Making Math Moments That Matter

In this episode we speak with Dr. Pamela Seda. Pamela has over 30 years of educational experience and currently lives in metro Atlanta. Pamela has held various positions in mathematics education including high school mathematics teacher, math instructional coach, college math instructor, and K-12 district math supervisor and she is the co-author of Choosing To See: A Framework For Equity in the Ma...

In this episode we speak with veteran Grade 8 classroom teacher, author and current NCTM President, Kevin Dykema. Kevin spends time with us to unpack why productive struggle is a necessary part of an effective mathematics program, what we can do now to plan and implement lessons that place students in a productive struggle and how we might get key stakeholders convinced that learning in a math cla...

In this first part of a two part series  Jon & Kyle discuss break down math PD pitfalls we should all avoid so that we can support, encourage, and build engaged educators who want to spark curiosity and fuel sense making in students.  In this first part we’ll unpack how to avoid the Do As I Say Not As I Do PD sessions, how to avoid the PD Trap, and how to stop force feeding professional develo...

In this episode, we speak with one of our mentor’s, Jim Strachan. Jim authored the work Mentoring For All and has been instrumental in developing successful mentorship programs here in Ontario.  Stick with us and you’ll hear enlightening moment after enlightening moment. Jim shares how to apply some easy to remember (but hard to do) mentoring moves. He helps us learn how we can build foundational...

In this episode Jon & Kyle discuss whether calculators are good or bad for mathematics learning. Dig in with them as they chat about their past calculator #classroomfails and how they now position their mathematics lessons to more strategically consider when and where it might be helpful for students to leverage the use of a calculator. You’ll Learn:  How I can optimize my learning intentional...

In this live taping of the Make Math Moments That Matter Podcast Jon & Kyle visit the 2022 Annual NCTM Conference in Los Angeles. The discuss how conferences can “fill your bucket” as well as hear key takeaways from conference attendees.  Stick around and you’ll learn how you too can fill your bucket.  You’ll Learn:  Why conferences are so much more than just learning sessions;  Why mimicking...

In this episode we speak with Anna Clark all about how to fit a square peg in a round hole. Yes, we’re talking about standards based grading and rigid gradebook programs and policies. Anna is just starting her second year and is currently teaching 8th grade. Together we develop a plan for her to take all of her formative assessment data she’s collected and fit it into her district grading program....

In this episode Jon & Kyle discuss the importance of building both math content knowledge and pedagogical-content knowledge when designing your own or your district professional development plans .  Stick around and you’ll hear their stories of how they realized they needed to be effective at both content and pedagogy so they could survive and thrive in the classroom. You’ll also learn where y...

What do you envision for mathematics teaching and learning in your math class? While we all want teachers and students to feel capable and confident each day in our mathematics classrooms, we must take time to think and reflect on what specifically would contribute to helping us reach that goal. In this episode Jon & Kyle help you to craft a Magic Wand Wish List that you can use to help shape...

In this episode we speak with TL Eller around developing assessment tools and routines to capture student understanding of their multiplication facts.  TL is a 3rd / 4th grade educator from Grove City Pennsylvania who has been on a career-long journey to help her students develop fluency and flexibility around math facts. In this chat we help TL focus her next moves on developing some easy to impl...

In this episode we speak with professor, author, speaker Jennifer Bay-Williams. Dr. Bay-Williams is an internationally respected mathematics educator, a prolific author and popular speaker on topics related to effective mathematics teaching. Her most recent work has focused on fluency in mathematics, communicating that it is more than learning facts and algorithms, but is about being able to reaso...

What do I do after I finish a lesson? How does practice fit in? Do I have enough time to build conceptual understanding using a problem-based lesson AND still build fluency?  In this episode Kyle and Jon share how they design lessons to meet these common “pebbles in our shoes” and while still covering the content standards.  You’ll learn:  How to teach through problem based lessons with intentiona...

