Teaching mathematics in school is complex and often misunderstood.
This paper titled Why Are Learning And Teaching Mathematics So Difficult by Alan H. Schoenfeld does a great job shedding some light on why this is the case.
He argues that teaching and learning math is complex because of these three (3) big ideas:
Thinking Mathematically – What does it mean to do mathematics?
The Learning Environment – Structuring classroom experiences to allow students to think mathematically.
Cultural Surround – How surroundings help or deter students from experiencing mathematical thinking.
In this episode we’ll help shed some light here on the first of those three (3) big ideas: Thinking Mathematically.
elements connected to Schonfeld’s first big idea – thinking mathematically – and how you can successfully integrate them into your program without adding more stress and time to your already jam-packed work load.

We dug into some survey data around why teachers are limiting their PD experiences or completing opting out and the results are kind of shocking.
Stick around and you’ll hear why teachers are opting out of math PD and what we can do to help these fellow educators.

This week we speak with Rose Piso, an elementary interventionist teacher from Seneca Valley. Rose is dedicated to helping her students feel confident, accomplished, and proud. Rose also knows that there are topics and strands that we teachers should spend more time developing conceptually with our students rather than simply showing students an algorithm and moving on.
How can Rose help the teachers she works alongside with recognizing the importance of teaching developmentally? What strategies and structures can she put in place to strengthen her whole school’s math program? Stick around and find out.
This is another Math Mentoring Moment Episode where we speak with a member of the math moment maker community where together we brainstorm strategies and next steps for teachers to overcome pebbles they have in their shoe.

Maybe you’ve recently come across the idea of a Dan Meyer-style 3 Act Math Task and you’re intrigued to give one a shot with hopes to engage your students and help better understand the mathematics you’re teaching. Or, maybe you’ve used 3 Act Math Tasks and use them as a regular routine in your mathematics program.
While there are many mathematics teachers out there who love a great 3 Act Math Task, the reality is that there are many more educators out there who have given one a shot and decided to move on and not look back. What gives?
In this episode, Kyle and Jon discuss why many math teachers leveraging 3 Act Math Tasks in their mathematics programs do not observe an actual increase in student achievement when compared to their pre-3 Act Math Task days.
Stick around and you’ll learn how to strengthen how you utilize your classroom resources so that students will flourish.
In today’s episode, we’ll be digging into the “leaves” which are one (1) of the six (6) areas of every strong mathematics program.

In this Math Mentoring Moment episode we speak with Venus, a high school teacher from Texas who is in her second year of teaching. Teaching statistics and algebra 2, Venus became accustomed to teaching students who’ve motivated themselves, and now she’s struggling to reach students working below grade level in her Math Concept course.
Stick around and you’ll hear us dig deep on what’s really going on in her classroom and what small changes she can make so students start saying “I got this” instead of “I don’t understand this at all”.
This is another Math Mentoring Moment Episode where we speak with a member of the math moment maker community where together we brainstorm strategies and next steps for teachers to overcome pebbles they have in their shoe.

How can we build thinking classrooms to create memorable math moments? In this special episode we share our opening session of the 2022 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit.

Join Kyle, Jon, and Peter Liljedahl as they unpack how elements of a Thinking Classroom are entwined in the Make Math Moments 3-Part Framework.

Do you feel that students are “different” compared to past years? Has it been a struggle to gain student attention and strengthen their work ethic? Are some of the behaviours you’re experiencing amplified?
In this episode Kyle and Jon discuss their interpretation of the differences teachers are experiencing in their students and how you can use those differences to create a stronger mathematics program.
Stick around and you’ll learn how to strengthen and align your classroom norms / rules so that students will flourish.
Classroom Pillars are one (1) of the six (6) areas of every strong mathematics program.

In this episode we casually chat with middle school math teacher and department chair Shawn Hershey. Shawn recently took our Make Math Moments District Assessment and received his customized report and improvement plan and he’s here to chat with us about optimizing the math program at his school.

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.

In this episode we dig into some of the results from over 100 district leaders across over 100 institutions around the world who have already jumped on the opportunity to take our 12-minute Mathematics Program Assessment Tool to learn not only where their system wide mathematics programs are flourishing, but also where those programs are met with speed bumps along the way.
While some of the results from our assessment were not surprising, others definitely were and the mentorship calls we’ve had with over 25 different district leaders from around the world highlight that many of these struggles are not unique to any one school, district or jurisdiction.
What are the bright spots we’re seeing across over 100 mathematics programs and what are the common hiccups along the way?
Listen in to find out…

In this compilation episode of the podcast in honour of Black History Month, Kyle & Jon highlight conversations from six educators of colour that have had a significant impact on their pedagogical practices as they continue their journey to craft a more culturally responsive classroom experience for all students. 

You’ll hear Beatrice Moore Luchin speak about creating a culturally relevant and culturally responsive approach to teaching  mathematics, Marilyn Strutchens’ approach to teaching tasks with multiple entry points; you’ll hear about the importance of learning goals from Dr. Ayanna Perry; why kindergarten math matters from Isis Spann; Dr. Nikki Newton shares insights and practical lessons on why counting is more than just 1,2,3; Pamela Seda shares key insights from her book Choosing To See; and Tashana Howse shares how to provide equitable support to students.