About Us
Our Products and People
Math MileMarkers® has created a series of instructional stories designed to build in-depth understanding of the standards, while making learning math meaningful and fun for kids .We want children to explore math concepts with interesting characters, and great visual models. Our stories offer a great launching pad for children to discuss math situations with friends, not just do math.
One of the most powerful ways to use our stories is to ask children to Retell or Recreate the story. Retelling is a highly effective comprehension strategy, so using it with math stories just makes sense. Our companion activities including MileMarkers Math Talk and Storyboard templates, help children interact with the content and bring the standards to life in a new way. They are the perfect way to help young children learn to love math.
Every member of the Math4Minors writing team is an licensed teacher or Instructional Math Leader with extensive experience working with children and developing lessons with clear learning intentions. Our team is committed to helping parents, teachers and children better understand math concepts and how they unfold within the learning trajectory. More importantly, they understand the importance of using visual models and the power of math storytelling.
New to Our Writing Team
Math MileMarkers® series is proud to welcome author Marianne V. Strayton to our writing team. Dr. Strayton has over 20 years experience in the classroom, currently as an Math Specialist (k-5) in Clarkstown Central School District (New City, NY) as well as a Senior Curriculum Developer for Eureka Math at Great Minds. She has written articles published by NCTM and ASCD and is actively involved in local and regional math organizations. All of these roles enable Marianne to connect theory and practice on a daily basis. She is constantly noticing new layers to how students engage, notice, and learn mathematical ideas.
Along with her professional work, Marianne is actively engaged in youth ministry and service work in her faith community and can typically be found behind a window curtain, playing hide-and-seek with her beloved niece and nephew. Some of her favorite stories for learning have grown out of these experiences.
Marianne holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum & Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, an M.S. from Iona College focused on STEM education, and a B.A. in Education & Psychology from Saint Michael’s College. Connect with Marianne @MSEducatedD.
Marianne brings joy, wonder, curriculum knowledge and vision to every project she touches. We are thrilled to have have part of the team. Marianne's first Math MileMarkers® math-infused story entitled Louie the Lucky Looker, is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2020.
We are very excited to introduce a new product entitled Math MileMarkers® Foldable Math Stories. This book includes a series of mini math-infused 8-page stories that children can color, cut, fold, read and share with friends. These are great instructional tools that allow kids to have fun with friends while exploring key vocabulary and grade level standards.
They are the perfect math/literacy connection for young learners.
Scott Schaefer, is the point person on our new math foldable story collection. Scott currently works as a kindergarten teacher at Lima Primary School in the Honeoye Falls witch is part of the Lima Central School District. Scott's two primary motivations are helping others and seeking out adventure. He invented the 100-ring rod to help students better understand place value.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Schaefer writes 8-page books for emergent readers, supervises student teachers, and is a judge for FIRST Lego Robotics and Odyssey of the Mind. He is a big fan of teaching with phenomena and is a regular at math teacher circles. Mr. Schaefer comes from an outdoor experiential education background where he focused on small group dynamics. Mr. Schaefer traveled and studied abroad extensively, and was an opening cast member at Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998. He currently lives in Honeoye Falls with his loving wife and three beautiful children.
Scott is a New York State licensed teacher. He earned his B.A. in History from SUNY Potsdam and M.S. in Elementary Education from Nazareth College. Scott brings a sense of wonder and excitement to the the our new 8-page mini-books.
The Math MileMarkers® Foldable Stories will be released in the fall of 2020!
Math4Minors is always looking for educators with math-infused stories to tell.
Contact us at info@mathmilemarkers if you would like to submit a book query or be part of our Math Storytelling Network team.
About Our Founder
Lynda Brennan is the founder of the Math MileMarkers® series and the "Make 10" Games currently produced by Nasco. She has been in the educational arena, working primarily at a title one elementary school in Suffern New York for over 23 years. Her roles as both an elementary classroom teacher in kindergarten and 5th grade, as well as her current position as a K-5 Math Specialist, have truly inspired her math storytelling mission. With degrees in both business and education, Lynda finds the Math MileMarkers® Series the perfect opportunity to “market math” and make it meaningful and fun for students and the adults around them!
The goal of Math4Minors Publishing Company is to help parents, teachers and children navigate a successful and enjoyable mathematical journey. These stories are developed to promote understanding of the current standards and more importantly, the trajectory of learning. Stories are a great way to prompt great math discussion both at home and school.
Lynda has been a featured speaker at the National Conference on Common Core Instruction and at the National Math Foundation's Summer Institute. She is a board member for the Ten County Mathematics Educators Association (TCMEA), a local affiliate for AMTNYS and volunteers with other other math organizations including NCTM and TCM magazine. She is the regional facilitator for NYSUT's Elementary Math PLC, a grant-funded network hosted by the Greater Capital Region Teacher's Center and the Rockland Teachers Center.
Lynda's message on how to Calm, Command and Conquer the Math Curriculum® has been well received by teachers and administrators across the country. Click on Conferences to learn more about past and upcoming presentations.