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Struggling to get your math students genuinely engaged and confident—without relying on the same old worksheets?

In this mentoring moment episode, you’ll discover how a fellow high school teacher will restructure her lessons and rethink classroom culture to help students conquer math anxiety and develop true problem-solving skills—so you can do the same in your own classroom.

1. Discover specific math lesson strategies to make every student feel both supported and challenged.
2. Learn how to flip your math lesson structure so students do the heavy thinking from the start.
3. Explore practical ways to boost participation and spark genuine curiosity in math.

Play this episode now to grab simple yet powerful shifts that will transform your support class into a thriving, confidence-building environment.

Resources:

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

Attention 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.

Episode Summary:

Quick recap

Jon and Ms. Nazila Cavian discussed her experiences and views on teaching, with a focus on improving student engagement and problem-solving skills in math classes. They explored various strategies, including flipping the classroom, posing “notice and wonder” questions, and incorporating real-world problems. Ms. committed to completing an online course to develop practical strategies and allow her students more independence and voice in the classroom, with a plan to revisit their progress in a year’s time.

Next steps

• Nazila to complete the online course on structuring math lessons and implementing engaging problem-solving activities.
• Nazila to experiment with new teaching strategies that increase student voice and engagement in her math support class.
• Jon to provide Nazila with complimentary access to the online course on math lesson structure and problem-solving tasks.

Summary

Nazila Cavian’s Math Teaching Journey

Jon and Ms. Nazila Cavian, a math teacher from Morgan Hill, California, had a conversation about her experiences and views on teaching. Jon asked Nazila about her math moment, which was her inspiration to become a teacher. She shared that she was influenced by a former teacher, Mr. Hill, who had a strong bond with his students and made math class engaging. Nazila aims to create a similar environment in her own classroom, focusing on connecting with her students and making them feel safe. They also discussed her recent experience with having one support student.

Improving Student Engagement in Math Support

Ms. expressed concerns about lack of student engagement and understanding in her senior math support class, previously named “math support class”. She aimed to improve engagement this year by considering renaming the class to “math lab” and exploring new teaching methods beyond group work, whiteboards, and posters. Jon suggested incorporating rigorous games, but Ms. preferred other approaches to challenge students. Ms. identified lack of confidence as a barrier, especially in math, making it difficult to overcome preconceived notions. Jon proposed adjusting lesson structure to promote student goals and maturity levels for better engagement.

Fostering Problem-Solving Skills in Teaching

Jon reflected on his teaching philosophy and practice, focusing on the importance of fostering problem-solving skills in his students. He shared how he realized he wasn’t providing opportunities for his students to engage in authentic problem-solving, instead only providing them with worked examples and textbook problems. He then discussed how he shifted his approach to start lessons with real-world problems, allowing students to explore and solve unfamiliar issues. This approach not only improved student engagement but also helped them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Engaging Students in Math Classes Strategy

Jon emphasized the importance of engaging students in math classes by presenting them with challenging problems and allowing them to think and solve on their own. He suggested using various strategies, such as flipping the classroom and posing “notice and wonder” questions, to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Ms. responded positively to these strategies, expressing her belief in their effectiveness, especially in her pre-calculus class and algebra 3 class. However, she voiced concerns about applying these strategies in her support class, fearing that the students might find the end goal overwhelming and lose interest. Jon reassured her that these strategies could be adapted and experimented with to suit different groups of students.

Improving Teaching Approach and Engagement

Jon and Ms. discussed the need for Ms. to make a change in her teaching approach for the upcoming year. Ms. expressed a commitment to help her students develop a deeper interest and proficiency in math, beyond just passing the class. Jon suggested that Ms. take an online course to develop practical strategies and engage her students more effectively. Ms. agreed to complete the course and to allow her students more independence and voice in the classroom. They planned to revisit their progress in a year’s time.

FULL TRANSCRIPT

HOST: Hi there, Nazila. Welcome to the Making Math Moments That Matter Podcast. We’re really excited to chat with you and see what’s going on in your world. Before we dive in, let us know: where do you teach, and what grade level?

GUEST (Nazila): Good morning. I teach in Morgan Hill, California. I currently teach Math 3, which is equivalent to Algebra 2, and I also teach AP Pre-Calculus. I also have a Math 3 Support class this year.

HOST: Great, awesome. One question we ask all our guests: what is your math moment? In other words, when you think of math class, what memory or moment stands out?

GUEST (Nazila): I guess it’s the story of how I became a teacher. Teaching wasn’t my original career, but I was subbing for one of our community’s teachers, Mr. Hill, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. I saw the love students shared with him in the classroom, and yet the rigor was still there—everything was perfect. My older daughter was his student, and she still remembers him as the best math teacher. It made me want to see how I could become a teacher myself. I saw his strong content knowledge, but also the way he connected with students. That’s something I try to replicate: creating a safe environment where students feel connected to the content.

HOST: Love it. Being a mom probably helps, right?

GUEST (Nazila): It does!

HOST: What’s on your mind lately? How can we help?

