AMS 8th Grade Math Yelp Reviews

"AMS' 8th grade math department offers one of the most inspired programs we have ever seen. For a subject so often associated with stress, speed, and ranking, you have found ways for students to focus on the joy of just learning. You model empathy, and encourage taking risks in the classroom, which is how creativity happens. You teach thinking rather than memorization. Collaboration and curiosity, rather than competition. With the rapid advances in artificial intelligence, everyone from the World Economic Forum to giants in the electronics industry are saying that the future of education lies in humans' ability to create and connect, because we can't out-memorize a computer. You inspire a love of math, humane math, and more broadly, a model of thinking that prepares students well for the future. We wish your philosophy could be adopted by all math programs across Albany. You are the kinds of thought-provoking teachers whose lessons will stay with our children well into their adult years."

"We've been so lucky having our daughter in your math class. She's really enjoyed her time in your class and we've enjoyed your emails each week. As someone who's deemed herself a non math person her whole life, it's been nice to see and hear our daughter come home with excitement about the things she's learned in your class. She's learned that the struggle is important and okay, and that not knowing the answer off the bat is okay, too. She's showed us this year that she can work through a problem and get the answer if it's important to her. That you can be a "math person" and for that I can't thank you enough. THANKS!"

"I love that the kids can check their homework right after doing it, I love that they can retake tests if they miss questions. I appreciate that there's an understanding at the school now that learning math is an ongoing process, that you might not 'get' how to do something the first time it is explained. Retaking the test questions really helped my daughter reduced her math anxiety. I love the ideas presented in the newsletters, questioning the point of grades, of testing, etc. I feel that learning math is like learning a foreign language and it just takes more time for some people than others, so I appreciate the new attitude about it from the school. "

“My daughter has gained a lot of confidence in math this year. I credit much of it to the fact that she was given the option to take retests when she did not do well. She also occasionally took up the option of postponing homework when she felt particularly overwhelmed by school, softball, orchestra, etc. Having that option has made a huge difference in reducing her overall anxiety. While she had a tutor last year, she did not need one this year because she was afforded the time to master it on her own. Knowing she always had the option to move her math to the weekend was huge. It also gave her more time when she felt confused by the homework or tired.”

“I wish that my son could continue to be taught by you in high school! It's been a great math year for him, and I really appreciate your passion and dedication in teaching. Teachers like you do make a huge difference in a child's life.”

“Thanks again for having such an enlightened outlook on math learning, it's much appreciated. I think the outlook is really improving my daughter’s outlook on math. Getting to retake a test and showing she knows how to do something has made a huge difference.”

“I'm so grateful to see your positive approach to these academic issues, and the issues of personal grit which the motivational video describes. Thank you for being comfortable and bold enough to share a video which addresses the fact the school is not just about academics but also about the mundane struggles of an individual within the school environment. I think we need to more honest with kids about things like this. They're more aware than they're given often given credit for and many have built-in BS detectors. : )

You have no idea what a wonderful thing your class has been this year. So often we hear about how "great" Albany schools are but it seems they are really mostly "great" for only the most together and organized kids. I have appreciated your learning orientation and a focus on what we care about -- are kids learning? Are all kids learning? It's been a breath of fresh air and I dream of a time when more teachers adopt these policies but more important - these attitudes. I just want you to know how much we appreciate it and what a difference it has made for my daughter.

I appreciated your Back-to-School presentation, your humor (your year of doom doing all the homework problems 100 different ways etc.), and your philosophy about teaching math! Prior to this year, my son tended to dread math. I was secretly quite relieved when he didn't get into the advanced class, but I never expected how much he would thrive and feel so positively this year about math overall.

I've always emphasized that the importance of a test is to understand your mistakes etc. I was so happy to hear you do the same. He comes home with his tests and talks with me about them without too much nudging from me. He is really feeling capable as a mathematician and problem solver for the first time in a while.

So THANK YOU for all you do!! As a teacher, and as a mom, I know being a teacher/parent isn't always easy.”

“Thank you SO much for being such an extraordinary example of passion in teaching and providing an inspiring and respectful environment.”

“Thank you for an amazing year of math. My daughter leaves your class inspired, educated, and intellectually curious. What more could her old parents ask? Please know how much we appreciate your support and talents.”

“I LOVE your Math, Learning, and Love curriculum. It captures so much of what can be lost in the margins yet represents what makes us human and ties us together. It is heartening to see it called out and celebrated!”

“I wanted to thank you so much for being such a wonderful teacher for my daughter this year. You really have helped her to feel confident and "successful" in math this year and she is really enjoying the class. It really does help to have a teacher that doesn't make things seem overwhelming for students and to make the class interesting for everyone.”

"I think how my student handles math (which for many, does not come easy) has had a lot to do with how you teach. You have had a positive, encouraging, and exciting approach all year. It is about learning and the process, not just achieving the right answer. The way you teach goes a LONG way... and we appreciate all you have done for our student and all of the AMS’ students."

