Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? Can you feel the change that is happening in your district’s math program? Are you on the right pathway to improve math instruction and ultimately student success in your school or school district? 

These are all questions our guests, Michael Scott and Morgan Siler have asked themselves (and us) on their journey to transforming their math district’s math program from the inside out. 

Michael and Morgan are two math coordinators from Ohio and their district has partnered with us in the Make Math Moments District Improvement Program and have had a “night and day” experience from where they were to where they are now on achieving their goals. 

This podcast episode dives into the real-world experiences and strategies of Michael & Morgan who are navigating the complexities of supporting math teachers in their district, focusing on developing depth of understanding for their educators, effective coaching methods, and vision and goal alignment. 

Stick around and you’ll:

1. Discover effective strategies for supporting students and educators in grasping the "why" behind math concepts, fostering a deeper comprehension.
2. Learn about the transformative impact of consistent and structured professional development in mathematics.
3. Gain insights into the personal and professional growth journeys of educators transitioning into coaching roles, and the tools they use to succeed.

Listen to this insightful episode to learn how you can implement these transformative strategies in your educational practice and start making a significant difference in how you lead or will lead math educators today. 

Resources: 

Make Math Moments District Improvement Program

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

Are you ready to transform your math classroom into a hub of student engagement and participation?

If you're a math teacher or educator striving to maintain sustained student engagement and lead effective, captivating lessons, this episode is crafted for you.

We caught up with 2-time mentoring moment guest Jeremy Sarzana, a high school teacher in Boston.  Together we dive into nuanced strategies to engage the varying level of audiences we see during our day using timing, cadence, and the art of “reading the room”. 

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we chat with a teacher like you who is working through some problems of practice and together we brainstorm ways to overcome them.

Don’t miss out on these transformative insights – listen to this episode now to elevate your teaching and make every math moment matter in your classroom!

You’ll Learn: 

• Discover the effectiveness of the think-pair-share strategy in stimulating student participation in group discussions.
• Understand the challenges of sustaining student engagement day-to-day and learn techniques to overcome them.
• Learn the art of 'Reading the Room' and the critical role of timing and cadence in keeping students engaged throughout the lesson.
  
  

Resources: 

• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

Are you struggling to find the perfect balance between knowing what is enough guidance and structure you need to effectively teach your grade level or course? If you’re a district leader of math programming and struggling to figure out this same balance? 

How much is too much hand-holding? 

For math educators, coaches, and administrators, the challenge often lies in equipping teachers with the right tools without overshadowing their unique teaching styles while at the same time trying to create “buy-in” with what is effective. 

This episode delves into this common dilemma, offering insights and strategies for those in educational leadership roles. It's tailored to help you empower teachers while ensuring that they remain motivated and innovative in their approach to teaching math.

Tune in to gain valuable insights into striking the right balance in supporting math teachers, and take the first step towards transforming the way you approach teacher development in your institution!

• Learn how to provide effective guidance without stifling teachers' creativity, mirroring the journey from following a recipe to creating one's own culinary masterpieces.
• Understand how to tailor support to meet each teacher's individual needs, acknowledging that their professional development journey is as unique as their teaching style.
• Discover the essential elements that should be included in teaching resources to foster teacher growth, confidence, and the ability to make independent pedagogical decisions.

Resources: 

• Take the classroom or district program screener to learn which of the 6 areas of an effective math program you can strengthen.
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 faster than others, and why games are important for mathematical thinking.  

You’ll Learn: 

• How to challenge students who complete “the work” early.
• How to use puzzles to teach grade level standards; 
• Where do I find gems to use in my math class; 
• How to use a puzzle in my math class that can be used for all grade levels; 
• How you can use the content standards to focus on the practice standards;
• How you can use puzzles to create math moments in our classroom;
• Why games are important for mathematical thinking; 

Resources: 

Math Pickle Website

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 understanding and engagement. 

This often involves exploring new pedagogies, such as problem-based learning, and selecting the right curriculum resources that align with our teaching goals. 

In this episode we speak with long-time friend of the show Katrien Vance, a middle school math teacher in Virginia. 

Katriene is trying to decide how to transition to a new curriculum resource and feels overwhelmed with the work ahead. Stick around and you’ll hear how together we make a plan for next steps. 

What you’ll learn

• Innovative Teaching Strategies: Discover the effectiveness of problem-based learning and how it can enhance your students' understanding of mathematics.
• Navigating Curriculum Transitions: Gain insights on transitioning between different curricula, managing costs, and finding the right resources for your classroom.
• Building Confidence in Educational Choices: Learn how to confidently communicate your curriculum choices to parents and evaluate the effectiveness of educational tools and resources for your specific teaching needs.

Resources: 

• Connected Mathematics Project from Michigan State University. 
• Illustrative Math 
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 pieces, but we aren’t clear on how to put them together to form an effective math program.
• How can I structure my PD so that I reach more teachers on a limited budget?
• How can I get my educators to “buy-in” to using research based teaching methods routinely?
• How can I get my teachers to become lifelong learners and take more ownership in their professional development?

