It’s NOT a 5x5! Why Grid Paper Trips Kids Up
05/13/25 • 21 min
Is your student really drawing a 5x5 square—or just counting boxes?
In this episode of the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop, we take a deep dive into grid paper misconceptions and why so many students—even in middle school—struggle with precision, tracing, and accurate visual-motor control.
You’ll learn:
- Why grid paper is often too abstract too soon
- How to scaffold from geoboards to dot paper before expecting grid paper mastery
- Occupational therapy strategies for tracing, alignment, and ruler use
- Classroom interventions that work across all grade levels
- The construction paper trick that might blow your mind!
Perfect for math teachers, occupational therapists, and interventionists seeking low-cost, high-impact classroom accommodations.
👉 Subscribe and share this with a fellow educator who needs a boost of inspiration!
🔗 Find the full Geo Board training module: https://disabilitylabs.com
***************************************************************************
BOOKS
Making Mathineers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mathineers-Transformational-Experiences-Conceptual-ebook/dp/B08NFCZ64K
Handwriting Brain Body DISconnect Digital Version: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/hwbbd
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Handwriting-Brain-Body-DisConnect-techniques-ebook/dp/B07N1XB1G7
Both books are also available in paperback and hardcover versions. All versions are available wherever books are sold.
Math DYSconnected - To be released in 2024.
***************************************************************************
TIME CODES
01:00 – Chunk 4: What grid paper doesn’t teach (and why it matters)
02:30 – The 5x5 illusion: Why most students count boxes, not lines
05:30 – Precision vs. accuracy: How visual-motor issues affect math
06:30 – Why dot paper often works better than grid paper
07:30 – OT tip: Use triangular rulers (Alpha Triangles) for better control
09:00 – The progression: From geoboards to independence on graph paper
12:00 – Why all students—not just those with IEPs—benefit from scaffolding
13:00 – Segment wrap-up: Grid paper as the most abstract tool
14:00 – Cheri: Rethinking design copying through the OT + math lens
15:00 – Why unstructured play with dot paper boosts spatial reasoning
16:00 – Natalie’s takeaway: The next big layer is brain science
17:00 – Binder tricks: Slant boards and seating supports on a budget
19:00 – The construction paper hack: Boosting tactile feedback for writing
20:00 – Teacher reactions: Best facilitation yet
21:00 – Krista on cross-audience clarity: OT + teacher integration that clicks
***************************************************************************
SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to the Audio version of the podcast here on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tier-1-interventions/id1729403599?uo=4
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/72Wmq8ddduGz4eUMK7LVIy
AMAZON MUSIC/AUDIBLE: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/89f67d1a-98b5-4592-a53c-8f4acb3d8029
This podcast is created from excerpts from the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop. To hear the full math intervention, subscribe to watch the event live monthly on the 3rd Saturday during the school year.
***************************************************************************
MISSION
Minds on Math, LLC: To provide engaging, high-quality professional development and instructional coaching for teachers to improve student achievement and understanding of mathematics.
Dotterer Educational Consulting, a Therapy Services, LLC company: To provide professional development to improve writing skills through efficient lesson planning for regular education classrooms.
***************************************************************************
FREE RESOURCES
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/jonily-zupancic-8523599443
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cheri-dotterer-classroom-coach...
Is your student really drawing a 5x5 square—or just counting boxes?
In this episode of the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop, we take a deep dive into grid paper misconceptions and why so many students—even in middle school—struggle with precision, tracing, and accurate visual-motor control.
You’ll learn:
- Why grid paper is often too abstract too soon
- How to scaffold from geoboards to dot paper before expecting grid paper mastery
- Occupational therapy strategies for tracing, alignment, and ruler use
- Classroom interventions that work across all grade levels
- The construction paper trick that might blow your mind!
Perfect for math teachers, occupational therapists, and interventionists seeking low-cost, high-impact classroom accommodations.
👉 Subscribe and share this with a fellow educator who needs a boost of inspiration!
🔗 Find the full Geo Board training module: https://disabilitylabs.com
***************************************************************************
BOOKS
Making Mathineers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mathineers-Transformational-Experiences-Conceptual-ebook/dp/B08NFCZ64K
Handwriting Brain Body DISconnect Digital Version: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/hwbbd
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Handwriting-Brain-Body-DisConnect-techniques-ebook/dp/B07N1XB1G7
Both books are also available in paperback and hardcover versions. All versions are available wherever books are sold.
