The Build Math Minds Podcast

I think we've all heard and know about Emotional Eating, but have you ever felt like you've done Emotional TEACHING?  Not sure it's a thing, but it kind of feels like it should be. Listen in to my random thoughts and then let me know in the comments over on the YouTube video or the show notes page if you've ever done Emotional Teaching? I give an example of Teaching Emotionally in math, but your example could be from any content area.

My kids and I play a lot.  Sports, card games, board games, but they all have a preset goal…to win.  According to a book I'm reading, true play does NOT have a preset goal.  So it got me wondering how much true play my kids, and I, actually do.  I'm making it a goal to include more opportunities for us to truly play.  In this episode I'm sharing my ideas on what I will be doing this summer to play (and getting my kids to join in) plus I give you the Seven Principles of Self-Active Play they lay out in the book I'm reading. Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/170 

If you've struggled with how to help your elementary students build their math fluency, there is one thing I encourage you to do: Help your students build their flexibility with numbers. Textbooks try to directly teach strategies to students thinking that is how they will build flexibility, but you spend months doing that and then later in the year they act like they have no idea what you are talking about.  That's when we revert back to just making kids memorize.  In this episode we take a look at my book Fluency Through Flexibility…because fluency doesn't happen from memorization or teaching a ton of different strategies, it happens when kids build connections & relationships around the numbers so they can use those to help them solve any math problem. Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/169   

When I first started teaching I don't think I ONCE used a math manipulative with my students.  It was all about learning and memorizing procedures and I didn't know they needed to actually understand the math.   Now, I'm a Recovering Traditionalist and I know that kids need to understand the math, not just DO it, and to help them understand they need to work with math manipulatives.   In this episode, I'm sharing 3 key things to watch out for when working with math manipulatives.  We need to be using math manipulatives at any age however we need to make sure we do it properly or they can easily become just like any other rote procedure we tend to teach kids in mathematics.  Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/168 

Growing up I thought doing Mental Math meant doing the algorithm in my head.  Times have changed and now many educators have kids solve math in different ways but during Mental Math it's still only having kids to do math in their head.  That's not exactly what Mental Math should be about.  In this episode we explore what doing Mental Math really should be like. Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/167 

If you've ever watched a child during a counting collection and thought “Ugh! Why are you grouping the items like that?!?”  Well, there's probably a reason.  There is a progression kids go through when organizing items they are counting.  Now even though this information comes from a book about Early Childhood Education, it still applies to those of you in 3rd-5th as you work to help them group items in ways that lead to multiplicative thinking. Watch this week's video about The Progression of Grouping to help you understand why kids might be grouping items a certain way and how to help them.  Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/166 

It is commonly thought that Geometry in the early grades is just about getting kids to name and identify shapes.  There are actually 4 big ideas talked about in the Navigating Through Geometry book.  One of which is the work around two- and three-dimensional shapes but it is so much more than just naming & identifying shapes.   In this episode we take a look at what knowledge kids in PreK-2 should be developing around shapes and the types of experiences you can provide to help them develop it. Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/165   

There are 4 main strategies children tend to use to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems.  These math strategies are not tricks.  Their foundations are built on number relationships and properties of operations.  In the Math Strategy Sessions we have already explored 3 of the strategies and our next session is focused on helping kids use and understand the Inverse Operation Strategy (https://buildmathminds.com/strategy-sessions to register).  This is more than just helping kids know Fact Families, it's about helping them understand the meanings of the operations and the connections between Addition-Subtraction and Multiplication-Division.  Helping your students develop the Inverse Operation Strategy will last them the rest of their lives.  In this episode I'm sharing the first books I read that highlighted the importance of helping kids develop the strategy.  I never learned I could solve a subtraction problem with addition (or division with multiplication) until I was an adult.  Kids should be building this understanding way before I did.  Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/164 