"Thank you for your true dedication to teaching math to middle schoolers. My daughter started the year with low confidence with the common core curriculum, and she has really come a long way! I know it's due to your enthusiasm and excellent teaching. Thank you so much for all you have done for her. We feel so fortunate that she had you for math this year!"

"Thank you for making this a great year! We've seen the growth too, and all without any "math drama" which we attribute to you. We will miss your weekly posts. Have a great summer!"

"I really appreciate your passions in math teaching. I like your ideas like learning concepts, no need for being quick, multiple approaches, etc. I can see the students can gain more interests and understanding of math from your class."

"You are the best math teacher my student has ever had! Thank you SO much for the positive environment and ability to make mistakes and then learn from them. You are making a difference everyday!! Thanks!"

"I have to let you know how much I Love receiving your weekly messages for us AMS parents. Especially, I really look forward to your motivational Monday videos. They are always an inspiring way to start the week. I love that you're providing the students with lessons they can use in their life as a whole ... life lessons/advice. The math lessons are obviously the academic part of the program, and then the weekly inspirational pieces teach about our humanity and our lives in general. Such a lovely balance of both for the students.

I so appreciate these messages each week because they address the student experience and perspective, and as a parent, it makes me feel that the students are truly being cared about. My student says great things about you as a teacher. She really loves your teaching style.

Thanks for all the "extras" you provide. The students are lucky to have you as their teacher."

"The focus on growth mindset is really essential and transformative for math education! I do research in education and I’ve been really impressed."

“I think I have really enjoyed the HW policy a lot because of no deadlines. It helps to know that if I have a lot of homework from other classes, the math homework will not be marked late. Personally, math takes the longest to do out of my other homework, but I know that I am not rushed to finish it so I can get good sleep and be attentive in class.”

“The homework is a good amount. We only had about 5 problems each night and they were well given at the right pace. It’s also good that we have two days or/and a weekend to finish the closures. Also, I like how we can correct our own homework.”

“I actually really like the homework policy. I like that we don’t have to have it stamped the very next day, because sometimes I was very busy, and I could not finish my math homework. Also, I found the answer keys to be very helpful when I did not understand something. They were the second best thing to having Mr. Lew right there to help us!”

“I find the Mastery Check-Ins a little challenging, but a challenge is good to be able to learn more. Corrections are a great way to learn from your mistakes and expand your learning. I find the corrections very helpful. I also think that adding things from the previous chapters is helpful too because I can then remember it for the future.”

“The team tests were actually one of my favorite parts of this year. I really enjoyed working with my table groups, and being able to share ideas, and new ways of thinking with them! They even helped me do better on the individual Mastery Check-Ins sometimes, because I would remember something that I had learned from my team mate and I would use that strategy on my Check-In.”

“Personally, I think this a great idea, not because I am desperate for a better grade. No, the reason I think the Fix-It is a great idea is that it is a chance to learn anything you missed during the unit. It’s not only a way to get better grades, but a way to catch up with the rest of the class.”

“The Fix-It policy is helpful. If you have corrected your previous Mastery Check-In, you could then be confident with your work. It makes me happy to know that I am capable of doing something that I have only seen once or twice.”

“Fix-Its lower stress on Mastery Check-Ins because you can make it up if you’re having a bad day or screw up on something.”

“Fix-Its are a great idea. They help us look back on our mistakes and then correct them by giving us a second chance.”

Parent feedback on Fix-Its: "I cannot tell you how much I love this (Fix-Its). I work in schools to support implementation of restorative practices - which is not just about discipline, in fact it's mostly not about discipline! Restorative practices should start with academics, the classroom, instructional practices, culture and climate work and teaching kids that there are almost always opportunities to "make it right." Producing awesome young people who walk well in the world starts with the adoption of stances likes this. Many thanks to the Albany Middle School 8th grade Math Program."

“Mondays oftentimes seem like the day where everything goes south for me. Motivational Mondays help me have a bright side to the day, and I think they’re absolutely necessary.”

“I REALLY enjoyed motivational monday. It gave me something to look forward to on Monday’s and brightened my day knowing how amazing some people are and how easily we can make a difference. It would make me really consider my actions.”

“I like motivational mondays. They are a great way to lighten up the mood and teach us what you can do to help others.”

“I like the motivational Mondays, and I think they do what they are intended to do. In my personal opinion whenever I watch the motivational Mondays, for the next few days I try to act kindly, and do things that might be shown in them.”

“A lot of teachers are using stamp sheets these days, and I think it’s a great idea. It’s hard to keep homework from the whole unit all in one place, and the stamp sheet solves that problem. It makes being organized a lot easier.”

“Stamp sheets worked well. They were a quick and easy method that was very efficient.”

“Stamp sheets are a good grading method. They help me know what homework I have without looking in my planner, and they keep me very organised.”

