.

If you’ve been waiting to jumpstart your math instruction, now’s the time to double your teaching power without adding a lot of work.

A new section of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.

All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.

The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work, including the final exam.

Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins (two free and simple downloads you obtain at http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and Get Adobe Reader).

This course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor for this course will be Michele Thrailkill.

Michele Thrailkill fell in love with math as a child and has spent the last 10 years of her teaching career making numbers fun for a diverse range of students. Eager to share her easy, inexpensive, and creative teaching strategies with others, Michele worked for a state Department of Education, where she created statewide lesson plans and evaluated Web-based material for classroom inclusion. In her spare time, she published two teachers' manuals focusing on introductory mathematics for preschool and elementary students.

“ I am a retiree starting a new career. The course was excellent for me. The instructor was helpful in the discussion center and taught the lesson in a conversational way which made it easy to follow. ”

“ I am just enjoying these math lessons so much. I am currently getting re-certified so I'm not in the classroom, but I have a third grader and a fifth grader, and the techniques have really helped me to help them expand their knowledge without them even knowing it! Thanks so much! ”

“ I found this class to be very helpful. The lessons were loaded with lots of useful strategies to use in the classroom. I also liked the supplementary material. I have already used those in my room. Thank you! ”

“ I loved this course. I have accumulated so many great ideas from the instructor and other students. It has been so valuable. Thank you ”

“ I thought the instructor did a great job of presenting the material and gave very helpful links for the teachers to use in the classroom. ”

“ Thanks! This class was full of wonderful information. I look forward to trying these in my classroom. ”

“ Thank you for a terrific class; it was so much fun and I gained may new ideas to use in my classroom. Your passion for math made me smile through all the lessons. You have a wonderful teaching style and it was a pleasure to have you as my instructor. ”

“ Thank You!!! I have learned so much from this course. There are so many things that I have already used. I can’t wait to use more of the ideas that you have presented. I enjoy taking classes that allow me to take things back into the classroom and use right away. I learned about so many wonderful ideas. Thanks again for all that you provided. ”

“ This has been the best online course I have taken. You have fabulous ideas and didn't water down the curriculum. You treated us like professionals and I highly recommend this class! Keep up the good work! ”

“ Even though I have been teaching math for 20 years, your course brought back ideas that I somehow have "shelved" during my tenure! I have taken MANY notes as to what I would like to bring back into my classroom! ”