There are lots of Problems of Teaching when you are helping young kids learn mathematics.  One of the hardest ones is helping your students to be successful learners, constantly trying to manage a large classroom of students who often are not very productive. In the book Teaching Problems and the Problems of Teaching by Dr. Magdalene Lampert, there was a line in the chapter Teaching Students to Be People Who Study in School, that still has me thinking: “...if we view students' productive or unproductive actions in the classroom as expressions of who they think they are, then classroom management merges with something that might be called ‘academic character education.'”  That whole section of the book got me thinking of things you could do in your classroom to help your students be students who study mathematics, which in turn helps them to be successful learners.  Listen for my 4 ways to help your students be successful learners of mathematics.   Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/163 

In this video I'm sharing a part of a book that made me go “Hmm, I've never really thought about that!”  It has to do with just how precise we can actually be when measuring items. One of the Standards of Mathematical Practice is “Attend to Precision” which is about being precise in all mathematical vocabulary and content, but just how precise should we make students be when it comes to measurement?  Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/162  

I love pies, Pecan Pie especially, but I don't love them during math time.  Pies, well circles in general, are an overused visual when it comes to the teaching of fractions.  In this video we take a look at visual fraction models that are much better to use and will be helpful to your students as they progress into other mathematical concepts like percentages, ratios, etc.  Get any links mentioned in this video at BuildMathMinds.com/161 

After the 2024 Virtual Math Summit, there was so much mention of using Sentence Stems I wanted to dig a bit deeper into them.  In my research I stumbled upon an old blog post by one of my favorite Math-y people, Sara Van Der Werf.  In this podcast episode I'm sharing a piece of her blog post that talks about one tweak you can make to Think/Pair/Share (or Turn & Talk) to help get your students more engaged in the math discussion.  Take a listen and go to buildmathminds.com/160 for any links mentioned in the episode.

Cathy Fosnot and Pam Harris are The Queens of Number Strings (or Problem Strings as Pam would call them).  I'm way too excited about the fact they are teaming up to do a one-day workshop all about using Problem Strings for Automaticity, Fluency, and Beyond.  If you've been doing number strings and want to go more in depth on how to use them in your classroom, I highly recommend going to this workshop.  Go to https://buildmathminds.com/159  to get links to items mentioned in the episode.  

Before the 2024 Virtual Math Summit starts next week, enjoy this preview of a Pre-Summit Session by Rosalba Serrano on Preventing Teacher Burnout.  Rosalba shares a ton of information and ideas to help you with burnout but I specifically picked this clip because one of the ideas she shared is one that my family uses a lot: Control the Controllables.   Get registered so you can watch Rosalba's full session before the summit starts: VirtualMathSummit.com/register. 

The 2024 Virtual Math Summit is in two weeks!  Here's a preview of 3 sessions from Jenny Foreman, Loren Thorpe, and myself talking about the challenges and benefits of working on getting your students to think and not just compute during math class.  To see the full list of speakers, their presentations, and to get registered go to VirtualMathSummit.com/register. To get any links mentioned in this episode, go to the show notes page at BuildMathMinds.com/157.

The 2024 Virtual Math Summit is this month!  Here's a preview of 3 sessions from Michaela Epstein, Rosalba Serrano, and Nicole Thompson & Jessica Batinovic giving you tips, ideas, and inspiration to make our Number Routines the best they can be for your students.  To see the full list of speakers, their presentations, and to get registered go to VirtualMathSummit.com/register. To get any links mentioned in this episode, go to the show notes page at BuildMathMinds.com/156.

The 2024 Virtual Math Summit starts in less than 1 month!   Check out this preview of Dr. Jim Ewing's keynote session about Teaching Math with Newcomers in Mind.  To see the full list of speakers, their presentations, and to get registered go to VirtualMathSummit.com/register. To get any links mentioned in this episode, go to the show notes page at BuildMathMinds.com/155.

The 2024 Virtual Math Summit is coming soon.  This week's episode gives you a preview of 4 sessions that focus on helping students build their understanding and fluency of multiplication.    Check out this preview of Shannon Olson, Juli Dixon, Thuc-Khahn Park, and Brittany Hege's sessions.  To see the full list of speakers, their presentations, and to get registered go to VirtualMathSummit.com/register. To get any links mentioned in this episode, go to the show notes page at BuildMathMinds.com/154.

