Math on the Rocks

The California Math Council puts on three conferences a year…actually, two conferences and one symposium. They are three of the finest state/regional conferences in the nation. The CMC South conference is in November in Palm Springs The CMC North conference is in December in Asilomar The CMC Central conference is in March in Bakersfield Well…Scott, Cole, and Duane just finished the symposium, so S...

Cole and Duane went to Dallas to learn about curriculum-based professional learning from the fine folks at Learning Forward. We had a great time getting to know the Texas representatives. Arynn was willing to record an impromptu podcast, so we recorded a conversation outside near the hotel pool! We look forward to further conversations with Arynn! RESOURCES… ✚  About Learning Forward:      https:/...

Pam joins our monthly webinar series to share her profound thoughts on using problem strings to help students develop strategies based on number relationships. She guides us through experiencing real math like the real mathematicians do. You will need to listen to the ENTIRE podcast to learn what Pam means by " seeing the shark " and " avoiding traps ". RESOURCES… ✚  About Pam...

While Cole was driving to Anaheim (again), the boys got together to chat some more about mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and why it is so important for teachers to have it. Who is responsible for supporting teachers in their development of MKT? When is it supposed to happen? We have more questions than answers in this episode. RESOURCES… ✚  Register for our webinar with Pam Harris (Febru...

While Cole is away doing important stuff, Scott and Duane talk about high-quality instructional materials and the importance of mathematical knowledge for teaching. If high-quality instructional materials are like a great set of golf clubs, we now need to learn how to swing the club and hit the ball. HQIM without MKT is like golf clubs without any golf coaching. RESOURCES… ✚  High-Quality Instruct...

Albert was one of our guests during the live podcast recording Cole and Duane did during the 2024 CMC-South Conference in Palm Springs. Albert also has the dubious distinction of being one of our first REPEAT guests on Math on the Rocks; his first appearance was July, 2024. He celebrates this repeat performance with Two Truths and a Lie. Then we spend a ton of time talking about how to make math e...

Fawn was one of our guests during the live podcast recording Cole and Duane did during the 2024 CMC-South Conference in Palm Springs. Fawn is a deep thinker about teacher moves and procedures to increase student engagement in the math classroom. Her episode is full of simple, but deeply impactful, ideas for teachers. RESOURCES… ✚  Visual Patterns       https://www.visualpatterns.org/   ✚  Californ...

What the heck does a title like that even mean? Casee Andree explains it all in this engaging webinar Cole recorded while Duane was out galavanting around. Casee is the Senior Math content Specialist at Carnegie Learning. In this episode Casee shares his thinking about that characteristics of high-quality instructional materials and how we might prepare for the Drivers of Investigation.  The Drive...

Pam Seda joins us for another live recording from the California Math Council South Conference in Palm Spring in November 2024. Pam Seda is one of the authors of the phenomenal book called Choosing to See. It provides the ICUCARE framework for ensuring equity in math education. We might want equity in our classrooms, but perhaps we don't know how to achieve it. Moreover, we might not know how...

Phil Daro joins us for another episode that Cole and Duane recorded live at the California Math Council South Conference in Palm Spring in November 2024. Phil is one of the authors of the Common Core Mathematics Standards. He was Duane's boss and mentor 20 years ago at eh National Council on Education and the Economy and is one of the most thought-provoking mathematics educators in the nation....

Steve Leinwand joins us to share his passionate belief that the traditional Algebra II curriculum (heck...all of high school math) often includes unnecessary repetition and outdated content, advocating for a more focused and relevant approach to the material that builds upon strong foundational algebra skills learned in earlier grades, emphasizing real-world applications and deeper conceptual unde...

Yolande Beckles was our guest for a live recording at the CMC South Conference in Palm Springs, November 2024. Her energy and passion are absolutely infectious!  In this episode she shares a vision of a "classroom that represents me". Amazing. RESOURCES… Principles for the Design of Mathematics Curricula and MLRs https://ul.stanford.edu/resource/principles-design-mathematics-curricula-and-mlrs Reg...

What a gift the Math on the Rocks community received! Deborah Crayton was referred to us from a friend of a friend of a friend. The math community really stepped up! Deborah knocked our socks off with her take on how to build community by inspiring curiosity. Of course, this doesn't happen without some deliberate moves on the part of the teacher. Deborah shares those moves!  RESOURCES… Principles...

