Explore every episode of the podcast Making Math Moments That Matter

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr talks with Mona Iehl about her upcoming session at the 2026 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. Mona, a former math avoider turned author, explains why students need opportunities to talk about their thinking in math, and why teachers don’t need more word problems. They need ways to bring the problems already in their curriculum to life.

Mona shares the moment she realized she was recreating the math classroom she hated, how a math coach introduced her to the idea of nudging instead of telling, and the daily routine she built around one rich task. She also names a barrier many teachers overlook: helping students learn to listen to each other.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why Mona hopes her students leave believing their voice matters in math
• How talk gives students a low-stakes way to try out their reasoning
• Why we don’t need more word problems, just better ways to use the ones we have
• How teachers can adapt curriculum tasks to fit the students in front of them
• The moment a self-described math avoider realized she was recreating the classroom she hated
• What a “nudge” is and how it differs from simply telling students what to do
• A daily routine of launch, grapple time, sharing, discussion, and one more problem
• How replacing textbook characters with students’ own names makes strategies personal
• Why listening is the barrier most teachers don’t see coming
• How changing “tell me” to “tell us” shifts who students are talking to

Choose one word problem from tomorrow’s lesson and ask: How could I bring this off the page? Plan a short launch, give students time to grapple, and pick two students to share their strategies with the class. Then notice your language as you circulate. When a student is stuck, what nudge could you offer instead of an explanation? And when students share, are you saying “tell me” or “tell us”?

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman tackle a common problem in math improvement planning: leaders setting key results for teachers. They explain why year-long targets are often too far away to drive action, why quarterly milestones keep momentum going, and why the people creating the change should be the ones setting the targets.

Yvette walks through a K–12 school that chose the first Standard for Mathematical Practice as its objective, then had each PLC commit to its own short-term change, including a key result focused on just three students. Jon and Yvette also share advice for system leaders supporting many schools: learn the conditions for success in one place before trying to scale.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why key results should be set by the people who will create the change
• Why six- or nine-month targets are too far out, and why quarterly milestones work better
• How key results differ from end-of-year achievement scores
• How a K–12 school used the first Standard for Mathematical Practice as its shared objective
• How each PLC chose its own short-term change based on what students were showing
• A real key result focused on three students retelling a problem without the numbers
• What makes a strong key result: a baseline, a clear bar, a date, and multiple sources of evidence
• The leader’s role in protecting PLC time and connecting every team back to the objective
• Why system leaders should learn the conditions for success in one school before scaling to many

Look at the key results or targets your team is working toward right now and ask: Who wrote these? If they were set at the leadership level, consider bringing your PLCs together to choose their own short-term change instead. Ask each team what they’re seeing in students, what one move they could realistically commit to this quarter, how they’ll gather evidence, and when they’ll bring it back to share.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Jon Orr and Sue Looney preview her Make Math Moments Virtual Summit session and share how stories, memorable characters, and a four-step story lens can help teachers build resilient problem solvers in math.

Register for the 2026 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit for FREE. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr talks with Sue Looney about her upcoming session at the 2026 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. Sue, who began her career as an English major, explains why stories are a powerful and often overlooked way to help students build resilience in math. She describes resilient problem solvers as students who aren’t afraid when the fog rolls in, and shares how characters, historical math tasks, and a four-step story lens can help students see those qualities in themselves.

Jon and Sue also tackle the question every teacher and coach will ask: where does this fit in an already busy day? Sue offers practical ways to start small, connect with what’s already happening in ELA, and build toward regular problem solving time.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What Sue hopes teachers will say about teaching math 15 years from now
• What resilient problem solving looks and sounds like in a math classroom
• Why students need “foggy” problems instead of packaged ones with an obvious path
• How stories help students connect with characters who show resilience
• How an ancient magic squares legend became a children’s book about perseverance
• A preview of the four-step story lens Sue will share at the summit
• Why holding up a mirror to students may be the most important step
• How to find time for stories by starting small and connecting to ELA
• Why human qualities like curiosity and perseverance matter more as technology advances

Think about a story you already love, whether it’s a picture book, a novel, or a classic like The Odyssey. What problem does the main character face, and how do they stay with it when things get hard? Look for one place in the coming week where you could share that story with students, name the resilient qualities you notice, and then ask: Do you see yourself in this character? What would it take to bring those qualities into our math class?

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore teacher buy-in and resistance in math PD, and how the Results Pyramid helps leaders create the experiences that shift beliefs, build trust, and move teams to action.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman respond to a question they heard three times in a single week: what do you do when your math team pushes back on every new idea? Drawing on Change the Culture, Change the Game by Roger Connors and Tom Smith, they explain why widespread resistance is usually a culture problem rather than a personality problem, and how the Results Pyramid can help leaders design the experiences that shift beliefs and lead to lasting action.