The 2024 Virtual Math Summit is just around the corner.  This week's episode gives you a preview of 4 of the sessions. To see the full list of speakers, their presentations, and to get registered go to VirtualMathSummit.com/register.  I'm a huge supporter of Student-Centered Classrooms and so for this episode I grabbed some clips to share with you that give you ideas for ways to create that in your math class.  Tammy McMorrow, Latrenda Knighten, Ed Nolan, and Mona Iehl each have presentations at this year's Virtual Math Summit that help bring your students to the center.  To get any links mentioned in this episode, go to the show notes page at BuildMathMinds.com/153.  

I get asked why I don't do much training about Time & Measurement.  I do have some videos, you can see them in my Playlists at the YouTube channel, but there is a real reason why I don't talk about those concepts as much as others.  So in this video you get my thoughts (based upon what other math educators & researchers have to say) about why we shouldn't spend a bunch of time teaching time & measurement in math class.

This essential understanding about division is something even adults struggle with: Division is defined by its inverse relationship with multiplication.  Our textbooks want us to teach division as its own separate operation but a key to helping students understand and become proficient in division is to teach it in conjunction with multiplication.  In this episode I'm sharing an excerpt from one book in the Putting Essential Understandings into Practice series.  To get any links mentioned in this episode go to buildmathminds.com/151 

Want a quick & easy to implement activity that will show you how much your students know about the math operations and about math story problems?  I've got it for you in this week's Build Math Minds podcast.  This idea comes from the book Taking Action: Implementing Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices by DeAnn Huinker and Victoria Bill.  You can find a link to it and any other resources mentioned at the show notes page buildmathminds.com/150

The two ends of the spectrum when teaching math seem to be “here are the exact ways to solve this problem, follow it exactly,” and “you figure it out, I'm not telling you anything.”  Neither of these tend to work.  Instead it's about finding a balance between these. We need to give some guidance, but not too much.  We want them to figure out ways to solve problems on their own but we can't let them flounder. The book 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom by John Seidlitz & Bill Perryman gives educators, as the title says, 7 steps and the first one is: teach students what to say when they don't know what to say. This also applies when a student doesn't know where to start with a math problem.  So this week's episode is helping students have Things to Say Instead of IDK. Join the Build Math Minds PD site: https://buildmathminds.com/bmm 7 Steps to a Language-Rich, Interactive Classroom by John Seidlitz & Bill Perryman Build Math Minds YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/buildmathminds

It's been an incredible journey over the past two weeks as we've explored nine key strategies to Kickstart your students' number sense. Now, as we reach the end of this Kickstart event, it's essential to understand that the foundations you're laying are seeds of number sense, and their growth will be gradual. These principles we've discussed serve as the blueprint for you to navigate through the upcoming school year: Do Number Routines and Contextual Problems with a focus on understanding.  Watch for your students' thinking around the number sense concepts.  Keep a record of those understandings to help guide the number routines & contextual problems you pick.  While you are doing the number routines and contextual problems, make sure the students are doing the talking and you are listening.  Use lots of visuals and try to connect the C-R-A models as much as you can.  And then practice.  Once the understanding is there, kids do need repeated, PURPOSEFUL practice. That's your blueprint.  Today, on Day 10, it's time to take this blueprint for building your students' number sense seriously. I've explored concepts, practical strategies, and provided resources to assist you on this path. However, there's more to discover, and if you are ready to explore these ideas further your Day 10 action item is: enroll in my online courses, The Flexibility Formula, tailored for K-2 and 3-5: https://buildmathminds.com/enroll/ 

The saying "Practice Makes Perfect" often implies that repetition leads to mastery. However, practicing something you do poorly, or incorrectly, doesn't make it perfect; it instead reinforces bad habits. Practice actually makes PERMANENT. Practice is crucial, but it should follow the establishment of a strong sense of numbers. Day 9's tip is to find a new way for students to practice math. Today's audio message discusses two valuable approaches to make practice more enjoyable and connected to your students' current mathematical needs: using math games and offering students choice during math practice. Listen in to get the details. Practice is essential for reinforcing knowledge, but let's do it in a way that is fun, differentiates for your students, and allows for students to reinforce the good mathematical thinking they've been building. Get access to all the resources mentioned when you register for the Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.

