Shows
Make Math HappenConnecting Math: Where Relationships Meet FunctionsHow proportional reasoning prepares students for modelingOver the past three months, we’ve built something intentional.Geometry helped students see structure.Number systems helped them understand magnitude.Ratios helped them recognize relationships.In this episode, we bring it all together.Proportional reasoning is not the end goal. It’s the bridge. Before students ever graph a line or write an equation, they must see patterns in how quantities vary together. We explore how ratio thinking naturally leads to functions, why pattern recognition is the real preparation for...
2026-02-2211 minMake Math HappenConnecting Math: Making Proportional Reasoning VisibleRates, Tables, Tape Diagrams, and the Coordinate PlaneRatios are relationships. But proportional reasoning is what happens when students learn to use those relationships to solve problems.In this episode, we move from identifying ratios to reasoning with them. You’ll explore how tape diagrams, ratio tables, double number lines, and the coordinate plane make proportional relationships visible before formulas ever appear. Geometry shows up through alignment, iteration, and scaling. Number sense shows up through unit rates, benchmark reasoning, and magnitude checks.We’ll dig into why a rate is more than...
2026-02-1519 minMake Math HappenConnecting Math: Comparing QuantitiesBefore students can work flexibly with ratios, they must be able to answer a more fundamental question: What exactly are we comparing, and why?In this episode, we zoom in on the core comparison structures that sit beneath ratios, proportions, geometry, and algebra: part-to-part relationships, part-to-whole relationships, and unit reasoning. You’ll hear how these ways of thinking develop over time, how they connect back to geometry through reference points, structure, and scale, and why the number line remains a powerful organizing tool for magnitude and relative size.We explore how focusing on unit reasoning an...
2026-02-0816 minMake Math HappenConnecting Math: Understanding Ratios as Relationships, Not NumbersWhy ratios are about how quantities move togetherThis episode launches our Connecting Math series by reframing ratios as relationships rather than calculations. Instead of treating ratios as fractions or procedures to memorize, we explore how ratios describe how two quantities vary together and why that way of thinking must be developed over time.Building on December’s focus on Seeing Math and January’s work around Understanding Math, this episode connects geometric reasoning and number sense to proportional thinking. We unpack the progression from counting to additive, multiplicative, and proportional reasoning, and exam...
2026-02-0116 minMake Math HappenUnderstanding Math: Number Sense That TransfersHow strong number reasoning prepares students for ratios and algebraThroughout January, we’ve explored rational numbers, negative numbers, distance, value, fractions, decimals, and division. On the surface, it may seem like this month was about numbers.But this work didn’t begin in January.In December, we focused on seeing math—using geometry to help students notice structure, reason about space, and make sense of relationships before symbols ever appeared. Those same ideas carried forward as we shifted into number systems. When students reason about distance on a number line, compar...
2026-01-2518 minMake Math HappenUnderstanding Math: Fractions, Decimals, and MeaningBuilding understanding instead of teaching tricksMany students reach middle school able to perform fraction and decimal procedures without truly understanding what those numbers represent. In this episode, we slow down and reconnect fractions, decimals, and division to meaning.We explore why fractions should be understood as division first, how the number line supports flexible movement between representations, and why spatial reasoning matters when students place, compare, and reason about quantities. You’ll hear how visual models like tape diagrams, hundred grids, and aligned number lines help students see equivalence, magnitude, and relationships in...
2026-01-1821 minMake Math HappenUnderstanding Math: Negative Numbers, Distance, and ValueStrategies that clarify the number line for every learnerNegative numbers are often taught through rules that don’t stick. In this episode, we return to meaning.We explore how students have been reasoning about space, direction, and position on the number line since the earliest grades, and why negative numbers are an extension of that work—not a new concept. By grounding integer operations in movement and distance, this episode shows how students can reason about direction, magnitude, and value without relying on memorized rules.You’ll hear classroom-tested routines that b...
2026-01-1118 minMake Math HappenUnderstanding Math: Making Sense of Rational NumbersWhen students struggle with fractions, decimals, and integers, it’s often assumed they’re missing skills. In reality, they’re missing understanding.This episode opens our Understanding Math series by focusing on how students make sense of rational numbers as quantities that have value, direction, and position—not just symbols to manipulate. We explore how early experiences with counting, comparing, and representing numbers develop over time, why the number line is such a powerful organizer of thinking, and what students need to understand before operations make sense.You’ll hear why rushing into procedures often leads to f...
