Shows
Math Teacher LoungePhones, focus, and grit, with Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., on Beyond My YearsAngela Duckworth, Ph.D., the New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, recently joined Host Ana Torres on the Beyond My Years podcast to discuss her new landmark research on school cell phone policies. In this episode, Angela highlights the many complexities surrounding student cell phone use in schools and why there is a need to conduct research, such as her “Phones in Focus” study, to look at which phone policies are actually yielding the best outcomes. She also suggests four ingredients that set young people up to reach their goals. Finally, Ana and...
2025-11-2447 minMath Teacher LoungeHear from Dan Meyer on Season 2 of Beyond My Years!Dan Meyer recently joined the Beyond My Years podcast to share some of his favorite strategies (and hard-earned lessons) for engaging students in math class. Listen in, as Dan joins host Ana Torres to share his journey in education, including his early struggles to engage students. In this episode, The right questions for the “wrong” answers, Dan provides models for grounding lessons in real life, giving students more opportunities to show off their personalities, and reframing mistakes and “wrong answers” as valuable answers to different questions. He also touches on technology use in the classroom and how to know w...
2025-10-0841 minMath Teacher LoungeBeyond My Years is back: Season 2 trailerHost Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 2 of the Beyond My Years podcast, launching September 17, 2025. This trailer highlights what’s coming after an award-winning first season, including shorter episodes and more takeaways to help you extend your reach. Season 2 focuses on common classroom challenges, looking to the experts and to the research to get you answers. Ana, Eric, and guests will cover topics from finding your teaching style, to engaging students in math, to helping students develop critical thinking, and more! Subscribe now to Beyond My Years: https://at.amp...
2025-09-0402 minMath Teacher LoungeThe best of Beyond My Years (so far!)To close out the year, we’re revisiting some of our favorite moments from the first nine episodes of the Beyond My Years podcast – and looking ahead at some of what’s to come in 2025! Listen to Beyond My Years: Subscribe to Beyond My Years on AppleSubscribe to Beyond My Years on SpotifyListen to Beyond My Years via web browser
2024-12-1903 min
Making Math Moments That MatterHow To Use Tool Talks To Boost Student Agency And Sense Making in Math Class | Math ManipulativesNot sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & UnitsHow to help students see tools and math manipulatives as gateways to understanding rather than crutches?If you've ever stru...
2024-12-1639 minMaking Math Moments That MatterHow To Use Tool Talks To Boost Student Agency And Sense Making in Math Class | Math ManipulativesNot sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & UnitsHow to help students see tools and math manipulatives as gateways to understanding rather than crutches?If you've ever stru...
2024-12-1639 minMath Teacher LoungeBeyond My Years: Teaching takes joy, starring Rebecka PetersonThe latest episode of Beyond My Years features 2023 National Teacher of the Year — and math educator! — Rebecka Peterson. On the episode, Host Ana Torres and Rebecka discuss their similar experiences as young immigrants to the United States. Rebecka shares all that she has come to love and appreciate about the K–12 environment after a tough transition from teaching college-level courses. She also reveals her most important lesson learned: Teach humans over content. Rebecka talks about her “One Good Thing” blog, where she documented daily positives in her classroom that transformed her perspective on teaching. She shares personal experience...
2024-11-1351 minMath Teacher LoungeBeyond My Years: Teaching with resilience, starring Fawn NguyenHi Math Teacher Lounge listeners! Here’s an episode from Amplify’s new podcast, Beyond My Years, that we think you’ll like. It features math teacher extraordinaire Fawn Nguyen, who you may remember from past appearances on this show. On this episode, Fawn, a math educator with over 30 years of classroom experience, tells Host Ana Torres the story of her near-death experience being lost at sea while escaping Vietnam, and explains how it shaped the sense of gratitude she led within the classroom. She also discusses what it means to be yourself in the classr...
2024-10-0949 minMath Teacher LoungeNEW! Beyond My Years: Teaching with heart, starring Joyce AbbottCheck out Amplify’s new podcast, Beyond My Years— host and educator Ana Torres seeks out educational insights and hard-won lessons directly from people who have thrived for decades in the classroom: seasoned educators.On this premiere episode, Ana soaks up wisdom from Joyce Abbott, an educator so passionate about her students that she inspired one of them to go on and write the hit show “Abbott Elementary.” Joyce tells all about her experiences working in a Title 1 school and what it means to know the community of Philadelphia. They also discuss how Joyce’s time servi...