They contrast two teams they support: a 6–12 group that built trust through a co-constructed vision and three years of consistent messaging, and a 9–12 team stepping into the work feeling anxious and skeptical. Along the way, they share practical first steps for listening, building relational trust, and helping more people move above the line.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why widespread resistance is a culture problem, not a personality problem
• What “above the line” and “below the line” thinking looks like in math PD and PLCs
• How the Results Pyramid connects experiences, beliefs, actions, and results
• Why math improvement plans that jump straight to actions often stall
• How one district built trust by co-constructing a shared vision and repeating it for three years
• How transparency around observations and data collection builds relational trust
• Why listening to teachers’ fears is the first step toward buy-in
• How trusted informal leaders can help pull a team above the line
• How teams can hold each other accountable without shutting down honest venting

Think about the last time your team pushed back on a new math initiative. What past experiences might have shaped that response? Identify one interaction you lead regularly, such as a PLC, department meeting, or PD session, and ask: What experience am I creating here, and what belief is it reinforcing? Then decide on one change you could make next time to help pull people above the line.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

What does fact fluency actually mean in your school? If you asked five teachers, would you get five different answers? 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Dr. Nicki Newton explore why fact fluency is bigger than a classroom strategy. They unpack what fluency really means, why timing matters, and what changes when schools treat fact fluency as a coherent, long-term system priority. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy with understanding really mean for fact fluency
• Why instant recall can be a goal without making timed tests the starting point
• Why fact fluency needs to be approached as a system-wide priority
• How differentiated practice can better meet students where they are
• Why public displays of students' math fact performance can do more harm than good
• How data conversations can shift from identifying what's “wrong” with students to examining instruction
• Why schools need to interrogate the practices they've inherited around math facts
• How leaders, coaches, teachers, students, and families can contribute to a coherent fluency approach

Start by uncovering your school's current fluency story. What do you believe about fact fluency? What practices have become routine, and why? Then ask whether those practices are actually producing the outcomes you want for students. 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

What do you fundamentally believe about how students learn mathematics? More importantly, do the everyday experiences in your classroom actually reflect those beliefs?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman revisit four classroom pillars—growth, curiosity, collaboration, and struggle—and ask whether they still hold up years later. They explore what happens when beliefs become more than words and begin shaping assessment, instruction, expectations, and every interaction students experience. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why every math teacher should identify the beliefs they won't waver from
• How classroom pillars connect beliefs to everyday instructional decisions
• Why saying you value growth means your assessment practices should honor growth
• How curiosity, collaboration, and productive struggle shape students' mathematical experiences
• Why classroom pillars shouldn't simply become another checklist
• Whether practice, precision, and mathematical reasoning deserve a place among your core beliefs
• How expectations for rigor can communicate a fundamental belief that students are capable
• How teachers and teams can co-construct their own classroom pillars

At your next team meeting, ask one question: What do we truly believe students should experience and get from mathematics? Identify the few ideas you aren't willing to compromise on, then look at whether your everyday practices actually bring those beliefs to life.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Monday is make a ten. Tuesday is doubles. Wednesday is doubles plus one. Add a completely different context each day, and we may be making it harder for students to see how the mathematics connects. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Graham Fletcher explore the idea of finding a through line in mathematics. They unpack how greater coherence in both context and content can help students make connections, build conceptual understanding, and access the mathematics more deeply. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What a “through line” looks like in mathematics
• Why constantly changing contexts can create unnecessary barriers for students
• How a familiar context can give students more space to focus on the mathematics
• Why variety in problem types doesn't require a new context every time
• How mathematical properties can connect strategies that often appear unrelated
• Why unitizing provides a through line from whole numbers to fractions and rates
• How understanding mathematical progressions helps teachers respond to the range of thinking in their classrooms
• What it means to become a wiser consumer of curriculum resources

Look back at the last couple of weeks of your math instruction. How often did the strategy, context, and mathematical idea change? Consider where a stronger through line could help students see connections that may currently be hidden. 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a three-day school visit and share how a K–12 team used a Math Coherence Compass, classroom observations, focused instructional moves, and short-term key results to build a sustainable math improvement plan.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a recent three-day visit with a K–12 school working to strengthen its math improvement plan. They share how the team moved from a broad vision to classroom evidence, one focused instructional move, and short-term key results designed to build momentum. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why a shared vision needs to describe what students and teachers will actually be doing
• How a Math Coherence Compass can create alignment across multiple campuses
• The difference between student participation and independent mathematical thinking
• How classroom observations can reveal strengths and opportunities without becoming evaluative
• Why the team focused on student confidence, risk taking, perseverance, and curiosity
• How one existing part of the curriculum became a high-leverage instructional move
• Why short-term key results can help turn a long-term goal into immediate action
• How accountability and follow-up help new practices become part of the system

Look at your current math improvement goal and ask: What is one observable change we could realistically make this quarter? Get specific about the action, how you'll support it, what evidence you'll collect, and when you'll come back together to see what you're learning.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Jon Orr interviews Zak Champagne, author of Curious Kids in the Math Classroom, about practical ways to foster student curiosity through classroom community, authentic questioning, task design, and small shifts to existing math lessons.

