031. What the Heck is a Rekenrek?

Meaningful Math

In this episode, we're talking about one of our very favorite math tools for students from kindergarten all the way through second grade - the Rekenrek. You might be thinking, "What the heck is a Rekenrek?" Well, don’t worry. We're going to tell you ALL about it, including where it comes from, how it supports students’ development of place value and number sense, and how you can get started using Rekenreks right away. Let’s dive in!

Still curious if this episode is for you:? Let's uncover what makes this tool such a game-changer for K–2 classrooms. More than a counting aid, the Rekenrek supports deep number sense, place value understanding, and flexible thinking about addition and subtraction, all while being incredibly easy to manage and implement.

We’ll talk about why the structure of the Rekenrek (based on fives and tens) is developmentally spot-on for young learners, how it helps students unitize and anchor their thinking.

Are you ready? Press play and let's dig in!

More from us:

👉 Follow us on Instagram @meaningfulmathco

⭐️ SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW

If you loved this episode, please take a minute to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. With your support, we can reach even more teachers looking to make math meaningful for their students. Thank you!