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The Making Math Moments That Matter Podcast features insightful conversations with educational leaders and classroom teachers who are “in the trenches”.

Learn about the effective teaching practices that researchers, authors and other mathematics leaders lean on to craft meaningful mathematics experiences for students and share in the struggles of those in the classroom who are working as hard as they can to help every student find their own mathematical successes. 

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Popular Interviews With Math Moment Makers:

• Episode #10: Mathematical Mindsets – An Interview With Dr. Jo Boaler [Podcast Episode]
  • Our conversation begins with Jo sharing some of her memorable moments from math class followed by a rich discussion about the importance of thinking deeply to communicate mathematical understanding, ideas for differentiation in the math classroom, teaching through task, and much more!
• Episode #86: Catalyzing Change – An Interview with Robert Q. Berry [Podcast Episode]
  • Hear Robert discuss math moments he’s had as a student and a teacher. We’ll dive into a book series he’s been working on: Catalyzing Change, we’ll answer questions like: why we need to spark wonder and joy in our students and how you can implement equitable teaching practices into your classroom.
    
• Episode #89: 3 Act Math Tasks – An Interview With Dan Meyer [Podcast Episode]
  • We get the dirt on Dan’s background as a student and early days as a teacher. He shares his insights on what lessons should look like, sound like and he lets us in on what a Chief Academic Officer really does. Discussion includes the origin story of the 3-Act math structure and why you need to know about it; how to use what you value in math lessons to bring out wonder and perplexity; the good and bad of ed-tech: what makes a great tech tool while teaching remotely; and, how being culturally aware humans can make us better teachers.
• Episode #62: Learning Trajectories & Running Records – An Interview with Dr. Nicki Newton [Podcast Episode]
  • Nicki shares her passion about learning trajectories and why we all need to learn them for various mathematical ideas, why we should be using running running records, and she gives you many additional knowledge bombs and resources to dig into.
• Episode #35: Visible Learning – An Interview with John Hattie [Podcast Episode]
  • We chat with John about the research into good learning strategies, how he conducted his research and how he uses effect size to compare teaching & learning strategies. We learn about the difference between surface learning, deep learning, and transfer learning, and what is the difference between focusing questions and funneling questions.
• Episode #21: The Thinking Classroom – An Interview With Peter Liljedahl [Podcast]
  • Peter Liljedahl, author of Building Thinking Classrooms, joins us on the Making Math Moments That Matter Podcast to discuss how we can create more mathematical thinkers instead of mathematical mimickers. He also joins us on Episode #98 and again on Episode #225

Popular Mentoring Moment Episodes:

• Episode #144: When is Drill and Kill Appropriate in My Math Class? – A Math Mentoring Moment [Podcast Episode]
  • David shares his story of how he chose to home-school, the benefits and drawbacks that he faces, and he’s seeking advice from Jon and Kyle about how and when to include “Drill and Kill” lessons!
• Episode #147: What To Do When You’re Doubting Your Teaching Approach – A Math Mentoring Moment [Podcast Episode]
  • We chat with Christa about a recent interaction she had with a colleague that left her feeling a bit inadequate and we help her focus her efforts so she can build her confidence so she can continue to Make Math Moments.
• Episode #138: Morphing Your Assessment Practices – A Math Mentoring Moment [Podcast Episode]
  • Nick shares his story from transforming from a rock band front man to working in accounting to teaching math to being a founding member of our Make Math Moments Academy to becoming a rockstar online teacher! Nick wonders how to adjust his assessment practices so they line up with his problem based approach to teaching.

Popular Topic Specific Episodes:

• Episode #142: How to Teach Through Problem Based Lessons [Podcast Episode]
  • Take a dive deep into a problem based task and unpack it so you can make math moments every day in your classroom. 
• Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180 [Podcast Episode]
  • In this episode Kyle and Jon share their tips and strategies on how to prepare for the coming school year from the first day all the way to the last. Consider also listening to part 1 and part 2 of this discussion.
• Episode #156: Why Use Math Talks and How to Ensure They Are Effective [Podcast Episode]
  • Math Talks, Number Talks, Minilessons, Warm-ups… What are these routines? Is there a difference? If so, what are those differences? In this episode, we’ll unpack what we believe the true elements of a Math Talk are and how you can leverage the power of an effective Math Talk in your classroom to start your next math lesson!

None of the above are “hitting the mark”? 

Head to the Make Math Moments Podcast Archives to have a peek at our over 200 episodes. We are certain you’ll find what you need there.

Might There Be More To The Concepts You’re Teaching Than You Realize?

Did you know…

…that there are two types of division and that the type actually dictates the strategy you use to find a solution?

…that the difference between a ratio and a rate is much more complex than simply the idea that one has the same units and the other has different units?