2026-01-0413 minMake Math HappenSeeing Math: Similarity and ScaleThis episode closes our geometry focus by showing how similarity and scale serve as the bridge into ratios, proportions, and later functions. We explore what makes figures similar, how scale factor represents a preserved relationship rather than a formula, and why students need visual experiences with enlargement and reduction before working with numbers.Along the way, we address real classroom challenges, including unfinished learning, limited instructional time, and the pressure to move students forward before connections are solid. We discuss how teaching concepts in isolation often deepens gaps, and why making relationships explicit is essential for sense-making...
2025-12-2816 minMake Math HappenSeeing Math: Area, Surface Area, and VolumeThis episode continues our Season 4 focus on making connections across mathematical domains and across grade levels. My goal over the coming months is to spark deeper conversations about instruction, sequencing, and sense-making, and to support teachers in taking these ideas back to their professional learning communities.Area, surface area, and volume are often taught as a list of formulas, but students need a much richer story. In this episode, we explore how these concepts grow from simple ideas about covering and filling space, why decomposing shapes matters, and how visual reasoning developed in earlier grades is essential...
2025-12-2214 minMake Math HappenSeeing Math: Angles, Lines, and MovementHelping students make sense of transformations and symmetryGeometry becomes powerful when students can see how shapes move, change, and relate. In this episode, we explore angles, lines, and the three core transformations—translations, reflections, and rotations—and what students must understand long before they ever touch coordinate rules.You’ll hear how early geometry experiences lay the groundwork for middle school expectations, why angle relationships matter more than memorized steps, and how symmetry helps students reason about structure and invariance. We also unpack common stumbling blocks that show up when transformations are taught...
2025-12-1514 minMake Math HappenSeeing Math: Why Geometry Should Start the StorySpatial reasoning is the heartbeat of middle school mathematics. In this episode, we explore how seeing patterns, shapes, movement, and structure primes students for success across every domain they’ll encounter this year. You’ll learn why geometry is far more than formulas and how it builds the visual foundation students need for ratios, functions, number lines, and equations. This episode opens the journey we’ll take all year. By the end, you’ll walk away with simple ways to strengthen visual thinking at home and in the classroom through tasks, conversations, and quick daily routines. Send a text
2025-12-0716 minMake Math HappenSeason Finale: Closing One Chapter, Opening AnotherThis special episode closes out the month and reflects on the entire journey of this podcast. Four years ago, this show launched as PD for the Soul with a simple mission: to give teachers bite-sized, meaningful professional development they could listen to in the middle of real life. Whether it was on the way to work, during planning, or while cleaning the house, the goal was always the same… walk away with one idea you could use immediately.After a long break and a year that pulled me in every direction, 2025 became the year of consistency and cl...
2025-11-2308 minMake Math HappenThe Closure: Bringing the Learning Full CircleThe last five minutes of class might be the most powerful. In this final episode of the instructional framework series, Laneshia breaks down the Closure portion of the lesson: the moment where big ideas get consolidated, strategies are named, and learning comes full circle.You’ll hear how teachers can use this time to:Revisit strategies and construct anchor charts that capture the day’s thinkingInvite students to reflect on their progress toward the goal, individually or with a partnerUse exit tickets to collect targeted evidence of understandingWe’ll also talk about how di...
2025-11-1614 minMake Math HappenThe Instruct: Building Thinkers, Not Answer-GettersLast week, we broke down the Instruct phase — how to plan lessons like a chef curating a recipe, balancing tasks, facilitation, and engagement to make learning stick.This week, I’m serving up the next course: what Instruct actually sounds like in action. I’m sharing a real lesson I planned, facilitated, and reflected on using the Thinking Through a Lesson Protocol (TTLP) — a “Build a Pizza” task that pushed students to reason about relationships, not race toward answers.You’ll hear how purposeful planning and lesson study gave me the space to pause instead...
2025-11-0917 minMake Math HappenThe Recipe for Instruction: Tasks, Facilitation, and Engagement That StickEvery strong math lesson has a recipe — the right balance of tasks, facilitation, and engagement that brings learning to life.In this episode, Laneshia walks you through the Instruct portion of the lesson cycle like a master chef planning a meal. You’ll learn how to:Choose and sequence tasks that align with standards and build coherence across lessons.Facilitate learning through intentional routines that get students talking, reasoning, and doing the math — not just filling in boxes.Keep engagement high with movement, discussion, and student voice.You’ll also hear strategies for classes...
