Transform Math Class into a Community of Problem Solvers
Every August, teachers carefully create posters reminding students that mistakes help us learn, everyone can do math, and every idea deserves respect. But when a student gives an incorrect answer and the classroom experience contradicts the poster, students will always believe what they experience. In Episode 220 of Math Chat Podcast, we’re talking about why […]
A classroom of problem solvers cannot exist unless every student believes they belong in the mathematics happening there. Throughout this series, we’ve explored Word Problem Workshop, thinking routines, purposeful fluency, strategic instruction, and student-engaged assessment—but belonging is the strand that weaves them all together. In Episode 219 of Math Chat Podcast, we’re looking at what […]
If you’ve been following this Creating a Classroom of Problem Solvers series, we’ve explored Word Problem Workshop, thinking routines, purposeful fluency, and strategic instruction. If you’re just joining us, I encourage you to go back and listen to the earlier episodes because each one builds on the last. Today, we’re talking about student-engaged assessment—one of […]
If you’ve been following this series on Creating a Classroom of Problem Solvers, we’ve explored Word Problem Workshop, thinking routines, and purposeful fluency. If you’re just joining us, I encourage you to go back and listen to the earlier episodes—they lay the foundation for everything we’re building together. By now, you may be wondering, “When […]
When you hear the word fluency, what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s timed tests, flash cards, memorization, or getting the right answer as quickly as possible. But what if fluency isn’t really about speed? In this episode, we’re rethinking what purposeful fluency looks like and why it plays such an important role […]
Sometimes the smallest routines create the biggest shifts in a math classroom. What might look like a simple warm-up, Number Talk, or Notice & Wonder activity is actually doing much more than filling a few minutes at the beginning of your lesson. Thinking routines are one of my favorite places to begin when building a […]
One of the biggest questions I hear from teachers after they begin learning about Word Problem Workshop or student-centered math instruction is this: How do I fit it all in? You want problem solving, discourse, fluency, reflection, intervention, and conceptual understanding—and somehow you’re supposed to make all of that happen in one math block. The […]
Picture this: it’s October. A student gets stuck on a math problem. Instead of immediately raising their hand and waiting for help, they pause. They grab a tool. They reread the problem. They try a strategy. Not because they know they’ll get it right, but because they believe they can figure something out. That kind […]