GUEST (Nazila): Last year I had a Math 1 Support class, and the engagement was pretty low. The students didn’t seem to understand the content at a deeper level, and I don’t want that to happen again this year in my Math 3 Support class, which is Algebra 2 support. These are seniors—it’s their last year, and they need to pass. I just want to find strategies for more meaningful engagement, not just worksheets. I’ve been listening to your podcasts, and one idea was even changing the course name from “Math Support” to “Math Lab” to remove any negative connotation. It’s too late for me to change that name, but it shows I’m looking for ways to engage them beyond just handing out worksheets.

HOST: Got it. What have you tried so far?

GUEST (Nazila): I’m a huge fan of posters and whiteboards around the classroom, giving tasks in groups so they create posters and present or do a gallery walk. But even in group work, I’m unsure everyone is being challenged to their best potential. I’d love more activities—maybe games—that are engaging. But I was raised in a classroom with few games, and sometimes they feel distracting from the core content. I’m not always sure it’s worth the time. Yet I want to try something more engaging.

HOST: So I’m hearing two main wonders:

How to ensure students are truly challenged when we do these tasks or group work at the whiteboards.

Whether or not to incorporate games (and if so, how) without losing rigor.

Which one do you want to explore most right now?

GUEST (Nazila): Maybe number two, about games. But really, it’s about how to engage students while keeping them challenged.

HOST: Right. So you’re worried some might not be challenged enough, or maybe “games” waters down the seriousness. Let me ask: what suggests to you that some students aren’t challenged?

GUEST (Nazila): They don’t engage. I walk around and see worksheets that are neat and complete, but if I ask, “Why is this negative here?” they often don’t know. Someone else told them it’s negative four, so they wrote it down. And they don’t seem curious enough to ask why. They don’t come and ask me questions. Last year’s group was tough, but I’ve seen better engagement when I taught Math 3 Support two years ago. They were more mature and motivated—maybe because they’re seniors who want to graduate. But I still want more of them engaged in deeper thinking, not just compliance.

HOST: Got it. I hear you want them to be more curious, more invested. For years, I said I wanted my students to be great problem solvers, but then I realized I wasn’t giving them real opportunities for problem solving. It was “Here’s how you do it, now do it.” That structure made them reliant on me, so they never got the chance to see themselves as problem solvers. Eventually, I flipped things around: instead of me front-loading everything, I presented unfamiliar problems first. I’d let them grapple, notice, wonder, and then I’d give strategic hints or clarifications along the way. Finally, we’d consolidate as a whole class. That’s how I introduced new ideas. It changed the classroom culture to reward thinking. It took time, but more and more students engaged.

Now, not everyone will engage 100%. But if you start small—maybe a 10-minute problem-solving warm-up that’s truly unfamiliar—and practice letting them do the thinking, you’ll see shifts. You’ll also learn to adjust tasks: if it’s too hard, some will disengage; if it’s too easy, others will disengage. You’ll refine this balance over time. Once students see that their thinking matters, they become more curious.

GUEST (Nazila): That makes sense. I can see that working in Pre-Cal or Algebra 2, but I get nervous in a support class. They’ve been told they’re “bad at math” and some just want to graduate and leave. I worry I’ll lose them immediately if I don’t provide structure.

HOST: That’s a common worry: “They can’t think on their own, so I better tell them exactly what to do.” But ironically, that can confirm for them that they can’t think without the teacher. We need to give them small successes to see that they can do it. Maybe you start small with quick warm-ups that encourage thinking—like notice-and-wonder prompts, “which one doesn’t belong,” or short problems that require them to reason. Over time, you can expand. Think of it as baby steps that gradually build the culture of problem solving and independence.

GUEST (Nazila): I’ll try. I’ll do my best.

HOST: What is one specific commitment you can make for this upcoming year?

GUEST (Nazila): I think my goal should be beyond just helping them pass. They should come away believing they can do math, that they’re willing to try, and maybe even enjoy it. As for what I’ll do, I’m not 100% certain, but I know it involves less of my voice and more of theirs. I need practical strategies to pull that off—like tasks that spark curiosity and discussion, and letting them do the problem solving before I step in.

HOST: We have an online course—self-paced, about six modules—on how to craft these kinds of experiences and how to make them routine. We’d be happy to send you complimentary access. If you commit to going through it and putting some strategies in place, we can reconnect in a year to see how it’s going.

GUEST (Nazila): Of course! Thank you. That would be amazing.

HOST: Perfect. I’ll get you set up after our call. Nazila, before we go, what would you say is your next step or your big takeaway from today?

GUEST (Nazila): Being hopeful. Reminding myself the goal is not just “get them to pass,” but “help them see that they can succeed in math.” Also, maybe stop being so protective—let them wrestle with the math a bit more.

HOST: Agreed. We sometimes step in too quickly because we want to help, but letting them struggle productively is necessary for real growth. Thank you so much for sharing your story and concerns. Can’t wait to check in with you next year.

GUEST (Nazila): Thank you so much. I appreciate the opportunity.

HOST: Take care. Have a great day!

GUEST (Nazila): You too. Bye.

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