2025-11-0216 minMake Math HappenPre-Teaching: Zooming Out to Zoom InBefore you ever step into a lesson, your planning determines how far students can go. In this episode, Laneshia breaks down what it means to zoom out to zoom in—strategically mapping upcoming units, identifying potential roadblocks, and pre-teaching (or accelerating) just enough to keep every learner in the fast lane.You’ll hear how Suzy Pepper Rollins’ concept of acceleration aligns with research by Burns (2004), Nelson (2022), and the What Works Clearinghouse (2021)—all pointing to one truth: when we plan ahead, students don’t just catch up; they keep up.Learn how to use your c...
2025-10-2611 minMake Math HappenActivate the Lesson: Setting the Stage for High ExpectationsBefore students ever dive into a new concept, the Activate portion of your lesson determines whether they’re truly ready to think. In this episode, Laneshia models what an intentional Activate sounds like—from synthesizing a spiral warm-up to launching a new problem about dividing fractions with and without models. You’ll hear how she uses questioning, routines, and strategic sequencing to make sense-making visible and connect to the day’s learning goal.Then, she links classroom moves to the ELEOT “High Expectations” component—exploring what it means for learners to demonstrate and describe high-quality work. Learn ho...
2025-10-1919 minMake Math HappenThe Weight of our BeliefsSix weeks into the school year, the cracks start to show — the fatigue, the frustration, and the quiet slide into low expectations. In this episode of Make Math Happen, Laneshia gets real about the dangerous drift toward deficit thinking and the power of collective teacher efficacy to turn it around.Drawing from John Hattie’s Visible Learning research — where collective teacher efficacy ranks at an effect size of 1.57, the most influential factor on student achievement — this episode challenges educators to examine how their words, tone, and team mindset shape student outcomes.Laneshia breaks down the...
2025-10-0513 minMake Math HappenThe Weight of the WorkIn this episode of Make Math Happen, I get real about the weight of the work we do as educators. From the progress my team has made in planning, to the hard truths about classroom management, to the reflection that leadership demands—I’m unpacking it all.Too often, planning feels like control, but in reality, it’s our power to shape the learning experience for students. Structure and consistency aren’t constraints; they’re the foundation for freedom in the classroom. And when challenges arise, it’s easy to point outward, but the real growth begins when we look...
2025-09-2820 minMake Math HappenYour Educational LandscapeWhat does your educational landscape look like, and what role do you play in it?In this episode, I share what I’ve been noticing in classrooms just three weeks into the school year: disengagement. Students with heads down, hesitant to participate, off-task behaviors — a reality many teachers are facing. But instead of getting stuck in frustration, we need to ask: What can we do about it?I’ll walk through three key areas that shape how students experience our classrooms:Relationships – why listening, observing, and setting expectations matter more than using slang or...
2025-09-0717 minMake Math HappenMath Moves that Matter: Building Capacity One Lesson at a TimeIn this conversation with Toni Hardy, we dig into what it really means to build capacity in math classrooms—one intentional move at a time. Toni shares how small, purposeful shifts in lesson planning and delivery create long-term impact for students and teachers alike. From structuring lessons for clarity to anticipating misconceptions, she reminds us that the best math instruction isn’t about doing more, but about making the right moves consistently.We explore the balance between content knowledge and pedagogy, and why knowing math yourself isn’t the same as being able to teach it powerfully. Toni’s...
2025-08-3153 minMake Math HappenOrganized for ImpactOrganization isn’t about perfection—it’s about impact. In this episode of Make Math Happen, Laneshia breaks down three truths every educator needs to hear: don’t put off what can be done today, stop making things harder than they need to be, and watch out for the trap of optimistic bias.From creating a daily power hour to ditching the habit of reinventing the wheel, this episode shows how small, intentional steps can save you hours of stress later. Laneshia calls out the hidden time-wasters that drain your energy and challenges you to face the role sel...