Cathy Williams was our guest for a live recording at the CMC South Conference in Palm Springs. She brings the heat regarding modernizing what good mathematics and mathematics instruction should look like. What should math class in the 21st century look like and how should we support teachers make the transition? RESOURCES… Register for our conferences: Register for CMC Central Symposium in Bakersf...

Hilda shows why she is a leader in California on equity and access in mathematics. In this episode, Hilda shares how to value and identify our students' knowledge and skills that exist outside the classroom. And then she shares how to use that information to plan relevant mathematics that students can connect to and build strong math identities. RESOURCES… Hilda's slides: https://docs.google.com/p...

Duane and Scott get together to bounce around ideas for how to get students more engaged in math class. Sheesh…we came up with sooooo many ideas. BTW - hang tight! Duane is still editing the live episodes from CMC South conference. Read Chapter 2 of the 2023 California Mathematics Framework to learn more about the Three Dimensions of Systemic Change: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/   RESOURCES… R...

Duane and Cole get together in a room to prepare for the SEVEN live sessions we will be doing at CMC-Couth Conference in Palm Springs. We finally announce the seven guests who will be joining us. We spend most of our conversation discussing the newly released 2023 CAASPP scores and share what we are doing to get districts back to pre-pandemic achievement levels. Listen to this podcast to hear what...

In this episode we replay the webinar we recently hosted with the remarkable Dr Kyndall Brown. Kyndall is currently the executive director of the California Mathematics Project. In addition to presenting at local, state, and national conferences on mathematics education, Kyndall also writes articles for mathematics education publications. His research focuses on the impact of culture and identity...

Duane and Cole talk about how to work with the teacher next door to you who might be very skeptical of the kind of teaching CMC, NCTM, and the California Mathematics Framework would like to see in the classroom. RESOURCES… Register for CMC South Conference in Palm Springs, November 7-9, 2024:  https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference Register for CMC North Conference in Asilomar, December 6-8,...

The boys from Math on the Rocks is going on the road! We will be recording SEVEN live podcast episodes at the CMC-South Conference in Palm Springs, November 8 & 9, 2024. In this episode we play with our new recording equipment by talking about NIM and the keynote Duane delivered at the Kern County Math Council Fall Conference. RESOURCES… Here are the slides from Duane's keynote presentation: h...

In this episode we replay the webinar we recently hosted with the effervescent Brandon Smith. Brandon is the Director of Mathematics Innovation and Lead Mathematician at MIND Education and he comes sharing his thoughts about how to unlock the loy in math class.   RESOURCES… MIND Research Institute: https://www.mindresearch.org/ MathMINDS games: https://www.mindresearch.org/mathminds Learn about fu...

In this episode Cole pulls his car over to record the episode near a random vineyard. Scott shows up…late, but better late than NEVER. Duane is just in his office. We talk about how to  incorporate big ideas into your math lessons. RESOURCES… Duane's video on YouTube about sorting and comparing decimals: https://youtu.be/qiQW-wlpHC0?si=xPrAbtLbXJm5vQlG 5 Components of Equitable and Engaging Te...

In this episode we get the band back together. We enjoyed our summer break, but school is back in session and we've got our game faces on again. Cole is wondering what the heck Big ideas are and how they may or may not conflict with some of the basic tenets of PLC work. We dig into that topic and would love for YOU ALL to chime in with your thoughts! RESOURCES… 5 Components of Equitable and En...

In this episode Annie Fetter shares how to place Sense-Making at the core of your classroom instruction. Why should you care about what Annie has to say? Annie is one of the folks involved in crafting the Notice and Wonder routine which has weaved its way into the very DNA of American classrooms…of all subjects…not just math. Placing sense-making at the core of task might begin with something as s...

Cole hosted the latest Inspiring Math Minds webinar because Duane was off galavanting with this family. Albert Vilalta shares some simple, but profound, tasks that bring to life the 5 components of instructional design that encourage equitable outcomes and active student engagement. (This is straight from Chapter 2 of the 2023 CA Math Framework.)   RESOURCES… California Mathematics Framework...