Math DYSconnected - To be released in 2024.
***************************************************************************
TIME CODES
01:00 – Chunk 4: What grid paper doesn’t teach (and why it matters)
02:30 – The 5x5 illusion: Why most students count boxes, not lines
05:30 – Precision vs. accuracy: How visual-motor issues affect math
06:30 – Why dot paper often works better than grid paper
07:30 – OT tip: Use triangular rulers (Alpha Triangles) for better control
09:00 – The progression: From geoboards to independence on graph paper
12:00 – Why all students—not just those with IEPs—benefit from scaffolding
13:00 – Segment wrap-up: Grid paper as the most abstract tool
14:00 – Cheri: Rethinking design copying through the OT + math lens
15:00 – Why unstructured play with dot paper boosts spatial reasoning
16:00 – Natalie’s takeaway: The next big layer is brain science
17:00 – Binder tricks: Slant boards and seating supports on a budget
19:00 – The construction paper hack: Boosting tactile feedback for writing
20:00 – Teacher reactions: Best facilitation yet
21:00 – Krista on cross-audience clarity: OT + teacher integration that clicks
***************************************************************************
SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to the Audio version of the podcast here on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tier-1-interventions/id1729403599?uo=4
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/72Wmq8ddduGz4eUMK7LVIy
AMAZON MUSIC/AUDIBLE: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/89f67d1a-98b5-4592-a53c-8f4acb3d8029
This podcast is created from excerpts from the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop. To hear the full math intervention, subscribe to watch the event live monthly on the 3rd Saturday during the school year.
***************************************************************************
MISSION
Minds on Math, LLC: To provide engaging, high-quality professional development and instructional coaching for teachers to improve student achievement and understanding of mathematics.
Dotterer Educational Consulting, a Therapy Services, LLC company: To provide professional development to improve writing skills through efficient lesson planning for regular education classrooms.
***************************************************************************
FREE RESOURCES
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/jonily-zupancic-8523599443
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cheri-dotterer-classroom-coach...
Previous Episode
Why Straight Lines Aren’t Always Straightforward: S2 E30
What if your students could see math differently—literally?
In this powerful chunk of our Tier 1 Interventions Geoboard Workshop, we dive deep into the concept of diagonals—how a simple shift from horizontal and vertical lines to diagonal ones transforms not only math instruction but also students' experiences of precision, measurement, and curiosity.
Join Cheri Dotterer, Jonily Zupancic, and guests as they explore:
- The surprising complexity behind diagonal lines
- How diagonals connect to every grade level from K to 8th
- Why geoboards and dot paper are essential for understanding slope, decimals, and irrational numbers
- And how a salt lick for horses might be your next best teaching strategy!
Perfect for math teachers, occupational therapists, and interventionists who want students to feel the “aha” moments.
👉 Subscribe and share this with a fellow educator who needs a boost of inspiration!
🔗 Find the full Geo Board training module: https://disabilitylabs.com
***************************************************************************
BOOKS
Making Mathineers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mathineers-Transformational-Experiences-Conceptual-ebook/dp/B08NFCZ64K
Handwriting Brain Body DISconnect Digital Version: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/hwbbd
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Handwriting-Brain-Body-DisConnect-techniques-ebook/dp/B07N1XB1G7
Both books are also available in paperback and hardcover versions. All versions are available wherever books are sold.
Math DYSconnected - To be released in 2024.
***************************************************************************
TIME CODES
03:00 – Transforming the 10-frame with dot paper
05:00 – The power of diagonals: why they matter in grade 4 and beyond
09:00 – Prepping for Pythagorean Theorem (without the formula)
12:30 – 🎯 Instructional salt licks: How to spark curiosity
16:00 – Accuracy vs. Precision: What the math (and writing) reveals
18:00 – Diagonals as the hypotenuse: Squaring the diagonal
22:00 – Tilted squares and irrational numbers
26:00 – How a diagonal can teach decimal multiplication
31:00 – Cheri on writing fluency, posture, and diagonal development
34:00 – What pencil grip really means—and what it doesn’t
37:00 – Practical OT strategies with Geoboards (and latex-free tips!)
