Alex Romero
@tilefarmer.bsky.social
Artist, Teacher, Co-Founder of Tile Farm —check out our free stuff below!
https://tilefarm.com/freestuff/
https://tilefarm.com/freestuff/
#elemMathChat I have to go, but thank you @mrvalencia24.bsky.social for hosting!
January 23, 2026 at 2:53 AM
#elemMathChat I have to go, but thank you @mrvalencia24.bsky.social for hosting!
#elemMathChat Of course I think Tile Farm Studio is great for math play for people of all ages. I have literally spent probably 10,000 hours playing in it and still find it fun. We have an open-access version of it here: studio.tilefarm.com
studio.tilefarm.com
January 23, 2026 at 2:45 AM
#elemMathChat Of course I think Tile Farm Studio is great for math play for people of all ages. I have literally spent probably 10,000 hours playing in it and still find it fun. We have an open-access version of it here: studio.tilefarm.com
#elemMathChat A3: I feel like one of the most important things in facilitating math play is having relatively simple rules and boundaries. Structured freedom.
January 23, 2026 at 2:38 AM
#elemMathChat A3: I feel like one of the most important things in facilitating math play is having relatively simple rules and boundaries. Structured freedom.
#elemMathChat A2 I love an activity we do in Tile Farm Studio called “Number Portraits” where students make a creative representation of a number or expression. I think it’s effective because students love being creative, and they end up doing a ton of calculations on the way.
January 23, 2026 at 2:24 AM
#elemMathChat A2 I love an activity we do in Tile Farm Studio called “Number Portraits” where students make a creative representation of a number or expression. I think it’s effective because students love being creative, and they end up doing a ton of calculations on the way.
#elemMathChat A1: I think it is possible to learn an overwhelmingly large number of things through play. Maybe you aren’t always playing but play can be an integral part of every learning process. It can be helpful both early on and late in learning anything.
January 23, 2026 at 2:13 AM
#elemMathChat A1: I think it is possible to learn an overwhelmingly large number of things through play. Maybe you aren’t always playing but play can be an integral part of every learning process. It can be helpful both early on and late in learning anything.
#elemMathChat A0, my name is Alex Romero, from Albuquerque, NM but live in Los Angeles, CA now. I am a teacher and co-founder of Tile Farm. My favorite game to play was probably baseball, scrabble, or hearts.
January 23, 2026 at 2:06 AM
#elemMathChat A0, my name is Alex Romero, from Albuquerque, NM but live in Los Angeles, CA now. I am a teacher and co-founder of Tile Farm. My favorite game to play was probably baseball, scrabble, or hearts.
Reposted by Alex Romero
My wife Dr. Jennifer Quinn is more than a mathematician and math museum director. She is an artist! Here is her #LuxPortrait of Einstein, painted with luminous bacteria on a Petri dish. Such talent! #DontFearTheMicrobe #LuxArt @univpugetsound @microbe.tv @ASMicrobiology
January 16, 2026 at 7:49 PM
My wife Dr. Jennifer Quinn is more than a mathematician and math museum director. She is an artist! Here is her #LuxPortrait of Einstein, painted with luminous bacteria on a Petri dish. Such talent! #DontFearTheMicrobe #LuxArt @univpugetsound @microbe.tv @ASMicrobiology
Reposted by Alex Romero
Remember that kids know a LOT! #ElemMathChat
January 16, 2026 at 2:59 AM
Remember that kids know a LOT! #ElemMathChat
#ElemMathChat A7: One time I was teaching some 6th graders about prime factorization and I just randomly chose 1369 as a number for them to factor, and a kid immediately raised his hand and said “I know! It’s 37 times 37!” And he seemed surprised that we didn’t have our perfect squares memorized.
January 16, 2026 at 2:53 AM
#ElemMathChat A7: One time I was teaching some 6th graders about prime factorization and I just randomly chose 1369 as a number for them to factor, and a kid immediately raised his hand and said “I know! It’s 37 times 37!” And he seemed surprised that we didn’t have our perfect squares memorized.
#elemMathChat A6: My instinct here tells me 2nd grade, I don’t have any concrete evidence, just the questions seem more precise than kindergarten, but maybe not as advanced as the last one.
January 16, 2026 at 2:45 AM
#elemMathChat A6: My instinct here tells me 2nd grade, I don’t have any concrete evidence, just the questions seem more precise than kindergarten, but maybe not as advanced as the last one.