Day 8 of the Number Sense Kickstart emphasizes a simple, yet sometimes difficult, teaching strategy: Let students solve story problems, don't give them the steps. The concept of Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) plays a pivotal role here. It acknowledges that students bring their innate mathematical knowledge shaped by everyday experiences with numbers to the table when solving problems. Students often solve problems in different ways than we think they should mathematically…however their strategies are often rooted in the context of the problem so it's helpful for educators to know the different problem types. Your task for Day 8 is to select a problem from your textbook, ensure it meets the math content you need for the day, display it, and have your students solve it without offering explicit solution steps. Details on this are in today's training.  This shift is often difficult for the kids (and you) so, if needed, you can experiment with Numberless Word Problems, an approach developed by Brian Bushart, which gradually introduces numerical information into word problems while promoting critical thinking and mathematical discourse. As you implement the use of story problems, continue to focus on understanding, identify underlying number concepts, record student insights, actively listen, encourage visual representations, and embrace a variety of models to help kids build connections. Get access to all the resources mentioned when you register for the Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.

In Day 7 of our Number Sense Kickstart we are shifting from the theoretical ideas I've shared so far into practical classroom strategies that make it easier to do the theoretical ideas.  Our first practical idea is to do a Number Routine with your students.  These structured, brief activities, taking just 5-10 minutes, are a potent tool for meaningful math engagement. Number Routines help students develop the 8 number sense concepts, encouraging them to interact with numbers and share their thinking.   Number Routines create opportunities for deep mathematical understanding and allow teachers to listen more and talk less, gaining insights into student number sense.  They can be visual or abstract, but when possible, it's beneficial to incorporate visuals to help your students make connections using the Concrete-Representational-Abstract models. Listen to the training for today to learn more about Number Routines so you can use one with your students tomorrow. Get access to all the resources mentioned when you register for the Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.

Today we're diving into the Concrete-Representational-Abstract (C-R-A) model of teaching mathematics. Typically, these stages are presented in isolation, with separate lessons for each. However, the real impact comes when all three are combined in a single lesson. This integration helps students see connections between different problem-solving methods and leads to those "A-HA" moments. The action item for Day 6 of the Number Sense Kickstart is to seek opportunities to combine C-R-A in your math lessons. Whether in your textbook or your upcoming lesson, aim to integrate all three stages.  Learn more about embracing this model to empower students to develop a deep understanding of mathematics. Get access to all the resources mentioned when you register for the Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.

It's Day 5 of the Number Sense Kickstart and we're focusing on the power of visuals in elementary math education. Just like in reading, where creating mental images enhances comprehension, visuals are essential in math to deepen students' understanding of numbers and mathematical operations.  However, sometimes the visuals that are in math textbooks and worksheets you download off the internet don't actually help students understand the math. In today's training we look at ensuring that visuals you use in elementary math lessons help students make sense of the mathematics.  There are lots of cases where the visuals being used in the lesson are more of a distraction than helping your students make sense of the math.   Get access to the Math Visuals Decision Tree and the Google Slides of Math Visuals when you register for the Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ---------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.

This is Day 4 of the Number Sense Kickstart and we are exploring the profound impact of active listening in the classroom. Did you know that in the typical classroom, teachers do 89% of the talking, while students ask only 11 questions a day, primarily procedural ones? It's time to change this narrative and shift the balance toward student engagement. We draw inspiration from educator Steven C. Reinhart's article “Never Say Anything a Kid Can Say For You.”  We explore his five techniques that are shared in the article. These techniques will guide you on your path to fostering student empowerment and deep mathematical understanding. So, are you ready to transform your math classroom? Tune in to learn how to empower your students and truly understand their mathematical thinking. Day 4's tip is simple yet impactful: "Stop Talking & Start Listening." Find practical strategies and resources on our Kickstart page to kickstart this transformation here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.  

