This week we spoke with Lauren Sawyer, a middle school math teacher from the Chicago area. Lauren has been implementing Peter Lilijedahl’s work Building Thinking Classrooms and is trying to find the right balance between collaborative work and individual think time.

In this episode we help Lauren limit the illusion of understanding students may get when students are working in groups, determining the right time to schedule individual think time in her lessons, and how she can truly assess her 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. If you have a math class “pebble in your shoe” you’d like to work through, take less than 2 minutes to book a Math Mentoring Moment Call with us and before you know it, you’ll be on a call with us to chat all things math!

In this “Where are they now” Math Mentoring Moment Episode, we bring back Jeremy Sarzana, a high school math teacher at a Vocational High School in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jeremy shares concerns over how to keep “flow” in his math classes when many of his students are engaging at varying levels.

Stick around to hear Jeremey realize how to plan beyond the lesson of the day to ensure he’s meeting the needs of all his 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.

Today we’re releasing a replay episode where we spoke with Nick Rhodes who has been teaching online in one of the largest cyber schools in America. 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.

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we talk with a member of the Math Moment Maker Community who is working through struggles and together we brainstorm possible next steps and strategies to overcome them.

In this “Where Are They Now?” episode, we reconnect with Tom Marker, a dedicated 6th grade teacher from Ohio, who continues to inspire us with his dedication to improving his teaching strategies.
We dive into another conversation with Tom where we tackle:
Helping Students Break Away from Calculator Reliance: Tom explores effective strategies to liberate students from overreliance on calculators. Discover how he empowers his students to develop mental math skills, fostering a deep understanding of numerical concepts and building confidence in their own mathematical abilities.
Nurturing Curiosity for Lifelong Learning: As educators, it is crucial to cultivate and sustain students’ natural curiosity for learning. Tom shares his insights on how to keep that flame alive, ensuring students remain engaged, motivated, and eager to explore the fascinating world of mathematics.
Embracing Flexibility for Strengthened Number Sense: By encouraging students to embrace flexibility in their problem-solving approaches, Tom unveils the transformative power of fostering a strong number sense. Explore how this flexibility enhances students’ mathematical reasoning, adaptability, and overall problem-solving skills.
Building Confidence through Problem Strings: Tom takes us on a journey into the world of problem strings—a powerful tool he employs to boost students’ confidence in mathematics. Learn how problem strings can provide students with a supportive and structured environment, allowing them to tackle progressively challenging problems while fostering a growth mindset.
With each passing episode, Tom Marker continues to inspire educators, parents, and learners alike, offering practical advice and unique perspectives on mathematics education. Join us as we delve deeper into his ongoing successes, challenges, and the transformative impact he continues to have in his classroom and beyond.
Tune in to this engaging follow-up episode as we embark on a riveting conversation with Tom Marker, dedicated to unleashing the full potential of our students through innovative math education strategies.

This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we talk with a member of the Math Moment Maker Community who is working through problems of practice and together we brainstorm possible next steps and strategies to overcome them.

Join us in our latest podcast episode as we dive into an important discussion about improving mathematics instruction and ensuring accessibility for all students. In this episode, we reflect on the common tendency to focus solely on students who are struggling or behind in math, neglecting those who are “lost in the middle” or above grade level but lacking appropriate support and differentiation.
We explore how we can broaden our definition of differentiation to encompass all students, regardless of their current level of achievement. We also delve into the concept of low floor, high ceiling lessons and how they can effectively serve all learners. Additionally, we address the importance of supporting motivated students in grades 6 to 12 who often find themselves navigating their learning independently.

Today we speak with Cara Carbone, a high school teacher from Bellingham Washington. Cara is here to share a pebble in her shoe around engaging her high achieving students with rich tasks. She implements some low floor/high ceiling tasks but struggles to do this consistently due to time constraints and the large number of preps she has during the year.

Stick around and you’ll hear how we help Cara reshape the resources pulled from online sources and Teachers Pay Teachers into meaningful, engaging experiences for her 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.

In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Amy Buchheit, an instructional coach from the Chicago area. In our chat, Amy discusses her current mathematics leader pebble related to creating measurable professional development (PD) goals in mathematics that can truly shift teacher practice and in turn, increase student achievement.
One of the speed bumps educators face in implementing the professional learning they have engaged with is finding the time to do it well. Stick with us as we share practical strategies to address this common issue and much more.
If you’re a mathematics leader looking to find ways to deepen the implementation of the professional development practices you’ve been focusing on, tune in to hear what was shared and learned through this conversation with Amy.
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.

Without a clear, concise and well-communicated mathematics vision and a sustainable professional development plan rooted in relevant, attainable, research-based and measurable goals, your teachers will continue to work on disconnected pieces of effective mathematics instruction that can only lead to pockets of success instead of systemic change in mathematics teaching practice and student achievement.

In this episode we’re sharing our webinar on What Matters Most When Designing A Successful Math Program and we’ll outline why reporting the results of your professional development plan over the previous school year is so hard, why you might not be seeing the results you’ve hoped for, and how you can break the cycle to ensure your progress and reporting at the next of next year goes off without a hitch.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Bill McCallum, co-founder of Illustrative Mathematics and a distinguished professor in mathematics education. In this episode, we delve into important topics that will transform your perspective on mathematics instruction.

Discover what makes a problem engaging for students and how to identify struggling learners through classroom observations. Explore the power of connecting mathematics to meaningful stories and the potential impact of A.I. and digital tools on future instruction.

Most importantly, learn why empowering students to do the math is crucial for their success. Don’t miss this thought-provoking episode with one of the influential voices in mathematics education, Bill McCallum.

In our recent podcast episode, we had the pleasure of hosting Jonathan Lind again. Jonathan is an experienced high school math teacher currently teaching at an American school in Qatar. Jonathan shared invaluable insights and practical strategies on how he transformed his assessment practices in his math class, leading to remarkable outcomes for his students.
During our conversation, Jonathan delved into the following key ideas:
Shifting from labeling students to using assessment for growth;
Time-saving curriculum coverage with standards-based grading;
Promoting student success through growth and proficiency days;
Assessing Polya problem-solving techniques effectively;
Designing a grading system to inspire student achievement;
This is a Math Moment Maker Reflection episode where we talk with a member of our fantastic community who is working hard to continue reflecting and refining their practice to Make Math Moments with more students in their math classroom.