Making Math Moments That Matter

How can we engage our students for the entire class with grade level content? Puzzles aligned to grade level standards is one answer.  In this episode we speak with Gordon Hamilton from Mathpickle.com who designs mathematical puzzles for K-12 classrooms.  Stick with us and you’ll learn How to use puzzles to teach grade level standards, how to challenge students who tend to move through problems fa...

It can feel frustrating and overwhelming and you’ll feel like you’re forced to “go back to the drawing board” when your curriculum resource is pulled away from you.  What do we consider when trying to select a new curriculum resource? Are we supposed to create our own resources from scratch?  As educators, we are constantly facing the challenge of adapting our teaching methods to improve student u...

Each and every year, district and school mathematics leadership teams spend countless hours crafting lofty goals and monitoring plans, but struggle to state measurable improvement in effective teacher practice and student gains.  If you’ve ever wondered:  How can I create a pd action plan that teachers view as useful and not “just adding to their plates”? We feel like we have many of the necessary...

Ever felt like you're just "sprinkling fairy dust" in your educational role without making a real impact? This Math Mentoring is for every educator leader, math coach, or math coordinator grappling with the challenge of supporting teachers making meaningful changes in their teaching methods. It delves into the real-world struggles and victories of a math consultant navigating the co...

When you shift your teaching practices from “I do, we do, you” to a problem based approach that engages students to think first you will often be led to question how you give feedback to students.  In this episode we speak with Diane Hamilton, an elementary classroom teacher from Toronto Ontario.  Diane has been implementing the 14 strategies from Peter Liljedahl’s book Building Thinking Classroom...

Ever wondered how to transform math class into every student's favorite subject? Join us in this episode as we dive into the world of #MathPlay with Libo Valencia, a passionate high school math teacher from New York and author who believes in shaping the future of mathematics through engaging and playful teaching strategies. Explore the transformative power of Math Play with Libo Valencia, wh...

How can you transform your middle school classroom with problem-based lessons while overcoming personal insecurities and teaching doubts? In this mentoring moment episode we speak with Joanne Ward, a middle school teacher from Taipei Taiwan who is tackling a common challenge faced by educators: the uncertainty and lack of confidence in implementing problem-based lessons.  Stick around and you’ll l...

Have you ever wondered how to ensure your teaching actions align seamlessly with your educational philosophies? How close is your practice with your preach?  In this episode we speak with Felicia Favela, a veteran 8th grade pre-algebra teacher from Phoenix Arizona who knows that in the realm of education, consistency between what we say and what we do is pivotal but still wonders how closely she’s...

Are you struggling to turn your ambitious math educational goals into tangible results in your classroom or district? Have you been asking: Where should I focus the efforts of my district math pd plan for the remainder of this year and following years? This episode of "Making Math Moments That Matter" is crucial for educators and district leaders of mathematics who are seeking practical...

Explore the often unspoken struggles that even seasoned math teachers encounter when grappling with concepts in middle and high school grades. Gain insights into the power of anecdotal assessments for both understanding students and refining your own assessment practices. Discover practical approaches to implementing standards-based grading without getting lost in individual grades, and unravel th...

As educators of mathematics around the world embrace the ideas shared in Building Thinking Classrooms, more and more students are being positioned to think collaboratively during math class instead of simply mimicking steps, rules, and procedures.  While this shift in mathematics teaching practice is a massive leap in the right direction, our work does not stop once students solve the thinking tas...

Curious about the transformative power of leadership in mathematics education? Ever felt the challenge of aligning your strategic plan when it seems like you're constantly putting out fires? Join us in this episode where we unravel the critical importance of seeking support in leadership roles and dive into a conversation with Rob Baier, Executive Director of Mathematics and STEM at Pittsburg...

As educators of mathematics around the world embrace the ideas shared in Building Thinking Classrooms, more and more students are being positioned to think collaboratively during math class instead of simply mimicking steps, rules, and procedures.  While this shift in mathematics teaching practice is a massive leap in the right direction, our work does not stop once students solve the thinking tas...

