by Tracy Porter | Feb 1, 2026 | Math, Teaching and Learning
Why Handwriting Is a Precursor to Success in Mathematics
In an age of tablets, typing, and AI-powered everything, handwriting is often dismissed as outdated. In mathematics, that assumption is not just wrong. It is actively harmful.
Handwriting is not a nostalgic skill. It is a cognitive foundation for mathematical thinking. So let’s discuss the importance of handwriting in mathematics.
Handwriting Builds the Math Brain
Mathematics is not just about answers. It is about structure, sequence, symbols, and relationships. Handwriting activates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously: motor control, visual processing, memory, and reasoning. When students write math by hand, they are not merely recording information. They are constructing understanding.
Typing reduces math to keystrokes. Handwriting forces the brain to slow down, process, and organize ideas in a way that mirrors mathematical reasoning itself.
Writing Strengthens Symbol Recognition
Math is a language. Like any language, fluency depends on recognizing and producing symbols accurately.
When students handwrite numbers, variables, fractions, exponents, and operators, they develop stronger symbol discrimination. This matters more than people realize. Many math errors are not conceptual. They are visual or symbolic.
Examples:
Handwriting trains precision. Precision is mathematics.
Handwriting Improves Working Memory
Mathematics places heavy demands on working memory. Students must hold multiple steps in mind while executing a procedure.
Writing by hand reduces cognitive load. The physical act of writing externalizes thinking, freeing mental space for reasoning. This is especially important in algebra, geometry, and calculus, where steps build on one another.
Students who rely heavily on typing or mental math without written work are more likely to:
Handwriting acts as scaffolding for thought.
Showing Work Is Not Optional
There is a reason teachers insist on “show your work.” It is not about grading aesthetics. It is about thinking visibility.
Handwriting allows students to:
Students who write their steps consistently become better problem solvers because they can analyze their own reasoning.
Typing encourages deletion. Handwriting encourages reflection.
Fine Motor Skills Support Abstract Thinking
This connection surprises people, but research consistently shows a link between fine motor development and higher-order thinking. Writing strengthens hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness, both of which are critical in mathematics.
Geometry, graphing, transformations, and even algebraic structure rely on spatial reasoning. Handwriting builds the neural pathways that support this kind of thinking long before students realize they are using it.
Technology Is a Tool, Not a Replacement
This is not an argument against technology. Graphing calculators, Desmos, and digital notebooks all have value. But technology should support understanding, not replace foundational skills.
Students who learn math through handwriting first:
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Use technology more effectively
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Make better sense of digital representations
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Rely less on guessing and shortcuts
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Transfer knowledge more reliably across topics
Handwriting comes first. Tools come second.
What This Means for Parents and Educators
If a student struggles in math, the solution is not always more practice problems or faster apps. Sometimes the missing piece is slower, more deliberate writing.
Practical steps:
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Encourage handwritten notes and homework
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Require clear, complete written work
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Avoid overreliance on typing for math tasks
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Value process over speed
Strong mathematicians are not fast typists. They are clear thinkers.
Final Thought
Handwriting is not about tradition. It is about cognition.
Before students can succeed in advanced mathematics, they must learn to think mathematically. Handwriting is one of the earliest and most powerful ways that thinking develops.
If we remove it too soon, we should not be surprised when understanding collapses later.
by Tracy Porter | Sep 29, 2025 | Math, Teaching and Learning
The Real Impact of DeltaMath, Khan Academy, IXL, and Friends
If you have a student or have been a student the past 15 years, you have probably heard of various math platforms and even experienced them firsthand. With early pilots from 2008–2013, classroom integration during 2014–2019, and normalization since 2020, students are “doing math on computers” regularly. So, what effect does this have on learning mathematics?
These platforms boost success when they’re used for targeted practice, spaced review, and instant feedback-driven corrections. However, they hurt when they replace thinking with guessing, inflate confidence with endless retries, or misalign with what is taught in class.
What These Tools Can Provide
- Immediate feedback: Students learn faster when mistakes surface instantly.
- Infinite practice: Large problem banks let you drill exactly what’s weak.
- Data trails: Time-on-task, accuracy, and error categories are visible.
- Automation: Less grading overhead, more time for teaching and tutoring.
Risk: The same features enable guessing, overreliance on hints, and shallow pattern-matching.
Positive Impacts (When Used Well)
- Faster error detection: Instant “red/green” lets students correct in the moment.
- Spaced practice: Scheduled sets across weeks lock skills into long-term memory.
- Mastery targeting: You can aim drills at one skill until accuracy stabilizes.
- Low-friction reps: Short sessions are easier to sustain daily.
- Motivation by progress: Streaks, badges, and visible improvement keep students practicing.
Negative Impacts (If You Let Them)
- Guessing with unlimited tries: Accuracy climbs while understanding doesn’t.
- Hint addiction: Students click through solutions instead of attempting.
- False confidence: Scores look fine online, then collapse on paper tests.
- Misalignment: Platform problem styles don’t match classroom assessments.
- Equity & access: Patchy internet, old devices, and reloading can block progress.