…that there is a beautiful way to emerge Pi with your students instead of just “saying” it is the ratio between the circumference and diameter?

…that the volume of a sphere is the same as the volume of 2 cones of the same height and diameter?

Neither did we until we began to explore mathematics conceptually. 

Take some time to dig into the following resources that will help you think about some of the mathematics concepts you’re teaching, but may not fully understand with the conceptual depth that is required to ensure more access and equity for all students we serve.

Articles and Resources:

• Counting Principles [Article + Resource Downloads]
  • Did you realize that there are very specific principles involved in developing counting skills in children?
• Addition and Subtraction Structures [Article + Videos]
  • Explore the various addition and subtraction structures. Who knew that subtraction wasn’t always “take away” or removal?
• Progression of Multiplication [Article + Visuals]
  • Explore multiplication from skip counting to the standard algorithm and beyond to algebra.
• Why The Japanese “Stick” Multiplication Method Works [Article + Video]
  • Have you ever seen the “stick” multiplication trick? Well, there is a really important conceptual reason for why it works.
• Why the 9 Times Table Hand Trick Works and How to Teach It Effectively [Article + Video]
  • Maybe you’ve seen the hand trick some use to help remember their 9s time tables. Well, there is a conceptual reason it works and there are some really helpful number talk routines that can be applied to ensure the same reasoning can be used for other times tables as well!
• Progression of Division [Article + Visuals]
  • Explore division from fair sharing to long division and beyond.
• Progression of Fractions [Article + Visuals]
  • Explore fractions from early years all the way through the grades.

Conceptually Rich Lessons and Units:

• Multiplication Using Partial Products (2 digit by 2 digit) – Stack ‘Em Up
  • Real world 1- and 2-digit multiplication lesson investigating associative, commutative and distributive properties with arrays & area models.
• Two Types of Division Unit (2 digit by 1 digit and 2 digit by 2 digit) – Niagara Falls 
  • Dive into this 5-Day Make Math Moments Unit filled with Problem Based Math Lessons focused on contextualizing Division of Whole Numbers and Percent.
• Dividing Fractions with Quotative Division – Pizza Party
  • Explore dividing fractions conceptually through the context of salting a driveway and scaling to reason through these 3 act math task lessons.
    
• Dividing Fractions with Partitive Division – Salting The Driveway
  • Explore dividing fractions conceptually through the context of salting a driveway and scaling to reason through these 3 act math task lessons.

Still haven’t found what you’re looking for here? 

Head to the Make Math Moments Problem Based Units page to have a peek at all of our problem based lessons and units of study.

Still Need to Craft a Productive Struggle?

Don’t worry, we’ve been there. You feel the need to rush to the algorithm to “cover it all” and this might mean spending too little time giving students the opportunity to think, conjecture, productively struggle and emerge the big ideas of the mathematics conceptually before highlighting the efficient and effective algorithm that we learned when we were in school.

Take some time to dig into our engaging problem based math lessons and units of study that not only help to build a conceptual understanding of the mathematics we are entrusted to teach, but also provide you with the next moves to develop procedural fluency from those conceptual underpinnings.

Explore Our Problem Based Math Lessons

Math Moment Maker Full Lesson & Unit Favourites:

• Bowling Pins – Addition Strategies [PreK-3]
• Fruit Picking – Subtracting Within 20 [PreK-3]
• Gummy Worms – Subtraction Structures [Gr 1-3]
• Hot Chocolate – Multiplication & Intro to Ratios [Gr 2-6]
• Snack Time – Partitive Division Resulting in a Fraction [Gr 3-8]
• Covering Ground – Area of a Triangle [Gr 3-8]
• Girl Guide Cookies – Volume of a Rectangular Prism [Gr 4-8]
• Going In Circles – Circumference & Area of a Circle [Gr 6-10]
• Candle Burning – Linear Correlation [Gr 7-10]
• Prisms and Pyramids – Volume of Prisms and Pyramids [Gr 7-10]
• Magic Rectangle – Quadratics & Completing the Square [Gr 8-11]

Explore over 60 full problem based mathematics units with 3 act math style tasks, number talk routines, purposeful practice and more.

Visual Number Talk Routines

Many educators are on the prowl for downloadable resources to print and share with students, but they rarely help develop fluency and flexibility with number sense and operational sense.

If your students struggle with math facts, this is likely hindering them from accessing the grade level content that you are trying to teach.

Dig into some of these favourites to help build fluency and flexibility while also exploring grade level concepts such as:

• Counting Principles
• Addition & Subtraction to Make 10
• Adding & Subtracting Fractions
• Adding & Subtracting Integers
• Multiplication & Division [Doubling and Halving]
• Mean (Arithmetic Average)
• Mean, Median and Mode
• Area of a Triangle
• Multiplication [Distributive Property With Arrays]
• Division
• Visual Patterns [Proportional & Linear Relationships]
• Ratios & Rates
• Circumference of a Circle
• Area of a Circle
• Volume of a Cylinder

You can search for over 100 Visual Number Talk Prompts that allow you to build fluency and flexibility with number sense and operations in just a few minutes a day with your students.