Have you ever wondered why creating a safe space for students in mathematics class is crucial? This episode of The Making Math Moments That Matter Podcast explores this question and unveils insights that will reshape the way you think about math education. In a world where educational equity is a pressing concern, ensuring that schools are safe places for students becomes paramount. This episode d...

Today we speak with Michael Finley, the academic dean for math and science at a K-12 independent school.  Michael's staff is questioning their work in building thinking classrooms and how it serves high achieving students.  Listen in as we brainstorm strategies to uncover micro moves and macro plans to build a classroom culture that allows a thinking classroom to emerge.   This is another Mat...

Today we speak with Diana Worthen, a 10th grade math teacher from Denver Colorado. In our discussion we help to shake out a common pebble in an educator's shoes: How to keep students engaged during practice time. Stick around and you’ll hear why students tend to “shut down” after a teacher led lesson; how to be more targeted with your 1 on 1 support with your students; and how to structure yo...

Join us for an uplifting conversation with Mike Lipnos, a middle school teacher and math coach from Ohio. In this episode Mike shares his experience and insights on helping teachers build ownership and agency for students in their mathematics classrooms.  We discuss how some teacher moves ultimately shut the door on students seeking higher levels of mathematics, and how young people are thinking b...

Join us in the latest episode as we dive into the world of mathematics education with Shayla Heavner, the visionary founder of MathBait™. With over a decade of experience and a prestigious Sarah D. Barder Fellowship Award for teaching excellence under her belt, Shayla has been on a mission to revolutionize math education. As a certified online teacher and master reviewer for Quality Matters, Shayl...

In this where are they now mentoring moment episode we speak again with Adam Love; Adam joined us back on episode 120 when he was as first year teacher from Myrtle Beach South Carolina.  3 years later and a wealth of ideas, teaching strategies, and many lessons learned Adam is here to discuss how to help students show their thinking in multiple ways.  This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode...

Get ready Math Moment Makers for a great “call” with Crystal Frommert, who will be sharing some great tips and strategies that we can put to use to promote productive conversations with parents - especially when the news isn’t necessarily positive.  We’ve all been there before: a student is experiencing struggles in our math class and the time has come where we must make that informative call to e...

Are you on track to hit the goals you set out for yourself, your school, your district? It’s December, which often marks the half-way point of the school year and also a great time to check your progress on your program’s action plan.  It’s quite likely that the busy-ness of school has taken you away from your intended focus on what really matters in your school or district’s math program.  In thi...

We welcome back Ryan Kinzler, an 8th grade teacher from Pittsburg. Ryan is here to fill us in on the changes he’s made in his classroom since he last spoke with us over two years ago.  He shares how the teacher moves he implemented resulted in his best year ever and then subsequently followed by his worst year ever.  In this episode we dig into the differences between the two years and help Ryan s...

“I’m not a math person.” I’m sure that is something you two have heard more than once. But have you ever heard someone say, “I am not a reading person?” It seemingly is socially acceptable to be bad at math, but there may be more to it, including the underdiagnosis of dyscalculia .  The research shows…  Dyscalculia is less well known, and there are fewer screening and diagnostic tools (Jaya, 2009)...

This week we bring on another 2023 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit speaker: Fawn Nguyen!  Fawn is on the Math Advance Team at Amplify Desmos Math . She was a math coach for a K-8 school district for three years. Before that, Fawn was a middle school teacher for 30 years. Fawn was the 2014 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. In 2009, she was awarded the Math Teacher Hero from Raytheon. In 2005, sh...

Join us for a lovely chat with Kendra Jacobs about mathematizing our world around us and bringing it into our classrooms.  Listen in and learn the one simple thing you can do in your classroom to get students to enjoy mathematics instead of despise it.  Kendra is an adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, facilitating ‘Teaching Children Numeracy’ and ‘Numeracy for Diverse...