2025-08-2425 minMake Math HappenMaking Thinking Visible with Anchor ChartsAnchor charts aren’t just classroom décor—they’re tools for making learning visible, guiding students toward deep understanding, and accelerating achievement. In this episode of Make Math Happen, Laneshia connects anchor chart planning to research-backed strategies like note-taking, summarization, and study skills. Building on ideas from Season 1, Episode 18 (Math Isn’t Magic—It’s Patterns Made Visible), this episode dives into how anchor charts can be planned, created, and leveraged to support surface, deep, and transfer learning. Whether your anchor charts live year-round or evolve with each unit, you’ll leave with practical ways to use them to amplify stud...
2025-08-1731 minMake Math HappenStart Strong, Stay Ready: Planning with Purpose and PowerIf we want to end the year strong, we have to start strong—and that means getting intentional about both our environment and our instruction from Day 1. In this episode, Laneshia unpacks Phase 2 of Get Better Faster—where the management trajectory focuses on rolling out and monitoring routines, and the rigor trajectory zeroes in on building effective independent practice.You’ll learn how these moves connect directly to the P.L.A.N. to Make Math Happen framework, a practical process for building high-quality Tier 1 instruction through purposeful, vertically aligned planning. Plus, discover the Da...
2025-08-1026 minMake Math Happen5 Moves to Make Math Happen from Day OneWelcome to a brand-new season and a brand-new name—Make Math Happen! In this first episode of August, we're diving into five strategic moves you can make right now to start the school year with clarity, confidence, and impact.Inspired by Phase 1 of Get Better Faster, this episode focuses on the pre-teaching moves that lay the foundation for a year of powerful instruction and student growth. From planning and practicing routines to internalizing lessons and standing with purpose, these high-leverage strategies will help you build a classroom where learning is intentional and success is shared.Yo...
2025-08-0325 minMake Math HappenThe Margins are the MapDear Educator,In this episode, we delve into the essence of strategic planning with a focus on proactive and thoughtful approaches. Laneshia emphasizes the importance of designing lessons for students on the margins, highlighting that these students are not a detour but the map itself. By planning with intention and clarity, educators can create a ripple effect that benefits all learners. Join us as we explore how to protect prep time, strategize teacher moves, and ensure every student feels seen and supported. Tune in to discover how thoughtful planning can transform educational outcomes.Grab your...
2025-07-2717 minMake Math HappenBridges to Belonging: Building the Foundation for High School Math SuccessDear Educator,What does it mean to truly prepare students for what lies ahead—not just academically, but emotionally, socially, and intellectually?In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re building Bridges to Belonging with instructional leader Tara McCormick. Together, we unpack how to create the kind of math classrooms where students not only master the content—but feel seen, capable, and ready to take on the challenge of high school.Tara reminds us that belonging doesn’t begin in high school—it’s built in m...
2025-07-2054 minMake Math HappenEvery Mind. Every Moment: Teaching Beyond the LabelDear Educator,What happens when we stop treating disability, race, and learning needs as separate conversations—and start seeing the whole child?In this episode, I sit down with Leroy Smith, founder of Realize Curriculum Solutions and a passionate advocate for equity in education, to explore what it means to teach at the intersection of identity and ability.Together, we challenge outdated notions of who belongs where and what success should look like. We talk about the power of culturally responsive pedagogy, why high expectations must be ro...
2025-07-131h 10Make Math HappenReaching the Edges, Impacting the WholeDear Educator,What if the question that transforms your entire approach to teaching isn’t “What am I teaching?”—but “Who am I teaching for?”In this episode, we center a powerful truth: when we design our lessons for the margins, we don’t lose anyone—we reach everyone. Imagine yourself standing at the center of a circle. If your reach extends all the way to the edge, then everything in between is included. That’s the power of intentional design.We explore:What it looks an...
2025-07-0619 minMake Math HappenTeaching from Within: The Power of Identity-Aligned Practice feat. Dr. Tami DeanDear Educator,What if the most powerful tool you have in your teaching practice… is you?In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re joined by Dr. Tami Dean of Dragonfly Rising to explore the deep and transformative power of identity-aligned practice. Teaching from within isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for sustaining joy, equity, and authenticity in your work.Dr. Dean shares her journey as a liberatory educator, inviting us to consider how our personal experiences, core values, and lived identities shape the way we show up...