#ElemMathChat A5: I notice 3 colors of marker. I notice they started ambitious with 1 million day then reeled it in to a modest 5. I respect wondering how cars are made, that is a very good question. I wonder what they mean by how triangles and squares are made.
January 16, 2026 at 2:37 AM
#ElemMathChat A5: I notice 3 colors of marker. I notice they started ambitious with 1 million day then reeled it in to a modest 5. I respect wondering how cars are made, that is a very good question. I wonder what they mean by how triangles and squares are made.
#ElemMathChat A4 I am thinking it is 5th graders going purely by instinct. The ideas seem well developed, but somehow my instinct tells me this isn’t MS or HS.
January 16, 2026 at 2:31 AM
#ElemMathChat A4 I am thinking it is 5th graders going purely by instinct. The ideas seem well developed, but somehow my instinct tells me this isn’t MS or HS.
#elemMathChat A3 I wonder what life for a worm is like in 2 dimensions. I wonder who wrote these notice and wonders. I notice the marker is green. I notice the word worm prompts people to use biological language to describe a geometric pattern.
January 16, 2026 at 2:24 AM
#elemMathChat A3 I wonder what life for a worm is like in 2 dimensions. I wonder who wrote these notice and wonders. I notice the marker is green. I notice the word worm prompts people to use biological language to describe a geometric pattern.
#ElemMathChat I am most intrigued by perimeter!
In class, I might have students vote on which wonderings they want to explore. #ElemMathChat
January 16, 2026 at 2:20 AM
#ElemMathChat I am most intrigued by perimeter!
#elemMathChat A1. I notice isosceles right triangles. I notice two sizes of them. I wonder what the ratio of the sizes is. I notice the number of triangles scales as day*2+2. I wonder what all this talk about worms is. I wonder what type of worms, nematodes, flat worms, something else?
January 16, 2026 at 2:12 AM
#elemMathChat A1. I notice isosceles right triangles. I notice two sizes of them. I wonder what the ratio of the sizes is. I notice the number of triangles scales as day*2+2. I wonder what all this talk about worms is. I wonder what type of worms, nematodes, flat worms, something else?
#elemMathChat A0, I am Alex Romero, teacher, artist, co-founder of Tile Farm. I got to see all 5 of my nephews, and play a mini concert with two of them over break!
January 16, 2026 at 2:07 AM
#elemMathChat A0, I am Alex Romero, teacher, artist, co-founder of Tile Farm. I got to see all 5 of my nephews, and play a mini concert with two of them over break!
Reposted by Alex Romero
Please join #ElemMathChat TONIGHT at 8 pm CST / 9 pm EST when Annie Fetter,@mfannie.bsky.social leads us in a great chat that will definitely include some fun Noticing and Wondering! #ElemMathChat #MTBoS
January 15, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Please join #ElemMathChat TONIGHT at 8 pm CST / 9 pm EST when Annie Fetter,@mfannie.bsky.social leads us in a great chat that will definitely include some fun Noticing and Wondering! #ElemMathChat #MTBoS
Reposted by Alex Romero
Hi hi I have really exciting news
The Math Routine Collaborative starts back up THIS SUNDAY! Join us as the one and only @mfannie.bsky.social leads the routine Notice and Wonder
You can register at strongermath.com/MRC to participate in math routines and unpack how to lead them in your classroom.
The Math Routine Collaborative starts back up THIS SUNDAY! Join us as the one and only @mfannie.bsky.social leads the routine Notice and Wonder
You can register at strongermath.com/MRC to participate in math routines and unpack how to lead them in your classroom.
Math Routine Collaborative, Stronger Math
Have you ever.
strongermath.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Hi hi I have really exciting news
The Math Routine Collaborative starts back up THIS SUNDAY! Join us as the one and only @mfannie.bsky.social leads the routine Notice and Wonder
You can register at strongermath.com/MRC to participate in math routines and unpack how to lead them in your classroom.
The Math Routine Collaborative starts back up THIS SUNDAY! Join us as the one and only @mfannie.bsky.social leads the routine Notice and Wonder
You can register at strongermath.com/MRC to participate in math routines and unpack how to lead them in your classroom.
Last day to apply for anyone interested!
