Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr

Making Math Moments That Matter

Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students.  As a teacher are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings?  As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making? Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have...

Author

Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr

Category

Education

Podcast website

makemathmoments.com

Latest episode

Jul 6, 2026

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Episodes

#58: How We Started Math Council and Why You Should, Too! 06.01.2020

Today we speak with Craig Guthrie and Brenda Delduca as they share their insights, wisdom and experience on starting up a math council in their school. Craig and Brenda both joined our very own Kyle Pearce among others in an international project with Canada and Norway.    Stick with us as they’ll also share what they learned about the power of student voice from visiting schools in Norway and how...

#57 A Year Under Our Belts 30.12.2019

In this last episode of 2019 Kyle and Jon share their big success for the year, dive behind the scenes on the podcast, and discuss their plans and goals for 2020.    You’ll Learn:    How the podcast came to be; How the podcast reaches educators worldwide;  What’s the process from start to end to make a podcast; What big successes did Kyle & Jon have this year; and,  What the future looks like...

#56 Authoring Our Math Identities - An Interview with Lauren Baucom 23.12.2019

That there is the highly respected math educator Lauren Baucom. Lauren is  from North Carolina and we chat with her today about her powerful and eye opening 2019 NCTM presentation “Whose Mathematics Is It anyways? (De)Tracking of Teachers & Students”   Stick around to hear how you can help students author their identities in math class; How math class should be like the Lauren’s Favourite TV s...

#55 - Seeing Before Showing: An Interview with Sara VanDerWerf 16.12.2019

This week we chat with Sara VanDerWerf, former K-12 Math Lead with Minneapolis Public Schools who taught grades 7 through 12, the President of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and independent mathematics consultant. Lean in as we chat with Sara about her journey from being a fast “calculator” in her own K through 12 learning experience to focusing on making student thinking visibl...

#54 What does an effective math block look like? A Math Mentoring Moment 09.12.2019

Today we speak with Rob Baier, a math learning specialist from southern Pennsylvania who is wondering what a truly effective math learning block should look like. What you’re about to hear is another Math Mentoring Moment Episode where we speak with a math moment maker like you who is struggling with an idea and together we brainstorm a plan for improvement.  Stick with us as we frame out with Rob...

#53 Open Middle Math: An Interview with Robert Kaplinsky 02.12.2019

This week we sit down with problem creator, national presenter, and now author,  Robert Kaplinsky. In this tip-filled episode we chat with Robert about how to implement problem based lessons so kids high 5 each other, how we can squeeze open middle problems into our routines and why we should, and finally we chat about Robert’s mission to provide great professional development to teachers no matte...

#52 The Purpose of Assessment: A Math Mentoring Moment 25.11.2019

Today we talk about a big concern from many teachers!! --- Assessment in math class. More specifically we speak with Steven Sevel, a teacher from Vaughan Ontario and our online Make math Moments Academy who has joined us for a math mentoring moment episode. Like many of us in the Math Moment Maker Community, Steven is continually asking questions about the best way to assess his students. Stay wit...

#51: Reimagining the work done in math classrooms: An Interview with Jose Vilson 18.11.2019

This week we talk with Jose Vilson, an educator from Harlem New York. Jose is a national speaker, an author he was  named one of GOOD Inc.’s GOOD100 in 2013 of leaders changing their worlds and an Aspen Ideas Scholar in 2013. He has also spoken at TEDxNYED, Education Writers Association Annual Conference, Netroots Nation, The US Department of Education, and the Save Our Schools March.  His blog, T...

#50: How To Get High IMPACT PD FROM YOUR COUCH: The Make Math Moments Virtual Summit 11.11.2019

Join Jon & Kyle in this episode while they share why they created a math PD virtual summit, how it works, and why you NEED to register. Listen in as they outline classroom struggles many teachers have and how the summit sessions will help minimize those struggles.  You’ll Learn:  How to access high impact math PD from your couch.  How we can bring curiosity, wonder and joy into the math classr...

#49: Adding Parents To The Equation: An Interview with Hilary Kreisberg & Matthew Beyranevand 04.11.2019

We have two wonderful and hilariously entertaining educators who are passionate about helping parents navigate math education. Hilary Kresiberg and Matthew Beyranevand have co authored an amazing book called Adding Parents To The Equation . Stick around and learn how to help parents help their children with math at home, what resources parents can use to help nurture mathematics with their childre...

#48: Three Levels of Learning Goals - A Math Mentoring Moment 28.10.2019

This week we chat with an eighth grade teacher in his 6th year of teaching trying to hash through resource overwhelm, assessment techniques, frameworks, and community building. In this Math Mentoring Moment episode Aseem Kelly shares with us the three levels of learning goals in math class, how to choose the best resources for your students, and how to narrow your focus so that your students can s...

# 47 How Social Media & Reflection Strengthens PD! 21.10.2019

Today we speak with our good friend and colleague David Petro. David is the Math Coordinator for the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board in Windsor Ontario Canada, the current OAME President, and Ontario’s resident math lessons curator.  David has been  actively sharing resources on his website and on twitter for years.  We chat with David about resource sharing, online learning, what his...