Register for free for the 2026 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Zak Champagne, author of Curious Kids in the Math Classroom, explore how small shifts in classroom practice can foster authentic curiosity. They discuss creating safe spaces, modeling genuine curiosity, using cliffhangers, and adapting the curriculum you already have. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why curiosity is something we can foster rather than force
• How repeated moments of curiosity can shape students' relationship with mathematics
• Why authentic teacher curiosity matters more than manufactured “wonder”
• How classroom community creates the safety students need to share unfinished ideas
• How cliffhangers and uncertainty can invite students into mathematical thinking
• Simple ways to adapt existing math tasks without replacing your curriculum
• Why fostering curiosity is a long game, not a checklist of strategies
• How small, sustainable changes can transform classroom experiences over time

Don't try to overhaul every lesson. Choose one small move that creates a little more room for students to wonder, ask questions, or explore an unfinished idea—and keep building from there.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

The math wars often focus on conceptual understanding versus traditional algorithms. Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore a deeper challenge: understanding the prerequisite mathematical ideas students need to access new learning.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore what changes when we stop debating how math should be taught and start examining the knowledge students need to access today’s learning. Mathematics is cumulative, and those prerequisite ideas may be far more complex than the curriculum progression suggests. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why the conceptual-versus-procedural debate may be missing the bigger issue
• What it means for mathematics to be “ruthlessly cumulative”
• Why grade-level curriculum progressions don't always reveal true prerequisite knowledge
• How specialized content knowledge helps teachers respond to student misconceptions
• What multiplying fractions reveals about factoring, scaling, ratios, and proportional reasoning
• Why high-leverage visual models can help uncover the mathematics beneath an algorithm
• How teachers can build their mathematical knowledge one concept at a time
• Why strengthening teacher capacity needs to be a long-term system priority

Choose one concept you're teaching and look beneath the expectation: What does a student actually need to understand to access this idea? Try representing it with an area model, ratio table, or double number line and see what prerequisite ideas become visible.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

We want students to be curious, persistent, and resilient problem solvers. But what if those aren't qualities students simply bring into our classrooms? What if we can actually create the conditions for them to emerge? 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Peter Liljedahl – author of Building Thinking Classrooms explore the difference between states and traits and what that distinction means for teaching mathematics. Peter shares how thoughtfully designed experiences can create moments of confidence, productive struggle, and resilience—and how repeated experiences can eventually shape who students become as mathematical thinkers. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• The difference between a state and a trait
• Why resilience isn't something students either “have” or “don't have”
• How repeated states can eventually develop into traits
• Why productive struggle is more likely when challenge follows success
• How task sequencing can build confidence before students encounter greater challenge
• Why showing students how to solve problems isn't the same as helping them become problem solvers
• How Building Thinking Classrooms practices can create conditions for resilience
• Why teachers have an important role in designing environments that invite different student behaviours

Instead of asking, “Why aren't my students more resilient?” consider asking, “What conditions could I create that give them an opportunity to step into resilience?” We can't expect different student behaviours without creating environments that invite those behaviours.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Ever reach the end of the semester only to feel like you're reteaching everything from September? If students learned it once but can't retrieve it months later, the problem may not be the original lesson. It may be how—and when—they encountered mathematics. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr breaks down what it actually means to spiral your math curriculum and why spacing and retrieval can support longer-lasting learning. He also shares what didn't work when he first tried spiraling and offers practical ways to start without rebuilding your entire course. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• The difference between blocked instruction and spiraling
• Why spacing and retrieval can improve long-term retention
• How blocked units can create an “illusion of understanding”
• Why randomly mixing lessons isn't the same as thoughtfully spiraling
• How mini-units can balance developmental progression with spaced learning
• Three low-lift ways to begin spiraling without rebuilding your course
• How warm-ups, math talks, and lagged practice can keep previous learning alive
• What leaders can do to create the conditions for spiraling to actually stick

Choose one topic students consistently seem to forget. Instead of teaching it once and hoping it sticks, consider how you could intentionally bring it back three times this term, going a little deeper each time. Start small, build deliberately, and give students repeated opportunities to retrieve and reconnect their learning. 