Tile Farm is offering a Spring 2026 Teacher Fellowship that provides professional learning focused on joyful, creative math instruction, along with free access to Tile Farm Academy. If you or educators you know might be interested, feel free to share the link below:
tilefarm.com/news-events/...
tilefarm.com/news-events/...
Apply to Become a Tile Farm Teacher Fellow - Tile Farm
Transform math class into a beautiful, joyful experience for everyone We’re excited to introduce the Spring 2026 Tile Farm Teacher Fellowship, a new initiative for K-12 educators who want to bring mor...
tilefarm.com
January 5, 2026 at 9:41 PM
Last day to apply for anyone interested!
Reposted by Alex Romero
New blog post!
On the value of manipulatives in some recent work with first graders.
mathforlove.com/2026/01/mani...
On the value of manipulatives in some recent work with first graders.
mathforlove.com/2026/01/mani...
Manipulatives in Math Class Are So Worth It - Math For Love
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mathforlove.com
January 5, 2026 at 6:55 PM
New blog post!
On the value of manipulatives in some recent work with first graders.
mathforlove.com/2026/01/mani...
On the value of manipulatives in some recent work with first graders.
mathforlove.com/2026/01/mani...
Reposted by Alex Romero
The number 2026 depicted as a collection of 2026 circles, part of an ongoing series of artworks expressing the positive integers as a geometric arrangement of identical simple visual elements.
#HappyNewYear2026 #HappyNewYear #mathart #unitchat #20262026 white circles
#HappyNewYear2026 #HappyNewYear #mathart #unitchat #20262026 white circles
January 3, 2026 at 3:51 AM
The number 2026 depicted as a collection of 2026 circles, part of an ongoing series of artworks expressing the positive integers as a geometric arrangement of identical simple visual elements.
#HappyNewYear2026 #HappyNewYear #mathart #unitchat #20262026 white circles
#HappyNewYear2026 #HappyNewYear #mathart #unitchat #20262026 white circles
Reposted by Alex Romero
We need you!
#ElemMathChat is growing on BlueSky and has trended multiple times this year. We’re looking for leaders to host chats from March to May. Interested? Add your name to the sheet below.
Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#ElemMathChat is growing on BlueSky and has trended multiple times this year. We’re looking for leaders to host chats from March to May. Interested? Add your name to the sheet below.
Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
December 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
We need you!
#ElemMathChat is growing on BlueSky and has trended multiple times this year. We’re looking for leaders to host chats from March to May. Interested? Add your name to the sheet below.
Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
#ElemMathChat is growing on BlueSky and has trended multiple times this year. We’re looking for leaders to host chats from March to May. Interested? Add your name to the sheet below.
Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks!
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Reposted by Alex Romero
The #PrinterSolstice prompt list is out! I like to try and participate every year. The prompts are mathematical in flavour this year so I feel like it’s a cue to make more mathematician portraits….
But you can interpret the prompts however you want. Join in!
www.instagram.com/p/DSSTq8mgIu...
But you can interpret the prompts however you want. Join in!
www.instagram.com/p/DSSTq8mgIu...
December 15, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The #PrinterSolstice prompt list is out! I like to try and participate every year. The prompts are mathematical in flavour this year so I feel like it’s a cue to make more mathematician portraits….
But you can interpret the prompts however you want. Join in!
www.instagram.com/p/DSSTq8mgIu...
But you can interpret the prompts however you want. Join in!
www.instagram.com/p/DSSTq8mgIu...
Here’s something fun I made in Tile Farm Studio while watching @isohedral.ca talk about spiral tilings during the #illustratingMath seminar this morning.
December 12, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Here’s something fun I made in Tile Farm Studio while watching @isohedral.ca talk about spiral tilings during the #illustratingMath seminar this morning.
Reposted by Alex Romero
Hi #ElemMathChat and #MTBoS Friends! Tile Farm is offering a Spring 2026 Teacher Fellowship with free access to Tile Farm Academy and joyful, creative math PD. Learn more and apply here: tilefarm.com/news-events/... or contact @tilefarmer.bsky.social
December 12, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Hi #ElemMathChat and #MTBoS Friends! Tile Farm is offering a Spring 2026 Teacher Fellowship with free access to Tile Farm Academy and joyful, creative math PD. Learn more and apply here: tilefarm.com/news-events/... or contact @tilefarmer.bsky.social