Today we bring on Laura Tomas for a record third appearance. Laura has been an educator for 31 years, she’s a math coach and fellow podcast host from Palm Beach Florida.  Laura chats with us today about providing support during the pandemic, why school leaders and coaches need to step into a teaching role on a regular basis, how to build a mentor/mentee relationship without pushing too hard, and h...

Have you ever met a math guru who shreds the keytar and just so happens to be in a rock band that opened for Bon Jovi? Vanessa Vakharia aka The Math Guru joins us on the show today to talk about why stereotypes are the biggest obstacle when it comes to teaching math, why failing Grade 11 math twice was the best thing that ever happened to her, and why the world would be a better place if math was...

When we hop on our Monthly Q&A Calls with Academy Members or Mentorship Calls with District Math Leaders, one of the largest barriers to transforming mathematics pedagogy and educator content knowledge is time. With a seemingly never ending list of mandatory “to do’s” and a jam packed list of mathematics standards to uncover, it shouldn’t be a surprise. In today’s episode, we’ll be digging int...

In this episode we discuss how to use trickery or influence in your math class for good. We’ll discuss the difference between moral influence and immorary trickery; how educators could and should consider methods of moral influence to promote building student proficiency and a productive disposition towards mathematics; we’ll show you examples of helpful influence and less helpful influence; and,...

In this episode we speak with Chris Shore all about changing the world and why clothesline math is the master number sense maker. Chris has spent 33 years in education helping students understand their mathematical identities and he’s here with us to give you resources and ideas around a great teaching tool.  You’ll Learn:  How curiosity can spark students to ask “why” and dig into math more deepl...

In episode 189 we discussed all things assessment and standards based grading with guru Tom Schimmer. We knew you had follow up questions around assessing in your classroom so in this episode we’re sharing a question and answer session we had with members of the Make Math Moments Academy all around assessment with standards based grading.  Stick around and you’ll hear answers to:  How to blend sta...

Today we speak with an independent education author, speaker, and consultant from Vancouver, BC. Over the course of his career he has been a classroom teacher, school administrator, and district level leader. Tom is an internationally recognized leader and expert in the areas of assessment, grading, RTI, and educational leadership. In our discussion we’ll discuss which assessment practices are tim...

In this episode, we’re excited to bring back two of our past educator guests for a discussion about supporting teachers through instructional coaching. We spoke with Jess Michalchuk back in Episode 169 on the topic of Building Math Moment Makers and we spoke with Lana Steiner in Episode 143 on How To Effectively Capture Observations and Conversations; two very highly regarded episodes! Today we ge...

Do you have students who struggle with math in your classroom? How can we get them to take the earbuds out and actually put in effort in our classes? On today’s episode we talk to Juliana Tapper from CollaboratEd and cover misconceptions about teaching students who struggle with math plus get some actionable tips about how to get these students more engaged.  Juliana taught Algebra 1 and Math Inte...

In this Where Are They Now? episode, we speak with Tom Marker, a 6th grade teacher from Ohio. Tom is back to update us on how he has progressed moving students away from relying on algorithms towards reasoning and applying strategies when solving problems. After an update from Tom, you’ll hear the current pebble knocking around in his shoe as he seeks to find balance when it comes to the expectati...

In this Math Mentoring Moment Episode, we speak with Jonathan Lind, a high school math teacher currently teaching at an American school in Qatar! Over his career, he has been working to build a more authentic math classroom starting with assessment as he leverages the power of problem solving and communication.. This is a Math Moment Maker Reflection episode where we talk with a member of our fant...

It has been a long school year for those in the Northern Hemisphere! Whether you are already off on summer break like our friends in the Southern States of the U.S. or whether you’re eagerly looking to the end of June like our Friends here in Canada, the time to rest, reflect and recharge for the next school year is upon us.  In this episode, we will dig into some of the most impactful learning we...

In this episode, we sit down for a chat with Dr. Tashana Howse, an associate professor of mathematics education at Georgia Gwinnett College. With over 22 years in mathematics education, Tashana has a wealth of experience teaching in the high school classroom and now helps to develop the teachers of tomorrow through preservice teacher education courses.  Stick around as we dive into Tashana’s Make...