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Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

We say we want students to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and mathematical reasoners. But do the systems in our classrooms and schools actually reward those things—or are we still rewarding speed, compliance, and correct answers? 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Dr. Pamela Seda explore the disconnect between the mathematics we say students need and what our systems actually value. They examine how assessment, classroom routines, walkthroughs, and professional learning can unintentionally send competing messages—and what leaders and teachers can begin changing within their control. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• The two competing visions of mathematical success
• Why speed and correct answers don't tell us the whole story of student understanding
• How classroom and school systems communicate what we truly value
• Why collecting evidence of student thinking matters more than judging an answer alone
• How formative assessment can prioritize reasoning, justification, and critical thinking
• Why standardized assessments can be treated as the floor rather than the goal
• How leaders can better align what they say matters with what their systems actually reward
• How to recognize when you're operating within the “old system” so you can begin changing it

Take a closer look at one system you control—your formative assessment, lesson routines, walkthrough tool, or professional learning. What does it communicate to students and teachers about what counts as success in mathematics? Recognizing the old system is the first step toward building something different.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Your math team meets regularly. You strategize, make decisions, and talk about improving mathematics. But when everyone leaves the meeting, does the work actually move forward? Too often, teams spend more energy making decisions than putting those decisions into action. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore why strong teams can still get stuck in cycles of discussion and consensus. They unpack how clear ownership, predictable structures, shared direction, and psychological safety can create the right balance of autonomy and accountability—so people feel confident leaving the meeting and getting to work. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why consensus can sometimes slow down math improvement
• How to create greater clarity around roles, responsibilities, and ownership
• The difference between seeking input and asking permission
• Why predictable meeting structures create greater accountability between meetings
• How a Math Coherence Compass can become a filter for everyday decision-making
• What high autonomy and high accountability can look like on a leadership team
• Why psychological safety matters when we want people to take action
• How leaders can determine whether their team has a clarity problem or a confidence problem

If your team is spending more energy deciding what to do than actually doing the work, take a look at the conditions surrounding the team itself. Ask whether people know what they own, whether they have a clear framework for making decisions, and whether they feel safe enough to act without knowing they'll get everything right the first time. The goal isn't less collaboration. It's creating the clarity, autonomy, accountability, and trust that allow collaboration to lead to action.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

We’ve all heard it: “My students can do the math—they just struggle with word problems.” They can perform the calculation when it’s presented directly, but put that same mathematics inside a context or multi-step problem and suddenly things become much more difficult. The instinct might be to give students more word problems to practice, but what if the real challenge lies somewhere deeper? 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman dig into adaptive reasoning, one of the five interconnected strands of mathematical proficiency described in Adding It Up. They explore the important difference between having strategies in your mathematical toolkit and knowing when, why, and how to choose among them. From think-alouds and metacognition to mathematical discourse and varied problem contexts, the conversation looks at how we can help students become more flexible problem solvers. It also challenges us to look beyond “students can’t reason” and consider whether they have the background knowledge, task clarity, and familiarity with the context needed to demonstrate their reasoning in the first place. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What adaptive reasoning means within the five strands of mathematical proficiency
• Why knowing how to use a strategy is different from knowing when to choose it
• How think-alouds can make mathematical decision-making visible to students
• Why reflection and metacognition matter when students solve unfamiliar problems
• How mathematical discourse supports adaptive reasoning
• Three conditions to consider before concluding that students are struggling with reasoning
• Why background knowledge and meaningful, familiar contexts matter in problem solving
• How strengthening our own mathematical proficiency can better position us to support students

If your students can complete straightforward calculations but struggle when mathematics appears in unfamiliar or multi-step problems, this episode offers a different place to look. Rather than simply adding more practice, consider what opportunities students have to choose strategies, explain those choices, reflect on their thinking, and strengthen the adaptive reasoning that helps weave mathematical proficiency together.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

If you could wave a magic wand and walk into any math classroom five or ten years from now, what would you hope to see? What would students be doing, saying, and thinking? How would the room feel? Those questions can reveal far more than a list of instructional strategies—they can help a team uncover what they truly want mathematics teaching and learning to become. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, Yvette Lehman and Beth Curran unpack one of their go-to routines for beginning a math improvement journey: the Magic Wand Wish List. They share how the routine has evolved to keep the conversation aspirational, asset-based, and centered on the student experience. From flexible thinking and multiple representations to meaningful mathematical discourse, confidence, curiosity, and resilient problem solving, the conversation paints a picture of mathematically proficient learners—and explores why creating that picture together is such an important first step toward coherence across a school or system. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• How to use the Magic Wand Wish List with educators and leadership teams
• Why the routine should focus on the student experience rather than conditions outside a team's control
• What flexible mathematical thinking can look and sound like in classrooms
• Why connecting multiple representations supports conceptual understanding
• How meaningful discourse can build student confidence and mathematical authority
• What it means to develop flexible, resilient problem solvers
• Why a shared vision creates greater coherence across classrooms and grade levels
• How to move from an aspirational vision toward an actionable next step

As you begin a new school year, consider bringing your team together around one question: What would you like to see happening consistently across your math classrooms? Keep the conversation asset-based, imagine the experience you ultimately want for students, and use that shared vision to identify the first small move your team can make together.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Stepping into a new math leadership role can feel exciting and overwhelming at the same time—especially when your responsibility suddenly expands from supporting one school or district to supporting dozens. Where do you begin when every district is at a different place, has different needs, and may already be working toward different mathematics goals? That's exactly the challenge facing one experienced math leader as she prepares to support 30 districts in a new regional role. 

