Teaching Reveal Math: What I’ve Learned (and What Makes It Work Better)

May 20, 2025

3 min read

Updated: Sep 13

Teaching With Reveal Math- What's Working and What I've Learned

It’s hard to believe we’re already in our third year of using Reveal Math in my district. Like any new curriculum, the first year took some getting used to. I had to figure out the pacing, learn the online platform, and decide which parts worked best for my students.

Now that I’ve used it for a few years, I have a much better idea of what I use, what I skip, and what I change. One thing that really helped me was learning how to customize the teacher tray and put the lesson in an order that works better for me.

There are still parts of the platform I wish were a little more user-friendly, but I’ve learned how to work around those bumps. More importantly, I’ve found ways to make the curriculum feel less scripted and more personal for both me and my students.

My Honest Experience with Reveal Math

One thing I do like about Reveal Math is that students spend a lot of time thinking about the math and explaining how they got their answers. I have noticed my students talking through their thinking more and trying different ways to solve problems.

The pacing and online platform did take some getting used to, though. Every class is different, so I have learned to adjust the lessons, slow down when we need to, and skip or change parts that do not work as well for my students.

A Game-Changer: The Editable Teacher Tray

The editable teacher tray is probably one of the features I use the most. I can turn different parts of the lesson on or off and rearrange them to fit the way I want to teach. I usually include:

The lesson slides
Review or warm-up problems
Vocabulary
The learning target
The essential question

Being able to put everything in the order I want makes it much easier for me to teach the lesson.

How I Start Our Math Lessons

I like starting our math lessons the same way each day. We look at the essential question, learning target, and vocabulary before we get into the lesson. Having those pieces ready helps me stay organized, and my students know what to expect when math starts.

Over time, I have created resources for each Reveal Math lesson that I can add to the teacher tray and use right along with the curriculum.

Making Reveal Math Work for My Class

Probably the biggest thing I have learned is that I do not have to use every part of Reveal Math exactly as it is written. Every class is different Sometimes we slow down and spend another day on a skill. Other times my students are ready to move on. I also add extra fact practice or other activities when I think they need it.

Once I realized I could adjust the lessons to fit my class instead of following every piece exactly as written, Reveal Math became much easier for me to use.

If you are just getting started with Reveal Math, give yourself some time to figure out what works best for you and your students.

Final Thoughts

Reveal Math definitely took some getting used to, but after a few years, I have found a routine that works much better for me and my students. If you’re interested in seeing the materials I use with my Reveal Math lessons, you can find them in my TPT store.

If you're interested in seeing how I set up my lesson slides, I’ve shared the materials I use on TPT as a way to save time and stay consistent.