Thomas O'Brien
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Weekly reflections on mathematics instruction, instructional leadership, and the future of education.

classroom managementeducationinstructional leadershipmathmath literacymindfulnesspersonal essayteaching
Stop Giving First Period the Rough Draft Lesson
matheducationinstructional leadershipteachingclassroom management
January 14, 2026

Stop Giving First Period the Rough Draft Lesson

A 15-minute pre-lesson rehearsal with teachers can transform instruction quality and give students hundreds of additional minutes of practice time throughout the year.

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Accumulating Meaningful Math Moments
matheducationteachingmindfulnesspersonal essay
January 7, 2026

Accumulating Meaningful Math Moments

I'm excited to use this space as a way to talk about math, instruction, mindsets, joy, and everything around it that I think has been lost for many people right now.

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The Third-Grade Argument That Shaped My Life
matheducationmath literacyteachingpersonal essay
December 30, 2025

The Third-Grade Argument That Shaped My Life

When I was in third grade, I got into an argument with a student. Her name was Ashley. We were in a deep debate: What mattered most—knowing how to read or knowing how to do math?

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