2024-08-1549 min
Math Teacher LoungeBeyond My Years podcast trailerListen to this trailer for our new podcast, Beyond My Years, launching August 14th. Every day headlines tout something “new” in education—the latest research, the hottest tech, the trendiest new hacks for organizing your classroom. However, beyond all the hype there’s one underestimated resource that’s truly deserving of our attention: educators who’ve been doing this for years. In this trailer, you’ll hear from host and educator Ana Torres as she explains her season-long journey of learning from the experiences and lessons of seasoned educators from around the world. Their stories will make you laugh, make...
2024-06-2703 minMath Teacher LoungePreview: Winning teacher movesAfter watching so much great basketball analysis throughout March and April, Dan has been inspired to put the spotlight on a different kind of superstar: exceptional math educators. Check out a little preview of Dan's new project with Kelly Serpa Howe.Check out the full video
2024-04-2400 min
edWebcastsMaximizing Intervention and Minimizing Math Anxiety: Strategies for Student SuccessThis edWeb podcast is sponsored by Amplify.The webinar recording can be accessed here.Math class often gets the reputation of being too difficult or too stressful for our students, leading to increased math anxiety and decreased confidence in class. Intervention tools and strategies are becoming more and more necessary to help students engage in math concepts, become successful learners, and build math proficiency in the classroom and beyond.Join Bethany Lockhart Johnson as she dives into these hot topics for math educators. Listeners learn the importance of successful math intervention, and how factors...
2024-03-111h 01Math Teacher LoungeSeason finale: Key takeaways and looking aheadListen to the final episode of Math Teacher Lounge! We’ll walk through the past 10 episodes on math fluency and pull out the key takeaways from our amazing hosts–such as tips on defining and assessing fluency, fluency development in a bilingual setting, and the potential pitfalls of relying too heavily on so-called fake fluency. We’ll also talk about the future of the podcast and what’s next for us. Spanning six seasons, we’ve had the privilege of reaching thousands of educators while exploring a wide range of topics including the Joy of Math, Math Anxiety, an...
2024-02-1256 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E10: Supercharge math fluency through problem-solvingTune into this episode of Math Teacher Lounge, featuring math teaching and learning specialist and friend of the podcast, Fawn Nguyen. Listen as Nguyen dives into the unique and powerful relationship between math fluency and problem-solving, and learn about how problem-solving activities can be leveraged to engage all students and fuel math fluency development.Learn why math fluency and problem-solving have a symbiotic relationship and how to create problem-solving activities that generate individual and peer learning opportunities, including examples from the California framework. Plus, hear tips for supporting the relationship between problem-solving and math fluency t...
2024-01-2438 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E09: Unlocking a systematic approach to math-fluency instructionJoin us for Episode 9, in which Bethany sits down with former classroom teacher Myuriel von Aspen to talk about the importance of a systematic approach to math-fluency instruction. Listen as von Aspen discusses how effective fluency instruction takes students beyond fact memorization into deeper learning through mathematical discourse.To hear more from Myuriel, check out the following resources:Watch Myuriel’s welcoming message at NCSM, 2022. Listen to an excerpt of Myuriel’s message at NCTM, 2021.Learn a little about Myuriel’s journey.
2024-01-1038 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E08: Cultivating schoolwide math fact fluencyTune in to Episode 8, where we chat with guest and former grade 1 teacher, Jody Guarino, Ed.D., about how math teachers can collaborate to develop math fact fluency at the building level. Listen as Dr. Guarino talks about what it takes for schools to do this successfully, and her key takeaways from her own experience.For more from Dr. Guarino, check out the following resources:Follow Dr. Guarino on X: @jody_guarinoLearn more about Dr. Guarino and her work by checking out her University of California Irvington page.
2023-12-2743 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E07: Building math fluency through gamesJoin Math Teacher Lounge as we continue our season-long discussion on math fluency with a special live recording at NCTM 2023. In this episode, our guest, Jennifer Bay-Williams Ph.D., and Dan dive into math fluency games to discuss how we bring joy into the classroom while building math fluency.For more from Jennifer, check out the following resources:Discover more math fluency games with Jennifer’s book, Math Fact Fluency: 60+ Games and Assessment Tools to Support Learning and Retention.Move students beyond basic math facts and memorization with Jennifer’s bo...
2023-12-1356 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E06: Nurturing fluency through student strengthsJoin us for Episode 6, where we discuss how to take an asset-based approach to building math fluency with John W. Staley, Ph.D., who has spent decades in math classrooms. In this episode Dr. Staley shares his experiences and research to provide strategies on how to utilize student strengths to encourage growth.For more from Dr. Staley, check out the following resources:Follow John on X at @JStaley06.Learn more from John by checking out his NCTM articles.Read John’s book, High School Mathematics Lessons to Explore, Understand, and Respond to Social Injustice.Re...