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this coaching conversation, Jon Orr explores why the first move isn't creating more professional development or trying to support everyone at once. It's going to Gemba: getting close to the work, building relationships, asking better questions, and understanding what is actually happening across the systems you serve. From there, the conversation explores how leaders can start narrow, learn fast, and implement slowly—using the Math Coherence Compass to create shared direction, identify meaningful goals and leading indicators, and build the internal capacity needed for improvement to spread sustainably. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What "going to Gemba" looks like for math leaders
• Why starting narrow can lead to greater system-wide impact
• How to support multiple districts without spreading yourself too thin
• The importance of asking, "What are you working on, and how do you know?"
• How the Math Coherence Compass creates shared direction around mathematics improvement
• Why leading indicators provide more actionable information than test scores alone
• How to build capacity within districts instead of creating dependence on outside support
• The shift from being a reactive support provider to a proactive systems leader

If you're stepping into a math leadership role—or trying to create meaningful change across multiple schools or districts—this episode offers a practical place to begin. Start by getting closer to the work, understanding the systems you're supporting, and finding one place where you can learn deeply before trying to scale broadly.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

School and district leaders often feel pressure to create widespread change as quickly as possible. But sustainable math improvement doesn't happen by trying to reach everyone at once—it starts by building the capacity of the people who will eventually lead the work.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, we share the first year of one district's mathematics improvement journey. Rather than launching a system-wide initiative immediately, they focused on developing a small team of instructional leaders who first deepened their own understanding of computational fluency before supporting others. Through a summer leadership boot camp, monthly "book do" sessions, classroom implementation, and facilitator practice, they created a strong foundation for long-term success. Their story illustrates how learning fast, implementing slowly, and investing in leadership capacity can create momentum that lasts well beyond a single school year. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• How one district launched a sustainable mathematics improvement journey
• Why building leadership capacity should come before large-scale implementation
• The value of a summer leadership boot camp for establishing vision and focus
• How "book do" sessions moved professional learning from discussion to action
• Why facilitator development is essential for scaling improvement
• How grade-band leadership structures support distributed leadership
• Lessons leaders can apply when planning multi-year mathematics improvement

If you're leading mathematics improvement in a school or district, this episode offers a practical example of how to build leadership capacity, create momentum, and lay the foundation for sustainable change—one intentional step at a time.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Why do so many mathematics improvement efforts begin with energy and optimism, only to lose momentum months later? Schools invest in professional learning, adopt high-quality instructional materials, launch coaching cycles, and create pacing guides—yet lasting instructional change often remains frustratingly elusive.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

In this episode, we revisit Alan Schoenfeld's influential article, Why Are Learning and Teaching Mathematics So Difficult?, through the lens of school and district leadership. His framework reveals that improving mathematics isn't simply a classroom challenge—it's a systems challenge. We explore why teacher understanding, coherent learning environments, and organizational structures must work together to create lasting change. Along the way, we connect Schoenfeld's ideas to concepts like the Math Improvement Flywheel, leading indicators, distributed leadership, and coherent systems that continue improving even as people move through them. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Alan Schoenfeld's three-circle framework for mathematics education
• Why deep mathematical understanding matters more than instructional moves alone
• How systemic coherence supports stronger classroom practice
• The difference between leading and lagging indicators of improvement
• Why distributed leadership creates more sustainable math improvement
• How the Math Improvement Flywheel helps systems build lasting momentum
• Questions every math leader should ask before launching another initiative

If you're leading mathematics improvement in a school or district, this episode will help you evaluate your current improvement strategy, identify where momentum is being lost, and build the systems needed for long-term success.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Homework has long been a part of the mathematics classroom, but opinions about its value continue to vary. Should students be completing pages of practice each night, or is there a better way to extend learning beyond the classroom?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Rather than asking whether homework should exist, perhaps the better question is: What purpose should it serve? In this episode, we explore what meaningful math homework could look like if it were designed to reinforce learning instead of creating stress. From fluency games and student choice to strengthening home-school partnerships and building productive routines, we discuss how homework can become a purposeful extension of classroom learning without overwhelming students or families. We also examine why homework shouldn't be used to evaluate student learning and how teachers can use classroom formative assessment to understand what students know instead. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• The purpose of homework in mathematics education
• Why less homework can often lead to better learning
• How choice and flexibility can make homework more meaningful
• Ways to strengthen partnerships between home and school through homework
• Why homework shouldn't be used as evidence for grades
• Alternatives to whole-class homework review that maximize instructional time
• Considerations for school and district homework policies

If you're rethinking the role homework plays in your mathematics classroom or school, this episode offers practical ideas for creating homework experiences that reinforce learning, engage families, and make better use of valuable instructional time.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Every school system wants to improve student achievement in mathematics. Yet when students struggle, the immediate response is almost always the same: more intervention, more support programs, more people working at the bottom of the cliff. While these efforts are essential, they often come at the expense of investing in the work that could prevent students from struggling in the first place.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Using the classic "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" parable, this episode explores why school systems consistently prioritize rescue over prevention. It's not because leaders don't believe in strong Tier 1 instruction—they do. The challenge is that prevention is harder to see, slower to measure, and more difficult to defend. We unpack why intervention feels more urgent, why leading indicators matter more than waiting for test scores, and how systems can make the invisible work of prevention visible through classroom evidence and instructional coherence.

