Teaching With a Mountain View is an educational resource platform created by Mary, a current teacher with experience in third, fourth, and fifth grades, as well as roles as an interventionist for grades K-5 and a TAG Coordinator & Teacher. She currently serves as a Gifted Facilitator/Teacher for students in grades K-3. The platform, established in 2010, focuses on sharing easy-to-implement teaching practices and resources designed to enrich content, engage learners, and inspire teaching. Mary's background includes an undergraduate degree in English and Elementary Education, a graduate degree in Curriculum and Instruction with certification in Talented and Gifted, and ongoing studies in Social Emotional Learning. She is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach, Thinking Maps, and Responsive Classroom, emphasizing inquiry-based education, student-centered learning, and differentiation.
The platform offers a variety of free educational materials, often referred to as "freebies," which are accessible through sign-up mechanisms. These resources cover multiple subjects and grade levels, aiming to support teachers in both traditional and blended learning environments. Key themes include hands-on, engaging activities and digital accessibility via tools like Google Slides.
Accessing Free Resources and Freebie Vaults
Educators can obtain free teaching resources from Teaching With a Mountain View by joining the email list. The process involves entering a name and email address to gain instant access to a "Freebie Vault" or "treasure trove" of free teaching resources. This sign-up is available on the platform's official site and provides subscribers with weekly tips, tricks, and freebies. As of the latest data, over 120,000 educators have joined this list, and the community has connected with hundreds of thousands of teachers since 2010.
The free resources are designed for easy implementation and are separated by topic and season for navigation. A free guidebook is available for download, compiling the best-selling resources into an ultimate guidebook that covers over 1,000 Teaching With a Mountain View Resources. This guidebook includes materials for reading, math, grammar, writing, and community-building, allowing educators to explore all available ideas and freebies in one place.
For digital access, many resources now include Google Slides versions with movable elements, making them suitable for paperless classrooms and distance learning. These can be shared via Google Classroom or Google Sites, helping teachers keep materials and links organized without multiple browser tabs open.
Educational Content and Free Materials Overview
The free materials from Teaching With a Mountain View focus on core educational concepts, particularly in mathematics and language arts, aligned with Common Core standards for grades 2-4. Resources are created to be hands-on and engaging, with a goal of promoting critical thinking and student involvement.
Place Value Resources
One category of free materials addresses place value concepts up to the millions place. These include four-page reviews or quizzes covering: - Number Form - Expanded Form - Word Form - Comparing Numbers - Ordering Numbers - Base Ten Skills - Rounding Numbers
These resources are Common Core aligned for grades 2-4, specifically referencing standards 4.NBT.A.2 and 2.NBT.A.3. They are suitable as simple assessments or preparation for classroom quizzes and include a digital version with movable elements in Google Slides for interactive learning.
Factors, Multiples, Prime, and Composite Numbers Resources
Another set of free materials consists of three pages for reviewing or quizzing students on: - Factors - Multiples - Prime Numbers - Composite Numbers
These are designed as straightforward assessments for classroom use, helping students reinforce these mathematical concepts without requiring additional purchases.
Error Analysis and Thinking Promotions
The platform also promotes error analysis as a method to foster thinking and learning. Free resources in this area include digital access via Google Slides, where students engage with error analysis tasks. Educators report high engagement, with students even taking these materials to recess to solve problems, highlighting their motivational value.
Teacher Planner for Blended Learning
A notable free or accessible resource is a teacher planner compatible with in-class and distance learning. This planner, available as a Google Slides template, is described as a "life-saver" for blended learning environments. It allows teachers to consolidate materials and resource links into one space, reducing the need for multiple tabs. Students can follow along in-class or remotely, supporting the flexibility required in modern teaching setups.
Eligibility and Participation Rules
Access to free resources from Teaching With a Mountain View is primarily available to educators, including teachers, interventionists, and coordinators. There are no geographic restrictions mentioned; the resources are designed for U.S.-based educators but may be accessible internationally through digital downloads. No purchase is required to access the Freebie Vault or guidebook—only email sign-up is needed.
Eligibility for specific resources is based on grade level and subject relevance. For example, place value materials are targeted at grades 2-4, while other resources cater to upper elementary math, reading, and writing. The platform emphasizes differentiation, so materials can be adapted for various student levels.
Participation in the email list is voluntary, and subscribers receive weekly communications. There is no mention of age restrictions, but the content is intended for professional educators. Unverified reports from third-party sites, such as Pinterest boards, suggest additional ideas and pins related to Teaching With a Mountain View, including elapsed time activities, literal vs. inferential questions, and yearbook ideas, but these are not official resources and should be treated as unconfirmed.
Digital Integration and Accessibility
Many free resources incorporate digital tools to support modern classrooms. The Google Slides format is a recurring feature, enabling paperless workflows. For instance: - Place value and factors/multiples quizzes include movable elements for interactive practice. - Error analysis resources provide digital access for student engagement. - The teacher planner template is shareable via Google Classroom or Sites.
This digital emphasis addresses blended learning needs, combining face-to-face teaching with remote flexibility. Educators can access these via the official platform after sign-up, ensuring materials are organized and up-to-date.
Community and Additional Offerings
Teaching With a Mountain View fosters a community of over 120,000 subscribers who share tips and ideas. The platform's Pinterest presence, with 2,709 pins, offers visual inspiration but is not a primary source for official freebies. Users can explore boards for ideas on topics like upper elementary math, anchor charts, and fluency task cards, though these are user-curated and not verified as official platform content.
The guidebook serves as a comprehensive entry point, with over 1,000 resources organized for easy navigation. It covers a wide range of subjects, ensuring educators can find materials tailored to their needs without sifting through unrelated content.
Conclusion
Teaching With a Mountain View provides educators with a valuable repository of free teaching resources accessible through simple email sign-up. These materials, created by an experienced teacher, focus on engaging, standards-aligned content in math and language arts, with strong digital support for blended learning. By joining the email list, educators gain instant access to a Freebie Vault, weekly tips, and a comprehensive guidebook, enabling them to enhance classroom instruction without cost. The platform's emphasis on differentiation and inquiry-based learning makes it a practical tool for U.S. teachers seeking to enrich their teaching practices.