Making Math Moments That Matter

Are your students' math struggles rooted in what they know—or how they feel about math? If your math learners seem disengaged, anxious, or convinced they're just “not math people,” you’re not alone—and it’s not a curriculum issue. Decades of research show that emotions drive attention, memory, and learning. That means even the best-planned lesson can fall flat if students come in carryin...

If you’ve ever walked out of a math coaching session wondering whether you made an impact, you’re not alone. Many instructional coaches step into the role because they were strong in the classroom—but math coaching teachers requires a different skillset. You’re no longer the expert in front of the room; you’re the thinking partner beside it. And that shift can be tough. This episode explores how t...

Are we underestimating what young math learners can do with algebra — just because they’re young? If you've ever watched a student skip the reasoning and jump straight into "finding the answer," you're not alone. In this episode, Yvette Lehman shares a raw, real experience that started with a misstep and turned into a breakthrough. Through a single change in how she worded a ma...

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack the difference between long-term objectives and short-term key results. Through a real coaching conversation, they explore how to define milestones that reflect real progress—even when the win is simply establishing a structure or doing what you said you’d do. Not all results have impact right away—and that’s okay. In this episode, you’ll discover:...

It’s early in the school year. You’re reviewing student math work and noticing some red flags—math concepts that should be solid just aren’t there. But when you check their file, you see As and Bs from last year. So what now? In this episode, we unpack the tension many educators face: How do you trust your math professional judgment while navigating a system that sends mixed messages? How do you r...

Book talks have become a popular way to spark professional learning, but in many cases, they don’t go far enough to create real change—especially in math. In this episode, we explore how to take math book talks to the next level by transforming them from simple discussions into actionable learning opportunities. We’ll break down the difference between a book talk and a book do, share what we’ve se...

It’s a familiar challenge— when it comes to deciding which math operation to use, students get stuck. In this episode, we explore one of the often overlooked reasons: a lack of understanding around mathematical structure and behaviour. We dive into what’s really needed for students to confidently choose the appropriate operator, with a focus on structure—not only strategies or models. Using divisi...

Is your math coaching program truly transforming classroom practice—or just treading water? Many districts wrestle with whether coaching is worth the investment or how to maximize its impact. If you've ever wondered why some schools see real progress while others stall while striving for sustainable math improvement—despite similar coaching setups—this episode unpacks the hidden reasons behin...

Is it possible for teachers to have both autonomy in their math classroom and alignment with district goals? In this episode, we challenge the idea that autonomy and alignment are opposing forces. Instead, we explore how they can work together to create strong, consistent math programs while still honouring professional judgement and instructional creativity. From pacing guides to new resources, w...

In this episode, we reflect on a challenge many math leaders face: the risk of presenting ourselves with false authority. Whether we’re facilitating professional learning, supporting instructional coaches, or engaging in school- or district-wide math conversations, strong convictions can easily be mistaken for certainty. But leading meaningful change in mathematics education requires something dif...

Math Screeners… Diagnostics… Assessments… It’s easy to get lost in the language of math data. In this episode, we unpack the similarities and differences between math screeners and diagnostics, share where we stand on the topic, and offer insights from real classroom experiences. We’ll talk about the benefits we’ve seen, the challenges that can trip up implementation, and how to use these tools to...

We know school administrators play a crucial role in driving long-term math improvement—but what happens when you're a coach or teacher leader trying to create change without formal authority? In this episode, we dive into the practical side of leading from the middle. If you're trying to build a team, clarify roles, and move math goals forward—this conversation is for you. You’ll hear a...

Fresh from the 2025 NCTE-NCTM conference in Chicago, our team reflects on one powerful math instructional routine that stood out—an approach that sparked ideas for both classroom practice and professional learning design. In this episode, we highlight a key move from Annie Forest’s session, rooted in the cooperative learning strategies of Spencer Kagan, that helped create a clear balance between d...

We know principals are busy—constantly managing urgent issues and putting out fires. But we also know this: school-level change is the most powerful lever we have for improving student learning in math. So the real question is: are we setting school leaders up for success? In this episode, we help you reflect on your current systems and support structures using a simple leadership audit: How are w...

The end of the school year can feel like a whirlwind—agitated students, hot classrooms, and a growing list of to-dos. But before rushing into summer, we need to pause, reflect, and make space for restoration and inspiration. In this episode, we help you reframe the homestretch—not as something to survive, but as a chance to celebrate growth, restore your energy, and set intentions for the summer a...

We know principals are busy—constantly managing urgent issues and putting out fires. But we also know this: school-level change is the most powerful lever we have for improving student learning in math. So the real question is: are we setting school leaders up for math success? In this episode, we help schools and districts reflect on their current systems and support structures using a simple lea...

Summer learning loss in math is real—and it doesn’t affect all students equally. In this episode, we explore how the summer slide disproportionately impacts historically marginalized students and what teachers can do now to change that trajectory for mathematics. From family partnerships to incentive programs and low-effort prep ideas, we’ll walk you through practical ways to support continued lea...

Math curriculums and standards are more ambitious than ever—often asking teachers to cover more than a year's worth of learning in less than 10 months. Many districts have wisely taken the first step by identifying priority math standards. But the real magic happens in what comes next: unpacking those standards. In this episode, we dive into what it really means to unpack a math standard. We’...

We were told to move away from flashcards, multiplication drills, and timed tests in math class—and for good reason. These practices didn’t support mathematical reasoning and often damaged student confidence and identity. But in our well-intentioned shift, many educators were left asking: What do we do instead?  In this episode, we reflect on what we got right and where we missed the mark in our a...

As the school year winds down, it’s time to reflect—not react on your math impact. In this episode, we dive into one of the most important (and often skipped) parts of sustainable change for math programs: reflection and intentional decision-making. Using the Adopt, Adapt, Abandon protocol, we’ll guide you through how to evaluate what worked, what can be improved, and what truly needs to go in you...

On a recent coaching call, we spoke with a new teacher who was feeling great about a math quiz her students had just aced—until she wasn’t. The quiz focused on using the array model for multiplication, and students were awarded points for drawing the array and getting the right product. But when we looked deeper, something didn’t sit right: Did these scores truly reflect her students’ understandin...

Planning a full-day professional development session for math can feel like a golden opportunity—and a daunting challenge. How do you make the most of extended time with educators while keeping energy high, engagement strong, and math learning impactful?  In this episode, we reflect on our most recent full-day math PD session and unpack the choices we made—what paid off and what we’d do differentl...

In this reflective and candid episode, we dive into the lessons we’ve learned since shifting to a task-based approach to teaching math. With over 19 years (combined) of experience experimenting, adjusting, and growing, we each share one key insight we wish we had known earlier. From choosing the right math task to setting up your classroom for engagement and productive struggle, we unpack the subt...

How do you know if your district’s math improvement plan is truly making an impact—and can you prove it before the test scores roll in? If you're a district math leader overwhelmed by fragmented documents, unclear goals, and scattered PD efforts, this episode will feel like a reset button. Too often, school systems lack a cohesive strategy for driving measurable, sustainable math gains. This...

What happens when two math teachers throw out homework, redefine grading and assessment, and make student growth the heart of every math lesson? Too many classrooms are dominated by points, pressure, and compliance. But what if your students actually chased learning—without sacrificing test scores or accountability? In this episode, Keenan Clark and Jake Towers join Jon Orr to reveal how they tran...