Handouts, Worksheets and Printables

It sounds like you’re looking for a starting point with some materials that might help you get started teaching a specific concept through explict or direct instruction.

As you may already know, here at Make Math Moments, we believe that students must have the opportunity to consolidate their learning after having the opportunity to investigate, conjecture, reason and prove through a productive struggle carefully crafted by the math teacher who acts as a facilitator.

These resources below can be helpful after you have leveraged a problem based lesson and are ready to consolidate and develop procedural fluency from the conceptual understanding they have already built along the way.

Helpful Resources to Consolidate Learning:

• MFM1P Grade 9 Applied Course Materials [Ontario Aligned, Pre-2021]
• MPM1D Grade 9 Academic Course Materials [Ontario Aligned, Pre-2021]
• MTH1W Grade 9 De-Streamed Course Materials [Ontario Aligned]
• MPM2D Grade 10 Academic Course Materials [Ontario Aligned]
• MEL3E Grade 11 Workplace Course Materials [Ontario Aligned]
• MBF3C Grade 11 College Preparation Materials [Ontario Aligned]
• MDM4U Grade 12 Data Management [Ontario Aligned]

Looking to Make a Serious Overhaul to Your Math Class?

Make Math Moments is on a mission to provide an opportunity for all mathematics educators around the world to access professional learning opportunities that will elevate their teaching practice and promote an equitable learning experience for all students.

We strive to provide all educators with the opportunity to Spark their learning through the Making Math Moments That Matter Podcast as a means to inspire the exploration of new pedagogical practices and to seek out opportunities to deepen their own mathematical content knowledge. 

We then aim to Fuel this motivation further by offering high impact professional learning through the Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. 

When educators are ready to Ignite their teacher moves, we act as a guide by providing a deeper level of coaching and practical support with professional development courses and resources such as those offered below.

Take a Deep Dive Into Transforming Your Mathematics Program:

• Make Math Moments Online Workshop [6 module, asynchronous course]
  • Learn How To Transform Reliant Memorizers Into Resilient Problem-Solvers In Your Math Class In 6 Weeks!
• Assessment For Growth [self-paced course]
  • How to design, cultivate, and facilitate a classroom culture where assessment is power and not punishment. Module 1 is open for you to enjoy without enrolling in the course.
    
• Virtual Summit Session Replays [self-paced, 60-minute presentation replays]
  • Watch over 100 replays of past Virtual Summit Sessions by joining the Academy. 
• The Concept Holding Your Students Back – The Roadmap to Proportional Relationships [9 module, self-paced course]
  • Unlocking Key Understandings in Proportional Reasoning So You Can Reach Every Student
• Make Math Moments Academy [professional learning community, 10+ courses, support and resources]
  • Join the Make Math Moments Academy to access math classroom lessons, units, resources, and a plan so you can engage your students while deepening their connection to mathematics.

Unsure where to begin?

Reach out to our team on the contact page to receive some guidance!

Supporting a School, District or Organization in Mathematics?

At Make Math Moments, we believe that an effective mathematics program must be cultivated and fostered like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.

When you know how to strengthen the 6 parts of an effective math program, you create a program that grows strong and wide.

We provide Mathematics Leaders with the support to ensure they are able to craft a mathematics vision with clear objectives that every educator can rally behind in their organization.

Resources to Support Mathematics Leaders:

• District Mathematics Program Assessment Screener [Assessment]
  • Receive a report highlighting areas of strength in your District Mathematics Program and where you might focus your attention next.
• Why Systemic Change In Mathematics Is So Hard [Article]
  • What you can do when your organization is struggling to land on a common mathematics vision and algin the vision systemically.
• Math Leaders Need Support To Do Their Work Effectively [Article]
  • Many mathematics leaders and decision-makers are left to “fend for themselves” when it comes to their roles and responsibilites. Here’s some options for the support you and all leaders need.
• Why Teaching & Learning Math Is Difficult [Article]
  • Teaching mathematics is incredibly challenging and this puts mathematics leaders in a very tough position when trying to address student achievement challenges. Here are some strategies to help.
• Book a Call With Our District Improvement Program Team [Book a Web Call]
  • Our District Improvement Program Team is ready and waiting to learn more about your specific system challenges and to help you take a next step in the right direction.

Still haven’t found what you’re looking for here? 

Head to the District Improvement Program page to learn more about our work with mathematics system leaders and what that might look like for you and your team.