2023-11-2951 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E05: Cultivating community and fluencyTune in to Episode 5, where we dive back into our season-long discussion of math fluency with classroom teacher Lauren Carr. Listen as Lauren shares how she allows her students to approach mathematical thinking and learning with joy and fun to encourage the development of math fluency.For more from Lauren Carr, follow her on X!
2023-11-1533 minedWebcastsDefining Math Fluency: What Fluency Really Means and Why It MattersThis edWeb podcast is sponsored by Amplify.The webinar recording can be accessed here.In this edWeb podcast, you hear from Bethany Lockhart Johnson, an elementary school educator and author, as well as the co-host of the Math Teacher Lounge podcast. In addition to her many roles in education, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations.Throughout this session Bethany explores the concept and value of fluency in the context of grade-level mathematics standards, and how these standards were developed to build student...
2023-11-091h 02Math Teacher LoungeS6-E04: "Making Black Girls Count," with Dr. Nicole JosephJoin us for a special episode of Math Teacher lounge where we take a break from our focus on math fluency to talk with scholar and author Nicole M. Joseph Ph.D. Tune in to this important conversation where Dr. Joseph shares her research and discusses how we can begin to uplift Black girls and empower them in our math classrooms.For more from Dr. Joseph, check out the following resources:Read Dr. Joseph’s new book Making Black Girls Count in Math Education: A Black Feminist Vision for Transformative Teaching.Check ou...
2023-11-0136 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-E03: Consciously foster math fluencyTune in to the latest episode of Math Teacher Lounge where we learn how to intentionally foster fluency with Dr. Art Baroody, Professor Emeritus of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Listen as Baroody shares strategies on how to utilize a student’s natural problem-solving skills and desire to learn to build fluency.
2023-10-1841 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-02: Assessing fluencyTune in to our latest episode where we sat down with Dr. Valerie Henry to discuss how math fluency assessments can be redesigned to provide teachers with better data and students with better learning experiences.Listen today and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track key strategies and make the most of this episode!For more from Valerie, check out the following resources:Learn more from Val and check out her resources on her website FactsWise.Dive deeper into fluency with Val and read her blog post Timed Te...
2023-10-0436 minMath Teacher LoungeS6-01: Defining math fluencySeason 6 of Math Teacher Lounge is here!This season, we’ll be digging deep into math fluency—exploring what it is, looking into the research around it, and sharing practical tips for building it in math classrooms. Join us as we kick things off this week with Jason Zimba, Amplify’s chief academic officer of STEM!In our first episode, we sat down with Jason to get a clear understanding of what math fluency is and what we really mean when we talk about it. As a prominent math advocate with many years of experience, he can...
2023-09-2032 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-08: Utilizing AI as a teaching toolJoin us as we continue our summer mini-series where we discuss how to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) as a teaching tool. In this episode of Math Teacher Lounge, we sit down with educator Kristen Moore to discuss how she is using Chat GPT as a tool to revolutionize student learning and streamline lesson planning.Listen today and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
2023-08-2329 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-07: Discerning the role of AI in educationJoin us for our summer mini-series where we’ll be talking about artificial intelligence (AI): what it is, how it is already being used in education, and how it will continue to transform education in the future. In this kickoff episode, we sat down with Jennifer Carolan, general partner at Reach Capital, to chat about the current state of AI in education technology.As a former teacher and current leading-edge education technology entrepreneur, Jennifer has so much to share on how, if done correctly, AI will become a partner with educators and a tool for fostering social le...
2023-07-3133 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-06: Season takeaways for tackling math anxietyAs we wrap up this season of Math Teacher Lounge, we’re sharing our biggest takeaways from our incredible discussions around tackling math anxiety.We’ve been able to speak to five great thinkers on math and the anxieties that can affect students, teachers, and even caregivers. From acknowledging math anxiety and finding ways to immediately start relieving the pressure, to redefining math and establishing positive math routines in and out of the classroom, we’ve learned so much with every single episode. Listen now to hear our season highlights, as well as some of our fa...
2023-07-0639 min
Science of Reading: The PodcastSpecial episode—Disciplinary literacy: Connecting reading and math in children's literature with Allison Hintz and Antony SmithFrom reading street signs and menus to checking the weather, and using a ruler, there are so many examples of how a student's math and literacy adventure continues beyond the classroom. That's why we're sharing another bonus episode—this time from our friends at Math Teacher Lounge, to show the connection between math and children's literature.In this episode, Mathematizing Children's Literature authors Allison Hintz and Antony Smith join Math Teacher Lounge hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer to discuss what would happen if we were to approach children's literature, and life, through a math lens, an...