- Keyboard math vs pencil math: Without written work, algebra errors never get fixed.
Let’s focus on some of these negative impacts: “Keyboard Math vs. Pencil Math” and “Guessing with Unlimited Tries”.
The Downside of “Infinite Tries” vs Handwritten Work
Unlimited tries teach students to chase green check marks instead of building a method. With endless do-overs, many slip into guess-and-click. They don’t plan, don’t write steps, and don’t diagnose where the error occurred. Platform scores then blur persistence with proficiency, because the final “correct” hides weak first-attempt accuracy. Without handwriting, the micro-skills that raise test grades—clean distribution with negatives, aligning like terms, carrying units, annotating word problems—never get practiced. On paper tests, there are no hints, no retries, and real time pressure; students trained on infinite attempts often see their accuracy collapse when they must produce a complete method once, correctly.
What is a possible solution?
Teachers can cap attempts, require written work on the problems, grade first-attempt accuracy, not just the final green check.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Assigning 60 minutes of click-through “grind” with no written work
- Grading completion instead of first-attempt accuracy and retention
- Using platforms as punishment, not as targeted practice
- Accepting platform “mastery” badges as proof of paper-test readiness
Measuring Real Success (Not Just App Scores)
- First-attempt accuracy rises and stays above 80% on focus skills.
- Retention checks a week later stay within 5–10% of the original score.
- Transfer performance improves on paper tests and open-response items.
- Time to correct a known error type drops across the month.
If app metrics look great but paper tests don’t move, you have a setup problem, not a student problem.
Bottom Line
Math websites and software can accelerate success, if you set guardrails, require written work, and measure retention instead of screenshots. Use them to automate reps and surface errors quickly. Use paper to prove real understanding. Combine both, and grades move.
by Tracy Porter | Aug 14, 2023 | Math, Teaching and Learning, Testing
Unveiling the Power of Virtual Tutoring: Advantages and Effectiveness
In recent years, the education landscape has experienced a significant transformation with the rise of virtual tutoring. As technology advances, traditional learning methods are evolving to incorporate more flexible and efficient alternatives. Virtual tutoring has emerged as a powerful tool that offers numerous advantages over traditional in-person tutoring. In this blog, we will explore the effectiveness and advantages of virtual tutoring, shedding light on how this innovative approach is revolutionizing how we learn.
- Accessibility and Convenience
One of the most significant advantages of virtual tutoring is the unparalleled accessibility it provides. Students are no longer bound by geographic limitations when seeking assistance. Whether finding the right tutor for a specific subject or accessing a particular expertise, online platforms connect learners with tutors worldwide. This accessibility is especially valuable for students in remote areas or those with limited access to quality education resources.
Moreover, virtual tutoring offers unparalleled convenience. Students can schedule sessions that fit their busy lives, eliminating the need for strenuous commuting and rigid schedules. This flexibility ensures that learning can happen at the most suitable times, enhancing the quality of education and the overall learning experience.
- Personalized Learning Experience
Virtual tutoring allows for a highly personalized learning experience. Tutors can tailor their teaching methods and approaches to match individual student needs and learning styles. Through one-on-one interactions, tutors can identify areas of struggle and focus on strengthening those specific skills. This personalized approach leads to more efficient learning, as students receive targeted guidance that caters to their unique requirements.
- Technological Integration
Integrating technology in virtual tutoring brings a dynamic dimension to the learning process. Interactive tools, multimedia presentations, and digital resources can all be seamlessly incorporated into virtual tutoring sessions. This engagement keeps students motivated and helps them grasp concepts more effectively. Furthermore, technology enables tutors to employ innovative teaching methods, such as simulations and virtual labs, enhancing the overall educational experience.
- Flexibility and Customizable
The convenience of accessing personalized learning experiences from the comfort of one’s own space eliminates the barriers of geography and travel. The flexible scheduling of remote tutoring empowers students to tailor their learning to fit busy lifestyles, while the integration of technology fosters interactive and engaging sessions. Moreover, the relaxed environment of remote sessions often reduces intimidation, promoting open communication and bolstering student confidence. These collective advantages make remote tutoring a compelling option that enhances learning outcomes and aligns seamlessly with modern education’s demands.
- Comfort and Reduced Anxiety
For some students, the traditional classroom setting can be intimidating, leading to anxiety and inhibited learning. Virtual tutoring provides a more relaxed environment where students might feel more at ease asking questions and seeking clarification. This comfortable atmosphere contributes to increased confidence and improved learning outcomes.
In conclusion, virtual tutoring has emerged as a powerful force in modern education, offering numerous advantages beyond traditional learning methods. Its accessibility, convenience, personalization, and technology integration create a learning experience that is efficient, effective, and engaging. As technology advances, virtual tutoring will likely play an even more integral role in shaping the future of education, democratizing learning, and making quality education accessible to all.
by MaThCliX | May 21, 2020 | Teaching and Learning
Self- Discipline is key! With so much of our schooling and training moving to online formats, time management is becoming more and more important. Have you ever sat down at your computer or opened your phone and suddenly forget what you were about to do because you became distracted? Well, this is happening to us everyday and all day, but we can defeat this problem and others with better self-discipline!