Most textbooks are focused on answer-getting so their assessments are also focused on just answer-getting.  That doesn't tell you anything about what your students understand, only what they can do. To ensure you are building your students' understanding of numbers, you need some way to keep track of what they are understanding.  It's Day 3 of the Number Sense Kickstart and today is all about recording what your students understand about the 8 number sense concepts.  If you have taken The Flexibility Formula course, you have detailed information and observation sheets to help you do this.  If not, Christina Tondevold gives you a simplified way to record what you are noticing about your students' number sense. Tune in to listen or even go watch this episode over on the Build Math Minds' YouTube channel so you can see part of the recording sheet: https://www.youtube.com/buildmathminds  Have you joined the Kickstart yet?  Get the 10 Day checklist and the link to all resources mentioned by joining the 10-Day Number Sense Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.  

Mathematics is so much more than just getting the answers.  Answers are important, but that really doesn't tell you what your students UNDERSTAND about math, it only tells you what they can DO.   If you want to see what your students understand there are 8 number sense concepts that are the root of understanding numbers.  It's Day 2 of our Number Sense Kickstart and in today's episode Christina Tondevold is detailing each of those 8 number sense concepts.  This is the longest video of our Kickstart and if you've taken Christina's online course for teachers, The Flexibility Formula, you already know this information and can skip today's episode and just do the tip for today: Determine what your students actually need to understand to do the lesson for tomorrow.  If you haven't heard of these 8 number sense concepts before, take a listen. Download the 10 Day checklist and get the link to all resources mentioned by joining the 10-Day Number Sense Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are looking for a comprehensive online course for elementary educators that will help you better understand and implement the ideas in this Number Sense Kickstart, join The Flexibility Formula Course. During the 10-Day Kickstart you can get a special gift when you enroll by October 19, 2023.  Go to BuildMathMinds.com/enroll to pick the grade level of the course (K-2 or 3-5) and get enrolled.  

Do you have students struggling with their number sense and fluency in elementary mathematics?  You aren't the only one!  Over the last few years we've seen gaps in students' understanding get bigger and bigger.  So many elementary students are not fluent with math and the underlying issue is their lack of number sense.  Textbooks often jump straight into having kids operate with numbers but they have no number sense to be able to understand why the procedures even work.  That's why we've created the 10-Day Number Sense Kickstart to help you kickstart your students' number sense this year. Over the next two weeks, Christina Tondevold will give you one tip each school day to build your students' number sense and increase their fluency with mathematics. By the end of this Kickstart, you'll have a roadmap to keep building it throughout this school year.  Today's episode is Day 1 of the Kickstart. Download the 10 Day checklist and get the link to all resources mentioned by joining the 10-Day Number Sense Kickstart here: BuildMathMinds.com/10Day-kickstart 

Here in the United States, it is the end of the school year and teachers are contemplating what work they should send home with students for them to do over the summer.  In today's podcast, I get into why I'm not a big fan of general problem packets over the summer and how the phrase "practice makes perfect" is a little inaccurate.

In the last episode of the podcast, I shared the three ideas that make up computational fluency. Flexibility is often the piece that is missing in our fluency instruction, but recently textbooks have tried to incorporate more of it, but in the wrong way. In this week's podcast, I go over some of the shortcomings in the ways textbook's teach fluency and what we should really be focusing on when we're teaching fluency.

 The Flexibility Formula courses that I offer have a huge focus on how we can help kids develop number sense, but the main reason to focus on number sense is really to help your students become flexible thinkers; to build their flexibility in mathematics. In episode 144, I talk about how my courses started and the research that inspired them. Come take a listen as I discuss the concepts that make up computational fluency.

Each of you listening to this podcast have different goals for your professional development.  You have different things you are wanting to read about to help your students next year have an even better math experience in your classroom. So I've compiled a bunch of different lists on Amazon so you can choose from books for specific areas you want to focus on. Come check out Episode #143 where I share my summer reading lists for elementary math teachers for 2022.