2025-06-2954 minMake Math HappenCapacity Isn’t Just About Skills, It’s About SelfDear Educator, You’ve been told to protect your peace. To set boundaries. To rest. But no one talks about how—especially when the work is demanding, the days are long, and the stakes feel high.In this episode, we’re unpacking three powerful truths:Capacity isn’t fragile—it’s flexible. Growth doesn’t come from doing less; it comes from doing what matters, in a way that builds you rather than breaks you.Boundaries are not walls. They are invitations—to check in, not check out. To honor your rh...
2025-06-2215 minMake Math HappenBuilding Capacity from the Inside Out: A Conversation with Raquel HopkinsDear Educator,Discomfort isn’t a sign to detour—it’s often the doorway to growth.Whether it’s an unfamiliar math concept, a challenging conversation, or a new instructional shift, we are constantly navigating spaces that stretch us. And in those moments, our first instinct may be to push it away, label it as “hard,” or find someone or something to blame. But what if we didn’t?What if we sat with it instead?This episode is an invitation to explore what it means to feel, without reacting. To p...
2025-06-1542 minMake Math HappenPermission to Pause: The Rest Teachers DeserveDear Educator,This one’s for you.You’ve poured yourself out this year—lesson after lesson, meeting after meeting, heart first, always. And now? You’re spent. But before you jump into the planning, prepping, and PD… pause. You deserve rest. Not earned. Not justified. Just deserved—because you're human.In this episode, we explore the mindset shift required to embrace rest not as a reward, but as a right. We talk about why teachers—especially those who care deeply—must build in space to reset, reflect, and reconnect to what really matt...
2025-06-0819 minMake Math HappenWork-Life Harmony Isn’t a Myth—It’s a MindsetDear Educator,You’ve given your all this year—lesson plans, data meetings, behavior logs, after-school duties, and more. And somewhere in the mix, you’ve tried to hold space for your own needs, your family, your friends, and your dreams outside the classroom.If you’ve ever whispered to yourself, “Something has to give…”—you’re not alone.In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re naming what so many educators feel but rarely say out loud: Work-life harmony isn’t a myth. It’s a mindset.It’s not about...
2025-06-0150 minMake Math HappenUnlocking Potential: The Power of High Expectations in MathDear Educator,What if the most powerful tool in your classroom isn’t a strategy, a curriculum, or a tech platform—but your belief?In this episode of PD for the Soul, I sit down with James Oneal for a timely and transformative conversation on unlocking student potential through the power of high expectations. James brings clarity, wisdom, and firsthand experience that will leave you both challenged and deeply inspired.Too often, we’re told to meet students “where they are”—but what if we also saw where they could be? What if we c...
2025-05-2559 minMake Math HappenMath Isn’t Magic—It’s Patterns Made VisibleMany educators believe talent is the ticket to math success, but the true driver is high-quality instruction. In this powerful solo episode—the final one of Season 1—we dive into Visible Learning and explore how surface, deep, and transfer learning come together to create meaningful, lasting math understanding. I reflect on missteps I’ve made and share the transformational shift toward precision teaching and clear success criteria. This is the episode that sets you up to teach with clarity and impact.📝 Download the Season 1 Reflection Journal to go deeper.Send a textBuild m...
2025-05-1822 minMake Math HappenMistakes: A Luxury for Some, A Burden for OthersDear Educator,What kind of space are you creating in your classroom?In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re challenging ourselves—and you—to take a deeper look at the unequal weight of failure in our schools. While some students are praised for “failing forward” or “learning from their mistakes,” others—particularly those from marginalized communities—face a very different reality. The same missteps that are framed as growth opportunities for some can lead to consequences, lowered expectations, or even punishment for others.The hard truth is this: failing doesn’t...
2025-05-1157 minMake Math HappenFighting the Forgetting Curve: Building Generalizations That LastIn this episode, we dig into one of the biggest hurdles students face in math learning: the forgetting curve. With so many distractions today, knowledge retention is harder than ever, making it crucial for us as educators to create opportunities for students to explore mathematics deeply, not just widely. I share how building generalizations — not just memorizing facts or shortcuts — strengthens mathematical understanding and helps students connect ideas across time. We’ll talk about how to design classroom experiences that slow forgetting, deepen reasoning, and set the stage for students to thrive. Plus, I’ll share practical ways you can star...
