Part 2: Refining the Math Binder with Expert Advice

Last year I wrote a post exploring how a math teacher might use LUDIA AI and LiveBinders to design a unit on two-digit word problems.  I was honest about working only from curiosity and a hunch as I’m not a math teacher.

This year, I shared that prototype with the host and guest from the original podcast — Ron Martiello and Beth Stark — and asked them to tell me where I got it right, and where I didn’t.

Our conversations enhanced my perspective of the power of organization as you’ll see below.

Delight 1: It’s About Commanding Space

Beth introduced a metaphor that clicked immediately for me. I’ve used the concept of dashboards before, but I really liked Beth’s use of a chef’s method for success. She noted that while many teachers have excellent resources, those materials are often scattered across disparate folders or buried in long lists of links. The friction of finding the right tool at the right moment can prevent a teacher from pivoting to meet a student’s needs.

Beth compared a well-structured LiveBinder to a chef’s mise en place.

“Think of a good sous-chef. They have a well-organized mise en place; they know where everything is, and because of that, they have command of their space. LiveBinders allows you to visually organize the tools and the approaches in the same glance, so the teacher can be that improvisational chef in the moment.”

It’s not about having a folder of good resources. It’s about having command — so that when a student hits a wall, or there’s a change in schedules, the teacher can pivot without losing the room.  

Delight 2: Start with the Standard, Not the Stuff

Ron provided the necessary “reality check.” He pointed out that this unit can easily be misunderstood.  For the two-digit word problem, you need to start by understanding the Standards that it references.  He pointed me to Standards 2.NBT.B.7 (Adding and subtracting within 1000) and emphasized that it’s not about learning the formulas but mastering the models of grouping.  My examples were not aligned with the lessons of the standard.

Following Ron’s feedback, I rebuilt the binder with this mind:

• The North Star: I added the link and details of that specific standard in the first tab, serving as a constant reminder of the instructional intent.
• The Thought Partner: In one of the tabs, I kept a link to the original prompt where I ask LUDIA to help me with barriers in the classroom around this particular unit.  I put it there so I could quickly return to the prompt to refine strategies, which is exactly what I did. Since LUDIA remembered my original input, all I had to do was ask it to apply the strategies following the specific standard that I had missed. I then replaced the original strategies with the new set of guidance.
• Vetted Ingredients: Ron curated a set of resources for me — YouCubed, Illustrative Mathematics, and Khan Academy that genuinely support this standard. I put each in its own tab so a teacher could reach it instantly. I also added an Assessment tab and included Ron’s Asset-Based Rubric worksheet, that he generously created specifically for this unit.  Thank you, Ron!!

Delight 3: The Binder Becomes Your Evaluation

Ron also gave another great feedback, which was how a binder could be used as a bridge between the teacher and the principal. He pointed out that a binder used consistently throughout the year doesn’t just support instruction, it documents professional growth.

When evaluation season arrives and teachers are scrambling to gather evidence, this binder is already there. The prompts, reflection notes, rubrics, and resources are archived, providing immediate context for every lesson. Rather than just showing what was done, the binder guides the conversation to show how the teacher thought, adapted, and grew—capturing a professional process that is often difficult to communicate.

A binder that serves teachers daily and doubles as a portfolio of evidence can be a massive time saver and a great confidence builder.

My Binder is your Binder

I’ve revised the Two Digit Addition Word Problem binder (opens in new tab).  Please feel free to see my new changes including the resources and Assessment Rubrics worksheet that align with Standards 2.NBT.B.7 and vetted by Ron.

If you’d like to make a copy of the binder please follow the steps below:

Already a LiveBinders user? Open the Binder, go to Options, and select Make a Copy. Swap in your own rubrics, standards, and links and it’s yours.

New to LiveBinders? You can view the full structure through the link above. You will need to create a free account in order to make a copy.