Hands-on math is nothing new, we've known the benefits of manipulatives for decades. That said, so many of us find ourselves avoiding them for any number of reasons: We don't feel like we have time.  We're concerned that students will play with them rather than using them productively.  We know students won't be able to use them on tests.  We don't know how to use them effectively since we didn't learn math that way.  So...let's talk about these concerns straight-up so we can get to what we know is best for kids.  We'll talk about practical, pragmatic answers to these concerns.  And then we'll address ways to use manipulatives during your BTC (Building Thinking Classrooms) thinking tasks.  Whether your'e using BTC in your classroom or simply wanting to know how to use manipulatives with your students, this session is for you!