“I liked Stamp Sheets A LOT. I really appreciated the fact that I was allowed to program my math homework nights to fit gymnastics. It didn’t always work out perfectly, but it was a lot less stressful than it would have been otherwise. I just want to take a moment to thank you for letting me coordinate my schedules. A lot of teachers didn’t let me, and there were a lot of nights I had homework from the time I got home from gym (9-9:30pm) to around 1am.”

“I think that the class atmosphere couldn’t be better. I feel engaged in the lesson, almost as if they are normal conversations.”

“Class atmosphere was good. For the most part, students were on tasks. I enjoyed the amount of collaboration throughout the class and the interesting class discussions.”

“The class atmosphere was good. Everybody can talk about the math problems, and when we need to work silently, the classroom is silent.”

“I think that using teams to solve problems together has really helped me understand the material.”

“I liked the atmosphere of the class. Everyone was very nice, and pretty easy to work with:)”

“The class is easy going and fun to be a part of.”

“Good, not so relaxed that I begin to slack off, but not so stressful that I feel under tremendous pressure/stress.”

“There isn’t really any stress in this class which is nice.”

“I think you did a good job saying what you need to and setting us up for success, but also keeping it limited enough where it didn’t get boring.”

“Everybody seems to follow your lead and the interaction with students leads to solving math problems in a good way.”

“It’s nice that we can discuss things with each other without you telling us if we are right or not.”

“I love the days where everyone gets involved in how to solve a problem, no matter whether someone is right or not.”

“Overall, I think you are a very good teacher who loves math. You are very enthusiastic about math and want everybody to learn the material no matter the student’s abilities. I think you have some very good teaching techniques and you have influenced me to pursue math.”

“Overall, I learned many things this year. I appreciate that you were able to keep us on task without raising your voice. Team tests taught us that interacting with others is a good skill to have.”

“You honestly are one of the best math teachers I’ve had. I hope you continue to treat every student fairly and I hope that you have a great summer.”

“I have learned a lot this year and I thank you very much for the challenges you have allowed me to navigate.”

“You’re a really incredible teacher, probably one of my all time favorites. The way that you teach the class keeps kids entertained and keeps them from sleeping. I had a fifth grade teacher who taught me everything that I learned through last year, so this year was the first time I walked in expecting it to be easy and was really, really wrong.”

“You’re a really good teacher. Keep it up!”

“This was a fun class to be in.”

“We learned in a different way that made everyone involved.”

This is a really good class and your teaching/working with peers has helped me a lot. Thanks for a great year!

Your humor is not awesome. Though sometimes it’s actually good. Or it’s just funny that it’s actually not funny but you still try to make the class laugh.

Thank you for teaching me and pushing me to be the best that I can be. I definitely learned lot in this class. There were even some points in the school year when I thought math was fun and enjoyable!

I had a lot of fun in this classroom, and I learned a lot. There were stressful parts, but you reassured me and I became more relaxed later in the year! You are a really great teacher, and I liked how you let us figure things out on our own, and ponder over hard topics. I have always liked math, but I felt like I was very bad at it, especially compared to my sister. This year, I felt like I became more confident.

“YOU’RE A GREAT TEACHER. Math is probably my favorite class, not because of the subject or my classmates but because you are such a great teacher. You actually teach us the stuff and treat everyone fairly and don’t play favorites (that I could tell) like my other teachers. You let us figure things out and make us check our answers to make sure we know what we are doing. You have a sense of humor too, but you’re not one of those teachers that just doesn’t care and is not organized. You grade really fast and it’s nice to be able to see my test score before the next day. YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER EVER!!!”

"I just started my freshman year at AHS and I wanted to thank you for putting so much effort into the 8th grade math program.

Now that I'm not in 8th grade math anymore I really see the difference having a handwritten personal answer key for homework makes. The textbook answer key really doesn't show the work and it definitely won't bother including the "check your solutions" part.

I also really miss Motivational Monday. Granted, we haven't actually had a Monday in the school year yet but the Motivational Tuesdays were great too.

I've really started to think about how much the teacher affects how much I like the subject. I've also been thinking about how I've exclusively said my favorite subject is math to family members for the past 2 years because of you.

I think you were the first teacher I had that wasn't "all business all the time." Most times I thought of you as a friend and not an authority figure. I'm not sure if that was what you were going for but it really helped me out in the long run.

But since you are sadly not my teacher anymore I will remember what I have learned from you in my future years of math.

I hope all is well with you and that you continue to fill your students with the hope for math you gave me."

"Next week is finals week, and it got me thinking about last year. I was in your 5th period class last year, and I didn’t realize how much you helped me throughout the year. At the high school, our corrections are just the answers. There are no steps, no different ways to go about solving. I didn’t realize how important those answer keys were and I didn’t realize how great of a teacher you are until now. I took 8th grade for granted. I’d just like to thank you for being such a caring and kind teacher and really wanting to help kids understand math and really enjoy it. You’re so considerate and I cannot explain how grateful I am for you last year. You really helped me with math and I miss being in your class so much."