Have you ever felt like the thing you're going through will never end? There is no doubt that hard times can wear us out and make us feel helpless. Then, it can seem like the good times don't last long enough. Whether it's good or bad times, it's important to remember that nothing lasts forever. In this week's episode, we are talking about how to think about going through the hard times, and the good times by remembering that Nothing Lasts Forever.

Games are one of my favorite ways to have kids practice.  They can do 50 problems in 5 minutes and not even realize it. But, one of the biggest complaints I hear about using games in the classroom is that teachers don't know what the kids are actually doing while playing the game.  Are they doing the math or just goofing around?? Come listen to episode 141 where I help we're talking about getting the most out of math games and go through some recommendations.

As many of you are currently in the thick of standardized testing, it reminds you that testing shouldn't be like this….but if not this, then what? This week, while sitting in my car waiting for one of the hundred, or so, practices my kids had to finish, I opened up the recent issue of the NCTM journal Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK-12.  The very first article is about using word problems as a way to assess in mathematics. In episode 140, I go through some of this issue to give you some ideas for some alternatives to math tests. Also, The Build Math Minds PD site membership is open for enrollment!

Should we stop giving tests in math class? This question was recently tweeted by Chris Luzniak and I found the comments under it very thought provoking. So, I thought I'd share some of them with you in today's podcast. Tell me what you think about them in the comments over at buildmathminds/139.

Testing season is upon us and as always, it is stressful. I wish there were easy tips or tricks I could give you to help make it awesome but unfortunately, that doesn't exist. In episode 138, I give some simple reminders on what to focus on as your student's go through testing. But the biggest reminder is that your work of helping these kids be mathematicians is more than a test.

This week I finally got a chance to crack open the book Mathematizing Children's Literature: Sparking Connections, Joy, and Wonder Through Read-Alouds and Discussion by Allison Hintz and Anthony T. Smith. I haven't even read the whole thing yet because a paragraph from the first page struck me so deeply that I knew I had to share it with you all. In this week's episode, I share a snippet from that book and get into my own shortcomings using children's books as learning tools.

Have you ever dove right into something you had no idea how to do? As hard as we try not to, we often ask our students to do just that. When I first started my Recovering Traditionalist journey and implementing more student focused experiences, I thought it would be great but there were definitely some growing pains. In today's podcast, I'm talking about how the book Introduction to Problem Solving by Susan O'Connell helped me learn how to encourage kids to start problem solving on their own. Come take a listen!

In today's podcast, I'm sharing an article that presents a visual image I once saw that plays a huge role in how I think about building our understandings of mathematics. I really think about it all the time so I thought it was time to share it with you. That image is the tip of the iceberg. Come take a listen as I get into how the visual representation of the iceberg can help us think about the things underneath the surface that we don't often consider when we say a kid is struggling to do something.

Pencil or pen? So many educators are adamant that kids MUST use pencils in math class so they can erase their errors. In today's episode I'm wondering if pens could actually be better. Perhaps there is value in keeping mistakes on the page as our student's work to get to answers.

In today's episode, I'm wrapping up my series on the Flexibility Formula by looking at Virtual Math Summit sessions from Juliana Matherson, Dr. Hilary Kreisberg, Neily Boyd and Dionne Aminata that address the Experiencing and Equity & Access pillars. These session sneak peeks give us some great tools for serving our students with noteworthy classroom experiences while being sure to include everyone in the instruction regardless of their background. The Virtual Math Summit was on February 26 and 27 and you have until March 8th to watch the sessions. After that, they go into the Build Math Minds PD site for our members to have access to. So make sure you come watch and then join the PD site so you get longer access.

I've been doing a series of episodes sharing some summit sessions that address each of The Flexibility Formula. Episode 130 we took a look at Understanding, episode 131 we dove into Observing, and today's episode we are going to look at the Connecting pillar with Virtual Math Summit presenters Stacey Ellis, Matt Halpern, and Dawn Dibley. Each of them gives us strategies to connect with our students in unique ways that you may not have thought of before. Come take a listen!