#46: How do I spark a love of learning in my fellow educators. A Math Mentoring Moment 14.10.2019

Today on this Math Mentoring Episode we speak with Laura Tomas from Palm Beach county in Florida. Laura ‘s been teaching for 27 years and she’s an instructional coach for her school. Laura chats with us today about how we can spark the love of learning in our fellow teachers and colleagues. Stick around while we talk about how being vulnerable can allow you to become a better educator, how you can...

#45 - Global Math Week, Exploding Dots, and James Tanton 07.10.2019

Today we bring back one of our very first guests: James Tanton back on the show! We love talking to James because he is so passionate about the discipline of mathematics and he has some exciting, timely news to share!  We chatted with James way back in episode #6 where we discussed his math background, his memorable math moment and his passionate views on mathematics. If you haven’t got a chance t...

#44 - Building Math Minds: An Interview with Christina Tondevold 30.09.2019

Today we speak with the recovering traditionalist Christina Tondevold. Christina previously taught mathematics traditionally much like we did and Now she gets to work with teachers in developing students’ mathematical understandings in ways that are not limited by the traditional ways of doing and teaching mathematics through her site BuildMathMinds.com where you can get PD in Your PJs.  Stick wit...

#43 The Missing Voices In Math: An interview With Rafranz Davis 23.09.2019

Today we speak with the author of The Missing Voices in Edtech: Bringing Diversity into Edtech. Rafranz Davis. Rafranz is an instructional technologist and national speaker that uses her voice to challenge those in education communities on topics of edtech, equity, and diversity in education.  In this episode we speak with Rafranz on what experiences she’s had that shaped her beliefs and values on...

#42: How Do I Spiral My Math Standards Without Spiralling Out Of Control! [Part 2 of A Math Mentoring Moment] 16.09.2019

This week Michael Rubin from our Math Mentoring Moment Episode #40 is back to continue the conversation from proceeding vs. pivoting to organizing his course content. Yes, this episode packs in a great conversation about Spiralling your math standards WITHOUT spiralling out of control. If you haven’t yet listened to episode #40, be sure to STOP - and GO LISTEN NOW! If you already HAVE listened, th...

#41 - Math Gals: An Interview With Chrissy Newell 09.09.2019

In this episode we speak to Chrissy Newell, a math projects coordinator from California who has been leading the #MathGals movement. We chat with Chrissy about how we can raise awareness to underrepresented women in the field of mathematics and also what we can do to empower girls in math class so they can thrive while they have a sense of belonging.  Stick around while Chrissy shares three action...

#40: How Do I Know When To Proceed Or Pivot My Plan? [Math Mentoring Moment] 02.09.2019

This week we speak with Michael Rubin, a Math Moment Maker who has been diving into a TON of Math Professional Learning over the past year as he gears up to make a return to the math classroom. Join in on the conversation as Michael shares his recent successes learning from the many math educators sharing online, our weekly tasks/tips/tools weekly email, as well as some epiphanies he’s had since t...

#39: Everyone Can Learn Math: An Interview with Alice Aspinall 26.08.2019

We are excited to bring you this episode with Alice Aspinall, author of the children’s book Everyone Can learn Math. Alice is a high school math teacher here in the Windsor Ontario area. We chat with Alice about how her book is helping families change the way they talk about math at home.  Why you should read Everyone Can Learn Math with your kids.  Why it’s important to use positive language when...

#38: How to Move Beyond Answer Getting. A Math Mentoring Moment 19.08.2019

In this Math Mentoring Moment episode we speak with a year 1 (first grade) teacher Sierra Classen in her second year of teaching from Melbourne, Australia. Listen in as we work through this common struggle we have all faced - either currently or in the past - related to students hyper focusing on answer getting over process.  You’ll Learn:  Strategies to help your students re-think the purpose of...

#37 Hook, Line, & Sinker: An Interview with John Rowe 12.08.2019

This week we speak with an Aussie John Rowe. John is a Math Coach from Adelaide Australia he’s put together a great resource for you on tasks for the math class and he’s also a Demsos wizard! Listen in as John shares his 5-day professional development plan for teachers, why he thinks Twitter is one of the most useful professional development sources we can have, and how to use his Hook, Line &...

#36: How To Start The School Year Off Right 05.08.2019

Summer vacation is soon coming to a close. If you’re like us, you've been thinking about that first day for that last week or so. You’ve prepared activities, organized classrooms, laminated everything you can get our hands on, and scrounged the internet for the best deal on dry-erase markers. School is back in and we want to dedicate this episode to the first day of class.  We’re sharing our...

#35: Visible Learning: An Interview with John Hattie 29.07.2019

This week we speak with John Hattie, a co-author of the Visible Learning Book series which has been a foundation for effective teaching practice and change for so many districts across the world.  We chat with John about the research into good learning strategies, how he conducted his research and how he uses effect size to compare teaching & learning strategies. We learn about the difference...

#34: Step Into STEAM: An Interview With Sarah Bush 22.07.2019

This week we chat with Sarah Bush, an Associate Professor of K-12 STEM Education University of Central, she’s on the Board of Directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and she’s co-authored the book Step Into STEAM . We sat down with sarah to get the inside scoop on what steam is, how it looks in real classrooms, why we should be considering this approach and how we can get sta...

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