Then this is the episode for you!

In this episode you’ll learn the 4-stage process to craft pd action plans that bring alignment to fractured organizations, highlights bright spots to spread effective math teaching practices more quickly, and inspires more teachers to become lifelong learners. 

You’ll Learn:

• A clear step by step process to craft and create a unified vision for mathematics and PD action plan for your district so you can stop throwing spaghetti at the walls each year to see what sticks.
• A systematized approach to rolling out your action plan on a limited budget so you can hit your key results by your due dates.
• The most important component your PD action plan needs to include so that students can maximize their reach and how to embed that component in your action plans.
• Essential components of how to build a team of educators who care as much about improving their craft as you do

Tune into this enlightening episode now and equip yourself with the tools to make a lasting impact in your educational community!

Resources: 

Learn the 4 Stages of Math PD For Improved Results Webinar 

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 complexities of influencing educational practices across multiple districts.

You’ll Learn:

• Discover practical strategies for transforming classroom experiences, focusing on student engagement and empowerment in mathematical thinking.
• Learn how to build teachers' confidence and competence in new pedagogical approaches, ensuring that change is not just sustainable but also embraced.
• Gain insights into aligning teachers' goals with administrative objectives, ensuring a cohesive and supportive environment for educational reform.

Tune into this enlightening episode now and equip yourself with the tools to make a lasting impact in your educational community!

Resources: 

Learn the 4 Stages of Math PD For Improved Results Webinar 

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 Classrooms and is here to dig into how to give effective feedback to her students instead of grades. 

Stick around and you’ll: 

Discover innovative self-assessment techniques that empower students to take charge of their learning in mathematics, turning passive learners into active participants.

Learn how to develop and communicate effective success criteria, a crucial step in providing feedback that genuinely enhances student understanding and performance.

Gain insights into structuring self-assessment and growth-focused activities into your weekly routine, ensuring consistent student progress and deeper comprehension of mathematical concepts.

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we chat with a teacher like you who is working through some problems of practice and together we brainstorm ways to overcome them. 

You’ll Learn: 

• Practical self-assessment methods to facilitate student involvement and ownership in their mathematics learning;
• How can I develop success criteria and share them with students so I can give effective feedback; 
• How can I structure self assessment and growth in mathematics into my weekly routine; 

Resources: 

• Assessment For Growth: A Blueprint Course For Standards Based Grading in Math Class
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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, where we unravel how this approach can instill a lasting love for mathematics in every student. Discover why math class should be a highlight for everyone, and learn practical ways to infuse elements of Math Play in both elementary and high school classrooms.

Your journey to creating a math class that students love starts here – hit play and ignite the joy of mathematics in your classroom!

You’ll Learn: 

• Understand how Math Play can cultivate a productive disposition towards mathematics for all students.
• Explore the secrets behind making math every student's favorite subject through engaging #MathPlay.
• Gain insights into incorporating the foundational elements of a "Math Play" activity that sparks genuine student engagement and understanding.

Resources: 

Libo’s Website: http://libovalencia.com

Libo’s X: @MrValencia24

Libo’s YouTube: @MrValencia24 

Debate Math Podcast with Chris Luzniak and Rob Baier

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 learn practical strategies to boost confidence in teaching with problem-based lessons. 

You’ll also learn a comprehensive understanding of the “real flipped classroom” concept, enabling structured and effective problem-based learning that captivates and educates your students.

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we chat with a teacher like you who is working through some problems of practice and together we brainstorm ways to overcome them. 

You’ll Learn: 

• How to feel more confident when teaching with problem based lessons; 
• How to battle my own insecurities when stepping into my middle school classroom; 
• How often I should be teaching with problem based lessons;
• How can I teach problem based lessons in a structured way; and,
• How to teach the “real flipped classroom”.

Resources: 

• Chocolate Mania Lesson on Volume & Proportions
• Peek Into Jon’s Class and see 30 Days in 30 Minutes
• Assessment For Growth: A Blueprint Course For Standards Based Grading in Math Class
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

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 aligned. 

Stick around and you’ll hear us uncover the root cause of why Felicia feels that she’s not aligned with her philosophies, how to identify when students are primed to progress to new challenges, maximizing their learning potential, and learn to harness the power of problem-based lessons as a tool for formative assessment, enhancing your ability to cater to individual student needs.

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we chat with a teacher like you who is working through some problems of practice and together we brainstorm ways to overcome them. 

You’ll Learn: 

• How can I make sure my actions match my words? 
• How do I recognize when my students are ready to move to the next problem when using thin slicing from Building Thinking Classrooms; 
• Why problem based lessons are formative assessment gold mines; 
• How we can truly differentiate my instruction while leading a Building Thinking Classroom lesson; 
• What clues do we look for when deciding if a student “gets it”. 

Resources: 

• Assessment For Growth: A Blueprint Course For Standards Based Grading in Math Class
• Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

District Math Leaders: 

How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge? 

What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support? 

Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning. 

Book a short conversation with our team now. 

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform.