The Mindful Math Podcast

In this episode, I talk with Winnie Stevenson, Assistant Principal of a small, K-8 elementary school in Chicago. Be a fly on the wall as we discuss our work together over the course of the 22-23 school year to: (a) successfully roll out a new curriculum, and (b) increase math discourse in daily instruction. Walk away with ideas to try in your own school, insights about what moves the needle, and i...

I had to hear about this book from 5 different people before I started reading it… and trust me, it was worth it! Luckily, my friend and fellow math coach, Tom Redmon, was persistent, and *finally* convinced me to pick it up. He wasn’t wrong –  Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl is SO GOOD! I can’t say enough positive things about it. Seriously. In this episode, Tom and I share our bi...

This episode is even better with the visuals! Get immediate access to the edited version of this killer video training, 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make by going to: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/improvement Or if you're on the go, press play now and listen in to the audio recording of my latest and greatest free webinar: Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want...

In this episode, I’m helping you reflect on the question: Is my leadership style too hot, too cold, or just right? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the characteristics of the most effective school and district leaders I’ve worked with, plus my own leadership style as a math coach. I recognized a trend: that the best leaders have all found a *just right* rhythm, which in turn leads to fast and consi...

In this episode, Chrissy brings clarity to the elusive idea of Math Rigor, explaining what it is and dispelling common misunderstandings about what it’s NOT. Using non-math examples from our day-to-day lives, such as learning to ride a bike or tie your shoes, Chrissy illustrates how the nature of a skill or task influences our instructional approach as parents – and how that connects to math rigor...

When was the last time you looked at your pacing guide? Did your stomach drop when you saw where you were “supposed” to be – and then compared that to where you actually ARE? I know, I know. You’ve been heads down teaching your students, taking it one day at a time, and moving on to the next lesson *only* when your students were ready. But as the end of the year draws closer, it’s becoming harder...

Sauda Porter is a master of time management. She’s a mom of 3, works full time, runs an online business – and yet she STILL finds time for dates with her husband, daily exercise, and 1-on-1 time with her daughters. (WHAT?!?!? Who IS this time magician?) Knowing how busy our lives are as teachers, coaches, and administrators, I brought Sauda onto the podcast to share her wisdom + systems and time h...

How do your values influence your coaching style? In this episode, Chrissy shares her biggest values when it comes to supporting math coaches, school leaders, and district specialists – PLUS real-life examples of how they show up in 1-to-1 coaching conversations. Hear 3 problems of practice from Chrissy’s ACTUAL mentorship clients, along with her responses, insights, and suggestions. Curious about...

In this episode, Chrissy interviews Dr. Kim Melgar, department chair for mathematics at the Relay Graduate School of Education, to discuss two related topics – math trauma and math identity. Dr. Kim is on a mission to help educators first reflect on their own math experiences and then empower them to replace math trauma with positive math identities. Hear examples of traumatic math events and how...

Despite our best efforts as leaders, sometimes we don’t see the kind of change in teacher practice that we set out to achieve. Perhaps you’ve been coaching your heart out or spending late nights designing the most epic PDs, yet you STILL walk into classrooms and observe the same instructional practices you’ve been trying to shift. What’s going on? Why the lack of progress? In this episode, I’m sha...

You deserve support. It’s as simple as that. Whether you’re a teacher or leader, new to your role or not, you should not have to go it alone! Listen in to this episode and hear two game-changing relationships you’ll want to get lined up for next year. Give yourself the gift of support so you can be at your best and go further faster –  TOGETHER. I guarantee that having these two things in place wi...

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to witness school improvement efforts in schools and districts across our country. Some have led to improved instructional practices and student growth, while others have made little (or no) impact. In this episode I’m sharing three common initiatives that by and large do NOT move the needle with student achievement (or teacher effectiveness) – and three th...

I’ve scoured the internet, and I know for a fact that there are WAY more resources for K-8 math teachers than for secondary. So, high school teachers – this one’s for you! If you’ve ever wondered what strong math instruction at the high school level entails or what *exactly* the mathematical modeling process looks like, you’re in the right place. In today’s episode, math consultant Barbara Beske,...