What is self-discipline? Google defines it as the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome one’s weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it. I like to simplify this and define self-discipline as simply doing what you need to do, even when you don’t want to. Other than distractions coming at us from every device, we also face the challenge of setting our own daily schedules to accomplish goals. If attending a regular school or work day, your schedule is set for you and you just follow it. But, without the structure of the school or work day, which most of us are facing, we now must create our own structure by creating a schedule and then exercising the self-discipline to stick to it.
It is okay to set boundaries to have set times to check emails, social medias, and messages throughout our day so we are not constantly interrupted while learning or completing a task. Once again, this will require us to exercise self-discipline. So, let’s summarize some tips for success!
Steps to Success
- Set a schedule for yourself DAILY. (This alone can be a task as we sort out what must be the priorities each day!)
- Set a timeline to complete goals that cannot be done in one day and pace them out daily to meet the set deadline.
- And finally, exercise SELF-DISCIPLINE throughout each day to stay focused, less distracted, and on task. Because after all, we can set schedules and make goals all day, but if we can’t stick to it, then we will not be successful!
I always like to ask myself, What are my “have-to’s”? That helps me get started and then, of course, you can always leave yourself some playtime or downtime each day to remain balanced!
by Matthew Wessler | Jan 14, 2019 | Teaching and Learning
We learn something new everyday, and as technology rapidly accelerates, education is becoming more available to people throughout the world. All someone needs is a smartphone and an internet connection to have the world at their fingertip. Subsequently, people wonder and debate whether it’s better to learn in a classroom setting or through a computer screen, ie, online or on-campus. Therefore, I thought sharing my experience with students would help them make an informed decision.
This spring is my third semester of college, and during my first two, I solely did online courses, ranging from English classes to Accounting, or STEM-related ones in computer science and calculus. Unlike the myth, online is not less demanding or rigorous than on campus-courses; they’re very similar. Online and on-campus professors both follow schedules based on their syllabi. They both present similar challenges: difficult material, a requirement for time management, and discovering how the class functions. Finally, in both contexts, there should be a professor present who enjoys his or her job and wants to foster growth and critical thinking. I enjoyed my online courses for these reasons, but the essential reason I took online courses is that they were convenient for me, which is also why many other students take them.
When taking online courses, students can create a learning environment tailored to their learning style and needs. For example, they don’t need to over study a topic if they feel comfortable on it, which may occur in a group class setting; or on the contrary, students can spend as much time as they need to understand something. This independence can appear daunting sometimes, but people can succeed in virtual classes with some determination and a proactive mindset. They don’t have to feel alone, either. They can reach out to other students through discussion boards, or they could email their professors to ask a question or schedule a review session. They should try to answer the problem themselves first, though. Practicing this skill will help make a student more marketable to the workforce since he or she will have acquired valuable problem-solving skills.
In conclusion, I’d recommend online courses to students because they maintain high standards and develop competency and self-sufficiency. Most professionals suggest having both an online and in-person class because then students can have both sets of benefits, and I fully agree with them.
by Matthew Wessler | Dec 5, 2018 | Math, Teaching and Learning
A student learns that he has a test coming up sometime next week; a week goes by, and the student just now starts studying for his exam: the day before it! We’ve all been there; sometimes, it’s unavoidable, but students who continuously fall into this trap of procrastinating need to improve their study methods.
One of the best scientifically proven ways to study is through spacing assignments, known as the spacing effect. Students divide their studying time up into multiple periods, instead of all at once, which is called cramming. Cramming will help students remember information in the short run; however, they will lose this knowledge over time. Spacing has the opposite effect: it is less stressful, and students will have more time to process information and store it into their long-term memories. According to numerous studies, students who study through spacing perform significantly higher on retests compared to students who crammed.
One major criticism from learners who are new to the spacing method is that they forget what they learn. They feel frustrated because the material they spent time practicing days before they’ve since forgotten and now need to relearn. Their perception is justifiable; people are bound to forget some information, but what they don’t realize is how crucial forgetting is in the learning process.
When students must relearn material, they strengthen their neural connections involving the subject, which helps them solidify the knowledge. Ultimately, most courses in school build on previous ones, so it’s imperative for students to understand and recall information from prior units. For example, when a student enters Algebra Two, it’s assumed that they know the material from Algebra One, and the course will build on those topics. However, if the student only crammed for the Algebra One tests, then most of that material has been lost, and there are many gaps. While initially, it may frustrate students to relearn material that they’ve just studied, it’s an essential part of the learning process. Finding these gaps also exposes what the student must review more, and by doing so, they will strengthen those connections and have greater ease remembering the material later.
The opposite effect occurs during cramming; students proceed past the unit without retaining much of what they’ve learned. Students can avoid this dilemma by working on their assignments diligently, quizzing themselves without aid from their notes, and acknowledging areas that require more attention. By implementing these strategies, they’ll create the habits to succeed in whatever field they’re pursuing, from sports to law enforcement to medical school.