2023-07-0526 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-05: Technology & math anxiety: research-based tips for caregiversSo far in this season of Math Teacher Lounge, we’ve been very lucky to have had so many prolific and brilliant researchers on our show, and our next guest is no exception. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Marjorie Schaeffer to discuss how the attitudes of adults affect children and their anxiety levels, the need for meaningful, positive interactions around math, and how the right math technology can make an incredible impact on lowering math anxiety in children and caregivers. Listen now and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to tra...
2023-06-1931 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-04: Coaching tips for managing math anxiety in teachersSo far this season, we’ve investigated math anxiety in students and its causes with passionate researchers and curriculum experts, including Sesame Workshop! Now we hear from Dr. Heidi Sabnani, consultant, coach, and co-host of Math 4 All, as she gives us research-based tips for teachers who are facing math anxiety themselves! Listen as we discuss Heidi’s own math anxiety and journey through math, the effects teacher math anxiety can have on instruction, and practices educators can implement right away for overcoming math anxiety. Listen today and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide
2023-06-0543 minMath Teacher LoungeS5-03: Cultivating a joy of learning with Sesame WorkshopListen as we chat with Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content for Sesame Workshop! Continuing our theme of math anxiety this season, we sat down with Dr. Truglio to chat about Sesame Street and her thoughts on how to spread a growth mindset to young children and put them on course to academic achievement and long-term success.Listen today and don’t forget to grab your Math Teacher Lounge study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
2023-05-1540 minMath Teacher LoungeS5 - 02. Uncovering the causes of math anxietyWe’re continuing our season theme of math anxiety, going beyond the basics, diving deeper into what causes it, and how we can help students move forward. In this episode, we talk to Dr. Erin Maloney from the University of Ottawa to better understand what’s actually happening in the brain when a person experiences math anxiety, and how we can take steps to shift student mindsets in a positive direction. Listen now and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
2023-04-2444 min
Math Teacher LoungeS5 - 01. Investigating math anxietySeason 5 of Math Teacher Lounge is here! This season, we’ll be talking all about math anxiety: what it is, what causes it, and what we can do to prevent or ease this anxiety in the math classroom. To launch this very important theme, we sat down with Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University. As someone who’s been studying math anxiety for more than a decade, he had some interesting research and advice to share on why math anxiety affects so many students (and adults!), and tips for how to start...
2023-04-0336 minScience of Reading: The PodcastSpecial: The science of learning, the humility of teachingLearning is at the center of everything in education, so understanding how the human brain processes, retains, and retrieves new information is essential to student growth. In this special crossover episode, Susan joins forces with fellow Amplify podcast hosts Eric Cross from Science Connections, and Dan Meyer and Bethany Lockhart Johnson from Math Teacher Lounge, to discuss what learning really means across subjects. Susan is also joined by Peter C. Brown, author of the book Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, to dive into the cognitive science behind how our brains learn and ways you can apply...
2023-03-2244 min
Math Teacher LoungeWinter Wrap-Up 03: Ideas to build math fluencyJoin us for the third episode in our Winter Wrap-Up! In this episode from season 3 of Math Teacher Lounge: The Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Valerie Henry to talk about math fluency and what that means for students. Listen as we dig into the research, hear Val’s three-part definition of fluency, and explore her five principles for developing it.Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.
2023-02-2820 min
Math Teacher LoungeWinter Wrap-Up 02: Mathematizing children's literatureWhile we’re hard at work producing the exciting fifth season of Math Teacher Lounge: The Podcast, we’re continuing to share some of our favorite conversations from our first four seasons. This time around, we’re revisiting our popular episode that connected literacy and math!In this episode, we sit down with Allison Hintz and Antony Smith, authors of Mathematizing Children’s Literature, to talk about what would happen if we were to approach children’s literature, and life, through a math lens–and how we can apply those same techniques to classroom teaching!Explore more...
2023-02-0139 min
Math Teacher LoungeWinter Wrap-Up 01: Problem solving and facilitating classroom discussionsAs we prep for an exciting new season of Math Teacher Lounge: The Podcast, hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer are looking back at the amazing speakers and conversations from past episodes and sharing some of their favorites!First up: A season 2 double feature of The Power of Problem-Solving with Fawn Nguyen and Facilitating Classroom Discussions with authors Christy Hermann Thompson and Kassia Omohundro Wedekind. Fawn is a specialist on Amplify’s advanced math team, and is a former math teacher and math coach—so she knows her stuff! You'll hear about her five crit...
2023-01-1924 min