Embracing mistakes isn’t just for students; we must adopt a growth mindset (ourselves!) in order to model mathematical mindsets for students. That’s the focus of this conversation between two recovering perfectionists, myself and experienced middle school math teacher, Lisa Westholder. Learn how perfectionism shows up in Lisa’s day to day as an educator and why she’s focused on “perfecting” not be...

Want to know a secret? I recorded this episode way back in November 2020 when I first decided to package my biggest tips and best tools on the topic of Unfinished Learning and share them with secondary math educators. I’d just overcome a challenging season in my business with the help of a coach and community of peers. That transformational experience provided a vision for the Bridge to Grade-Leve...

Did you know that between 40% and 50% of teachers leave the classroom within their first 5 years? Is this inevitable, or is there a way to prevent teacher burnout? Tim Schwarz, founder of Sustain Teachers, helps both teachers and leaders find the answer to the question, “What would it look like and feel like to work at your school in the exact role you have now but not feel stressed and tired?” Yo...

Culturally responsive teaching is a hot topic in education these days… but maybe the concept is still a little fuzzy to you. (Raising my hand over here!) That’s exactly the reason I invited Dionne Aminata, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Illustrative Mathematics (IM), to break it all down for us in this episode. Dionne was a lead author on the Illustrative Mathematics K-5 curriculum Writing t...

If you are a white educator working with students of color, this episode is a must-listen. I only WISH it existed 20 years ago when I entered the classroom! In the episode, Jessica Marshall, a Ph. D. student at Northwestern University makes a compelling case for why teachers should  spend more time getting to know students’ WHOLE selves – and less time trying to control or “fix” them. Listen to he...

Ever wish your students were better problem solvers? My guests on this episode of podcast, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce, wanted the same thing for their own math students. They realized their current instructional practices were preventing students from becoming more resilient problem solvers, so they made a significant change to their teaching methods. When they decided to stop spoon-feeding math to t...

Ever feel like the parents of your students don’t like math? Or had a negative experience as a student in math class? If so, they may be unintentionally passing their OWN math anxiety along to their KIDS. That was the case with podcast guest, Dr. Kimya Barden. But after making a few missteps with her first child, Dr. Barden made the conscious choice to change her language while supporting her youn...

In this episode, Maggie Riley explains the meaning of “drama consciousness,” how it commonly shows up in schools, and what we can do to navigate our way out of it. If your thoughts ever spiral downward, or if you work in a culture of complaining, this episode’s for you! It’s possible to find connection, healing, and growth in the hard moments – but we need support and a balance of compassion and a...

Is your school or district thinking about rolling out a new math curriculum? Or perhaps you adopted one this year, and it’s not going as smoothly as you had hoped? You’re in good company because today’s guest, Leanna Lantz, has been there. She describes her first round of curriculum implementation as “a dismal failure.” But luckily she reflected on that experience and is sharing her biggest lesson...

There’s a reason that our society has embraced “minimalism” more and more in recent years. It’s a simple and appealing idea, and it yields greater clarity and joy for people who have adopted it in their lives. In this episode, I’m applying this less-is-more concept to math teaching and learning. Listen in to hear five areas you can apply “minimalism” in your classroom or school to decrease overwhe...

In this bonus New Year’s Episode, I'm sharing three of my biggest reflections from the past twelve months. 2021 was our second year of the pandemic – AND my second year building Mindful Math Coach. Both experiences taught me a lot! Listen in to hear 3 takeaways I have from 2021 and how I'm taking those lessons with me into 2022. Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com Instagram: https://www.in...

Listen in to hear an overview of the Mindful Math Coach programs, services, and professional development opportunities available to math educators, coaches, and leaders in 2022. From low-priced, on-demand workshops to ongoing, high-touch coaching, there's something for everyone working to improve math teaching and learning. Click play for this quick rundown of 2022 support opportunities. Webs...