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why intervention often receives more attention and funding than prevention
• The "ambulance vs. fence" metaphor and what it means for math improvement
• Why Tier 1 instructional coherence is the foundation of long-term success
• The difference between leading and lagging indicators of improvement
• How to measure instructional shifts before test scores change
• Why sustained professional learning outperforms one-off professional development
• Practical questions leaders can ask to rebalance investment toward prevention

If you're leading mathematics improvement in a school or district, this episode will challenge you to rethink where your time, resources, and attention are focused—and help you build stronger systems that prevent students from falling behind in the first place.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Assessment is one of the most powerful tools teachers have—but it's also one of the most misunderstood. Too often, every task, activity, or game is expected to produce a grade, making it difficult to distinguish between supporting learning and evaluating it.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

What happens when we stop asking, "How do I grade this?" and start asking, "What can I learn from this?" In this episode, we explore the critical difference between formative and summative assessment, and why that distinction changes everything. You'll hear why games, observations, conversations, and exit tickets are powerful sources of evidence—not because they belong in the gradebook, but because they help teachers make better instructional decisions. We also discuss backward design, student ownership of learning, professional judgment, and the importance of building coherent assessment practices across classrooms and schools. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• The difference between assessment for, as, and of learning
• Why not every classroom activity should generate a grade
• How formative assessment informs instructional decisions
• The role of backward design in planning meaningful assessment
• Why professional judgment matters more than averaging marks
• How collaborative conversations can strengthen assessment practices across a school or district
• Ways to build a stronger body of evidence for student learning over time

If you're looking to move beyond grading everything and create assessment practices that truly support student learning, this episode will help you rethink the purpose of assessment and build greater confidence in using evidence to guide instruction.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Many school systems want better mathematics outcomes, but few struggle because of a lack of effort. More often, the challenge is figuring out how to create meaningful change at scale—without overwhelming teachers, coaches, and leaders along the way.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

After a year of working alongside a large multi-level school system, several important lessons emerged. Sustainable improvement requires more than strong professional development sessions or clear messaging. It requires intentional systems for support, clear priorities, strategic use of coaching resources, and a realistic understanding of how change spreads through an organization. The work isn't about reaching everyone with the same level of support. It's about creating coherence through Tier 1 structures while strategically investing Tier 2 support where it can create the greatest long-term impact. Perhaps most importantly, it means designing for the reality that people constantly move through the system—what works today must continue working even as staff, leaders, and teams change over time. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why professional learning should be designed through Tier 1 and Tier 2 support structures
• How to identify high-leverage groups for intensive coaching and support
• The importance of "facilitating the facilitators" in large systems
• Why clarity around the "why" matters more than who sets the goal
• How coaching, PLCs, and instructional leadership can create scalable change
• The role of bright spots, leverage points, and compounding growth
• Why every improvement plan must account for the "Ferris wheel" reality of staff movement

If you're responsible for leading mathematics improvement in a school, district, or system, this episode will help you think more strategically about where to focus your energy, how to scale your impact, and how to build change that lasts beyond any one individual or initiative.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Few math concepts seem to create as much anxiety as fractions. For students, parents, and even educators, fractions often carry a reputation for being difficult, confusing, and disconnected from everything else students learn in mathematics.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units

Description:

But what if fractions aren't inherently difficult? What if the challenge comes from how they’ve traditionally been introduced and taught? Many educators learned fractions through procedures, memorization, and isolated units rather than through reasoning, relationships, and meaningful representations. As a result, important ideas—like fractions as numbers, fractions as measures, benchmark fractions, and multiplicative relationships—often remain hidden. When we begin to see fractions as quantities that live on a number line and connect naturally to measurement, proportional reasoning, and operations, a very different picture emerges. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why fractions should be understood as numbers with magnitude
• The importance of naming and counting unit fractions
• How different fraction representations shape student understanding
• Why benchmark fractions can strengthen number sense and comparison
• The connection between fractions, division, and proportional reasoning
• How fractions can be integrated across the curriculum rather than taught in isolation
• What many educators wish they had known about fractions earlier in their careers

If fractions have ever felt challenging to teach—or if you're looking to deepen your own understanding of fraction concepts—this episode will help you rethink fractions and build confidence in supporting students' mathematical reasoning.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Summer is often seen as a time to step away from school, recharge, and reset. But it can also be an opportunity to strengthen your mathematical thinking, explore new ideas, and build habits that support your growth as an educator—without turning your break into more work.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Yvette's Summer Task List.

