Make Math Happen – Details, episodes & analysis

The 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 thinking
• Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the goal, individually or with a partner
• Use exit tickets to collect targeted evidence of understanding

We’ll also talk about how different curricula handle closure: some, like Open Up Resources, build in activity and lesson syntheses, while others leave teachers to create this piece themselves. Either way, skipping closure is not an option. As Brooke Powers of OUR says, “Skipping the synthesis is like skipping the end of the movie without finding out how it all came together.”

Tune in to learn how intentional closure can help you form small groups, make homework meaningful, and adjust upcoming lessons with clarity and confidence.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Last 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 of rescue, to question instead of tell, and to help students uncover structure on their own. I also reflect on how these moments connect directly to the Standards for Mathematical Practice and the Effective Teaching Practices that develop confident, independent thinkers.

🎧 Listen in to learn how to:

• Use questioning to cultivate reasoning instead of guessing.
• Turn productive struggle into a tool for understanding.
• Plan with enough intention to respond, not react.

This episode brings last week’s Instruct framework to life — a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to teach math through curiosity, connection, and care.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Anchor 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 student success.

Check out Visible Learning Plus 252 Influences on Student Achievement.

Subscribe to the Math Collective to gain access to the updated lesson planning document, a sample anchor chart, and an anchor chart planning document.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

If 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 Daily Power Hour strategy—your one-hour, no-fluff system to stay ahead on lesson internalization all year long.

Whether you’re setting the bar for excellence, scripting ideal responses, or fine-tuning your routines, this episode will help you prepare with purpose, teach with confidence, and make math happen for every learner.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Welcome 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.

You'll hear about:

• How to design and roll out routines that empower students
• The power of posture, presence, and purposeful communication
• Why lesson planning—not classroom decorating—deserves your focus
• A planning schedule designed to help teachers work at work and rest at home
• What it means to internalize your plan and define success with students

🎁 Subscribe to the Math Collective to receive the free companion resource to help you apply each move in your own context.

You’ve got what it takes to make this year the one that matters most—let’s make math happen.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Dear 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 Season 2 Listening Journal & Coloring Companion to reflect as you listen, linked in the show notes.

And remember: Starting August 1, this show becomes the Make Math Happen podcast—keeping clarity, community, and action at the center.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Dear 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 middle school, with every opportunity we take to model success, celebrate mistakes, and raise expectations. We explore how intentional planning, clarity around behaviors of success, and collaborative work across grade levels can strengthen the bridge between middle and high school math.

If you're ready to stop assuming students know and start training them in what they need to thrive, this conversation is for you.

🖊️ Grab your Season 2 Listening Journal & Coloring Companion to reflect as you listen, linked in the show notes.

 📣 And remember: Starting August 1, this show becomes the Make Math Happen podcast—keeping clarity, community, and action at the center.

Because when we build bridges with care, students cross with confidence.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Dear 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 rooted in relationship, and how we shift from managing classrooms to cultivating community.

If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to support Black boys with disabilities,  or how to transform your own practice without waiting for systems to change first—this episode is for you.

• Every mind matters.
• Every moment counts.

Let’s make them both visible in our practice.

🖊️ Grab the Season 2 Listening Journal & Coloring Companion to reflect as you listen.

 🔗 Follow, share, rate and keep the conversation going—because the time is now.

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Dear 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 and sounds like to reach the margins—through planning, anticipating, assessing, and adapting
• Why proximity, movement, and visibility are just as critical as content
• How our teacher moves, student seating, feedback loops, and room scans can be small shifts with big impact
• A grounding reminder that learning is change in long-term memory, and real learning requires consolidation and transfer

This episode is both a challenge and an invitation: to move intentionally, plan methodically, and teach with your full radius in mind. Because when we teach from the center outward with care, clarity, and strategy—every learner gets what they need.

💡 Download the Season 2 Listening Companion + Journal Coloring Book to reflect and act as you listen.

🎧 And remember: Starting August 1, this podcast becomes Make Math Happen, a name that’s clearer, bolder, and a constant reminder to act on behalf of our students.

Let’s go make it happen.

With care,
Laneshia

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok

Dear 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 for students. Together, we talk about how alignment between who we are and how we teach creates more meaningful connections, especially for students who’ve been historically marginalized or misunderstood.

If you’ve ever felt out of sync with your role, your school, or even yourself—this conversation offers grounding questions and practical ways to reconnect with your purpose.

Whether you’re in the classroom, coaching others, or leading change, this episode reminds you:

• Your identity is not a side note. It’s your compass.

Let this be your permission to reflect, reclaim, and realign.

With you in the work,
Laneshia

P.S. Download the companion podcast journal to dive deeper—and give yourself space to process the parts that hit home. The link’s in the show notes.

Learn from and connect with Dr. Dean:

• Awareness Resource 
• Diverse Text Resource
• Webinar Series

Send us a text

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.

You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.

Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.

If you like math videos, let's connect:

• YouTube
• TikTok