***************************************************************************
SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to the Audio version of the podcast here on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tier-1-interventions/id1729403599?uo=4
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/72Wmq8ddduGz4eUMK7LVIy
AMAZON MUSIC/AUDIBLE: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/89f67d1a-98b5-4592-a53c-8f4acb3d8029
This podcast is created from excerpts from the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop. To hear the full math intervention, subscribe to watch the event live monthly on the 3rd Saturday during the school year.
***************************************************************************
MISSION
Minds on Math, LLC: To provide engaging, high-quality professional development and instructional coaching for teachers to improve student achievement and understanding of mathematics.
Dotterer Educational Consulting, a Therapy Services, LLC company: To provide professional development to improve writing skills through efficient lesson planning for regular education classrooms.
***************************************************************************
FREE RESOURCES
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/jonily-zupancic-8523599443
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cheri-dotterer-classroom-coach-18603393525
***************************************************************************
Other ways to connect with Jonily and Cheri
FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tier1interventions
IG:
Next Episode
Why Some Kids Can Read but Still Can’t Write
In this powerful kickoff to the Math DysConnected Week, occupational therapist and learning interventionist Cheri Dotterer shares the deeply personal and professional journey that led her to become a national voice in the world of dysgraphia and math interventions. With over 30 years of experience in both adult rehab and school-based therapy, Cheri reflects on how seemingly disconnected learning challenges like dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and gifted reading profiles intersect in the classroom—and in life. This episode sets the stage for unpacking practical, Tier 1 classroom strategies that bridge cognitive science and math instruction.
Listeners will be introduced to the neuroscience of writing challenges, the identity struggles tied to learning disabilities, and the power of exposure-first teaching strategies that support all learners—whether they can read, write, or neither. A must-listen for teachers, OTs, and intervention specialists seeking to understand the “why” behind common classroom struggles.
👉 Subscribe and share this with a fellow educator who needs a boost of inspiration!
🔗 Find the complete Quick Dots Purple X training module: https://disabilitylabs.com
***************************************************************************
BOOKS
Making Mathineers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Making-Mathineers-Transformational-Experiences-Conceptual-ebook/dp/B08NFCZ64K
Handwriting Brain Body DISconnect Digital Version: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/hwbbd
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Handwriting-Brain-Body-DisConnect-techniques-ebook/dp/B07N1XB1G7
Both books are also available in paperback and hardcover versions. All versions are available wherever books are sold.
Math DYSconnected - To be released in 2024.
***************************************************************************
TIME CODES
00:00 – Meet Cheri Dotterer: 30 years as an OT, from rehab to school-based therapy
00:33 – How dysgraphia became her passion through personal reflection
01:00 – The mismatch: Kids who can read but can't write
01:30 – Realizing she shared the same struggles as her students
02:10 – Why kids who can’t read still benefit from writing interventions
02:45 – The origin of the question: “Why can’t kids write?”
03:30 – The turning point moment in her therapy career
04:00 – Connecting reading, writing, and math as brain-based patterns
04:45 – Introduction to the concept of “Math DysConnected”
05:15 – The importance of pattern recognition and exposure before mastery
***************************************************************************
SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to the Audio version of the podcast here on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.
APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tier-1-interventions/id1729403599?uo=4
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/72Wmq8ddduGz4eUMK7LVIy
AMAZON MUSIC/AUDIBLE: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/89f67d1a-98b5-4592-a53c-8f4acb3d8029
This podcast is created from excerpts from the Tier 1 Interventions Workshop. To hear the full math intervention, subscribe to watch the event live monthly on the 3rd Saturday during the school year.
***************************************************************************
MISSION
Minds on Math, LLC: To provide engaging, high-quality professional development and instructional coaching for teachers to improve student achievement and understanding of mathematics.
Dotterer Educational Consulting, a Therapy Services, LLC company: To provide professional development to improve writing skills through efficient lesson planning for regular education classrooms.
***************************************************************************
FREE RESOURCES
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/jonily-zupancic-8523599443
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cheri-dotterer-classroom-coach-18603393525
***************************************************************************
Other ways to connect with Jonily and Cheri
FB:
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