The key isn't filling your summer with professional development or adding more to your to-do list. It's about being intentional. Whether it's spending a few minutes each week exploring a visual pattern, solving a rich math problem with your family, or exposing yourself to new ideas through reading and diverse experiences, small habits can have a lasting impact. The goal isn't productivity for the sake of productivity—it's creating opportunities to stay curious, build mathematical proficiency, and return to the school year feeling energized and inspired. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• Why doing math regularly strengthens mathematical proficiency
• How visual patterns and rich tasks can spark meaningful math conversations
• Ways to build simple, sustainable summer habits around mathematics
• Why increasing your inputs can broaden your thinking as an educator
• The value of reading beyond math education and learning from other fields
• How to balance growth, curiosity, and rejuvenation during the summer months

If you're looking for ways to make the most of your summer without sacrificing rest and recovery, this episode offers practical ideas for staying connected to mathematics, learning, and personal growth in a joyful and sustainable way.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Many schools want to improve math instruction, but few have a clear process for deciding what to focus on, how to measure progress, and how to align professional learning around a shared vision. Without that clarity, improvement efforts can quickly become fragmented and difficult to sustain.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

What does it actually look like to bring an entire math team together and build a plan for improvement from the ground up? In this episode, we unpack a real three-day process used with a middle and high school math department to co-create a vision for mathematics, identify priority areas for growth, define success criteria, and establish structures for ongoing professional learning. Rather than starting with programs or initiatives, the work began with a shared understanding of the student experience they wanted to create—and the specific shifts needed to move toward that vision. 

In this episode, you'll explore:

• What a Math Coherence Compass is and why it matters
• How to co-create a vision for ambitious mathematics teaching and learning
• Why engaging in mathematics together is a critical part of professional learning
• How to identify high-leverage instructional priorities for improvement
• What effective classroom look-fors can reveal about progress
• How PLCs and collaborative structures can be redesigned to support instructional change
• Why coherence and shared language are essential for sustainable improvement

If you're planning for next school year and wondering how to align professional learning, coaching, PLCs, and classroom practice around a common goal, this episode offers a practical roadmap for building clarity, coherence, and momentum across your math team.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Many school systems measure success in math education by one thing: math test scores. But what if waiting for scores to improve is actually slowing down meaningful change?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Description:

Math test scores are often treated as proof that math professional development, initiatives, or instructional changes are working. But the reality is, they’re lagging indicators—they tell us what already happened, not what’s happening right now. When math leaders focus only on math test scores and outcomes, they risk missing the daily classroom experiences that actually produce those outcomes. Sustainable improvement doesn’t come from chasing math test scores. It comes from redesigning the systems, structures, and instructional experiences that shape student learning every day.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why math test scores are lagging indicators in math improvement
• The difference between activity and actual impact
• What math leaders should measure instead of waiting for outcomes
• How classroom experiences shape long-term achievement
• Why systems—not individuals—drive results
• What it means to “change the change” in math education

If you’re feeling pressure to prove improvement through math test scores alone, this episode will help you rethink what meaningful progress actually looks like—and how to build systems that create lasting change.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Every school system wants sustainable improvement in math instruction. But in education, there’s one reality we can’t ignore: people are constantly stepping on and off the system. Teachers change roles, leaders move positions, and new staff enter every year. So how do you build improvement efforts that actually last?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Description:

For years, many educators have thought about improvement through the idea of a flywheel—something that takes significant effort to get moving, but gains momentum over time. But what if education systems are less like flywheels and more like Ferris wheels? In a Ferris wheel system, people are always coming and going. And that means improvement can’t live only inside individuals—it has to live within the system itself. Sustainable change requires structures that preserve learning, distribute leadership, and continuously support people as they enter and move through the system.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why sustainable improvement can’t depend on individual people alone
• The role of hubs, networks, and distributed leadership in math improvement
• What it means to “learn fast and implement slow”
• How systems can preserve and share learning over time
• Why continuous improvement must be built into the system itself

If you’re leading math improvement in a classroom, school, or district, this episode will challenge you to think differently about sustainability—and help you design systems that continue to grow even as people come and go.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Not all math tasks are created equal. Some lead to deep thinking, rich discussion, and meaningful learning—while others fall flat. So what actually makes a math task effective?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report:  https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Description:

It’s easy to assume that a “good” task is just one that students can complete. But truly powerful mathematical experiences go beyond that. They provide access for all learners while still offering meaningful challenge. They invite multiple strategies and solutions, encouraging students to think, question, and engage with the math in different ways. And they require careful design—not just of the task itself, but of how it’s facilitated in the classroom.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• The key criteria of a high-quality math task
• What “low floor, high ceiling” really means in practice
• Why multiple strategies and solutions matter
• How teacher moves impact the effectiveness of a task
• The role of high-quality instructional materials
• How to reflect on and improve the tasks you’re already using