2025-05-0418 minMake Math HappenReading Between the Numbers: How Literacy Powers Math SuccessDear Educator,Math and literacy—two core subjects, often taught in silos, but deeply intertwined in practice.In this episode of PD for the Soul, titled “Reading Between the Numbers: How Literacy Powers Math Success,” we’re breaking down the invisible wall between words and numbers. Joined by the brilliant Latoya King, English and Language Arts Curriculum Specialist, we explore how reading comprehension, vocabulary, and literacy practices shape a student's ability to reason mathematically, solve problems, and communicate their thinking with clarity.We often say math is its own language...
2025-04-2745 minMake Math HappenShortcuts or Setups? Teaching Math for the Long GameAs the school year winds down, this episode invites educators to pause and reflect: Are the rules we’re teaching setting students up for long-term success—or long-term confusion?From “keep, change, flip” to “move the decimal,” we explore the rules that expire—the shortcuts that might get students through today’s lesson but leave them stuck tomorrow. More importantly, we talk about what it looks like to shift toward teaching deep understanding over speed, and how to start that shift—even with just one small move before the year ends.This episode is fo...
2025-04-2020 minMake Math HappenClosing Strong: Data-Driven Teaching for Maximum ImpactDear Educator,As we enter the final stretch of the school year, this episode of PD for the Soul invites you to shift from information to transformation.You’ve gathered benchmark data, you've seen your students grow—and now it’s time to make every instructional moment count. In this episode, we explore how to finish strong by using data to drive targeted instruction, balance pacing with purposeful reteaching, and build student confidence as they approach end-of-year assessments.We also introduce a powerful, practical routine to support your math block: the Thre...
2025-04-1331 minMake Math HappenMaking Math Stick: The Power of Consistent RepresentationsIn this episode, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked yet powerful elements of effective math instruction: consistent representations. Too often, in the rush to prepare students for tests, we skip over the very tools that help them understand, retain, and apply what they’ve learned. The result? Students who forget concepts days—or even hours—after they’re taught.Drawing on insights from The Math Pact and Visible Learning, we explore why consistency in language, visuals, and manipulatives isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. From unpacking common misconceptions to rethinking how we use concrete...
2025-04-0617 minMake Math HappenFrom Surviving to Thriving: How Maslow’s Hierarchy Shapes Teacher Well-BeingDear Educator,Teaching is more than a profession—it’s a calling, a passion, and, at times, an all-consuming responsibility. We pour so much of ourselves into our students, our classrooms, and our craft that we often forget to check in on ourselves. But here’s the thing: we can’t pour from an empty cup.In this episode, From Surviving to Thriving: How Maslow’s Hierarchy Shapes Teacher Well-Being, we’re taking a moment to reflect—not just on what we do, but on how we feel. Our thoughts shape our emotions, and our emotions influ...
2025-03-3048 minMake Math HappenDo No Harm: Why Precision in Notation Is a Non-NegotiableJoin the Math Collective!Hey Educators, welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we’re continuing our journey through The Math Pact: Achieving Instructional Coherence and Visible Learning for Mathematics. Last time, we discussed the impact of language on student understanding. Today, we’re shifting our focus to notation—a seemingly small detail that can make or break comprehension in math classrooms.Are the symbols we use actually reducing cognitive load for students, or are they unintentionally adding confusion? We’ll explore critical topics like:✅ The true meaning of the equal sign and w...
2025-03-2319 minMake Math HappenTeacher Moves: How Planning with Clarity and Purpose Leads to Impact and GrowthDear Educator,We’ve all felt the pressure—the pacing guides, the curriculum maps, the looming deadlines. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush, covering as much content as possible in the shortest amount of time. But here’s the truth: depth matters more than speed.In this episode, Teacher Moves: How Planning with Clarity and Purpose Leads to Impact and Growth, we’re taking a step back to reflect on our role as educators—not just as instructors, but as scientists. Every day, we observe our classrooms, analyze student needs, and make intenti...
2025-03-1645 minMake Math HappenWords Matter: How Consistency in Language Builds Math UnderstandingJoin the Math Collective!The words we use in math classrooms shape how students think about and understand mathematical concepts. In this episode, we explore how inconsistent language—like saying “reducing” fractions instead of “simplifying” or using “plug in” instead of “substituting”—can create unnecessary confusion. We’ll break down common missteps, discuss the power of precise terminology, and share strategies for reinforcing clear, consistent language that deepens comprehension. Tune in to learn how small shifts in the way we talk about math can lead to big gains in student understanding!Send a textBuild multiplication...
2025-03-0914 minMake Math HappenBridging Academic Gaps: Strategies for Equity and EngagementDear Educators,We all want our students to thrive, but what does it really take to bridge academic gaps and ensure equity in our classrooms? In this episode, we’re diving into the power of intentional teaching—because success in our classrooms isn’t just about delivering content; it’s about making sure students know how to be successful.Too often, we assume students already understand what it takes to excel in our classrooms. But have we truly taken the time to train them on what success looks like? Have we made our expectations explicit and prov...
2025-03-0247 minMake Math HappenMaximizing Student Outcomes with the Final Three Formative Five TechniquesJoin the Math Collective!In this episode, we’re diving into the final three strategies of The Formative 5: Show Me, Hinge Questions, and Exit Tasks—three powerful techniques that can transform how we assess and respond to student learning in real time. I’ll share insights from my own observations, practical ways to implement these strategies, and the impact they can have on student engagement and understanding.We’ll explore:✅ How Show Me helps students demonstrate their thinking and deepens conceptual understanding.✅ Why Hinge Questions are pivotal moments that...
2025-02-2319 minMake Math HappenMoving Towards Success for All: Harnessing Data to Empower Teachers and Transform LearningDear Educators,I see you. I see the dedication, the energy, and the passion you bring to your students each day. But I also see the weight of the work—the challenge of balancing instruction, engagement, and student growth while making sense of the data that tells their stories.In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re diving deep into the power of data—not as a burden, but as a tool for transformation. Principal Lisa Gillespie shares how her team uses data strategically, from weekly dives to post-benchmark reflections, ensuring that e...
2025-02-1650 minMake Math HappenThe Role of Assessment in Student LearningGo Straight to Part 2!In this episode, we’re diving into two powerful formative assessment strategies from The Formative 5 by Francis (Skip) Fennell, Beth McCord Kobett, and Jonathan Wray: observations and interviews. These tools go beyond simply gathering data—they allow us to truly understand how our students think and process math. Whether it’s recognizing proportional relationships or uncovering student misconceptions, you’ll learn actionable ways to bring these strategies to life in your classroom.Looking for more tools to transform how you teach math in the middle? Download my guide to...
2025-02-0915 minMake Math HappenClosing Gaps in Foundational Math SkillsDear Educator,If you’ve ever felt the tension between where your students are and where they need to be, you’re not alone. Teaching grade-level content to students who aren’t quite there yet is one of the greatest challenges we face as educators. But here’s the truth: it’s possible. And not only is it possible—it’s necessary.Closing foundational gaps while moving students forward requires a mindset shift. A growth mindset, not just for our students, but for ourselves. When we believe that students can learn, that gaps can...
2025-02-0259 minMake Math HappenStarting the Conversation: Welcome to PD for the SoulJoin the Math Collective!In this episode, I introduce myself and share a bit about my journey as an educator, coach, and lifelong learner. You’ll hear about my work experience, my passion for math education, and why I’m so excited to create this space to discuss what’s really happening in classrooms.I’ll also share what you can expect from this podcast, including weekly episodes every Sunday at 9:00 AM, practical strategies for teachers, and insightful conversations with guests who bring fresh perspectives.If you’re looking for ideas that are actionable...
2025-01-2604 minMake Math HappenInside the Black Box – Using Formative Assessments to Move the NeedleJoin the Math Collective!In this episode, we dive into the groundbreaking research of Inside the Black Box by Black and William (1998) and explore why improving formative assessments can lead to significant and substantial student growth.As a math coach, I see firsthand how formative assessment opportunities often go unseized—not out of neglect, but due to the challenges teachers face with time and providing meaningful feedback. We'll discuss:Why knowing whether students are proficient isn’t enough,The role of feedback in moving students forward, andThe importance of building a classroom culture where stud...
2025-01-2612 min
Big Mama Was Wrong (BMWW)Is the Teacher Really Lyin'? with Laneshia Lamb-BooneMarisha sits down with Math coach, Laneshia Boone, as they unpack challenges and how to support students throughout their school years.
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Episode Guest:
Laneshia Lamb-Boone, Math Coach
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2024-08-2139 min