If you want to create more engaging and meaningful math experiences for your students, this episode will give you a clear lens for evaluating and improving the tasks in your classroom.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Small group instruction is a common part of math classrooms—but when it comes time to actually sit down with a group of students, many teachers are left wondering what they should be doing. Should you reteach the lesson? Provide more practice? Or try something completely different?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Description:

The answer isn’t about creating a whole new lesson. Instead, effective tier 2 instruction is about helping students access the same rigorous math as their peers—but with the right supports in place. By using formative assessment to understand where students are along the concrete, representational, and abstract continuum, teachers can provide targeted scaffolds that move students forward. The key is not lowering expectations, but removing barriers so every student can engage with the learning.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• What tier 2 math instruction should (and shouldn’t) look like
• Why small group time isn’t about reteaching the same lesson
• How to use the CRA (concrete, representational, abstract) model effectively
• What it means to provide “access” to grade-level math
• How to decide when students are ready to move on
• The role of high-quality instructional materials and manipulatives

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Improving math instruction and student achievement is something every school and system wants. But despite that desire, real, lasting change often feels out of reach. Not because educators don’t care—but because the work required to get there is harder than expected.

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

It’s easy to want the outcome: stronger math programs, more confident teachers, improved student results. But those outcomes depend on a set of consistent, intentional inputs—time, focus, and sustained effort. And that’s where many systems struggle. The reality is, meaningful improvement isn’t about finding a quick fix. It’s about committing to the long-term work, even when progress feels slow and the process is challenging. Like any complex skill, the results only come when the required effort is sustained over time.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why improving math instruction requires more than good intentions
• The difference between wanting results and committing to the work
• What “inputs vs outputs” really means in education
• Why sustainable improvement takes time and consistency
• How systems can think more intentionally about long-term change
• What it means to “choose your hard” in math improvement

If you’re working to improve math instruction in your classroom, school, or system, this episode will challenge you to think differently about the commitment required—and help you decide what path forward you’re ready to take.

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Improving student achievement in mathematics is a goal shared by schools, districts, and systems everywhere. Yet despite years of effort, many classrooms still aren’t seeing the shifts in instruction or outcomes that we’re aiming for. If the goal is clear, why does progress feel so inconsistent?

The challenge isn’t a lack of effort. Teachers are working hard, and schools are investing time into professional learning and new initiatives. But even with well-established teaching practices and research-backed strategies, something isn’t sticking. In many cases, the issue lies not in the practices themselves, but in the systems designed to support them. Without clarity, alignment, and the right focus, it becomes difficult to create meaningful and lasting change in math instruction.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why math achievement hasn’t improved despite years of effort
• The three key barriers preventing instructional change
• How a lack of clarity and coherence impacts teacher practice
• Why measuring the wrong things leads to stalled progress
• What it means to focus narrowly for greater impact
• Why building teachers’ math understanding—not just pedagogy—is essential

If you’re trying to improve math instruction in your classroom, school, or system, this episode will help you rethink your approach and focus on the changes that truly move the needle.

We built a simple Math Coherence Compass to help district and school leaders make aligned decisions around math—without adding another initiative. Get your free copy and training here https://makemathmoments.com/compass/

Get a free copy and training of our Math Coherence Compass. 

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In math education, there are a lot of terms that get used interchangeably—unpacking standards, planning units, designing lessons. But for many teachers, it’s not always clear how these pieces fit together. Are they all the same thing, or is there an important difference that impacts how we teach?

At first glance, it might seem like lesson planning is simply following a resource or turning the page in a curriculum. But without a clear understanding of the standard—the destination we’re aiming for—it becomes difficult to make intentional decisions during instruction. When teachers aren’t clear on what success actually looks like, it limits their ability to question effectively, give meaningful feedback, and gather evidence of student understanding. Whether you’re using a high-quality resource or building lessons from scratch, clarity around the standard is what connects everything together.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• The difference between unpacking a standard, planning a unit, and designing a lesson
• Why standards should be viewed as the destination for learning
• How teacher clarity impacts student success
• What it really means to “unpack” a standard
• How to define success criteria and identify evidence of learning
• Why collaboration is key to strengthening this work

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re truly planning with purpose—or just following a resource—this episode will help you rethink your approach and bring more clarity to your math instruction.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In schools today, it can feel like there’s always something new being introduced. A new initiative, a new priority, a new expectation. And for many teachers, especially in math classrooms, it raises a familiar question: why this, and why now? After years of seeing initiatives come and go, it’s easy to feel skeptical about whether the next one will actually make a lasting impact.

But what if the issue isn’t the initiative itself—but the number of initiatives being introduced at once? When time, energy, and resources stay the same (or even decrease), every new priority competes for attention. And over time, that leads to what’s known as initiative fatigue. Without clear communication, shared decision-making, and visible evidence of impact, it becomes harder for teachers to invest in new work. The challenge isn’t just choosing the right initiative—it’s knowing what to prioritize, what to let go of, and how to create the conditions for meaningful change.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• What initiative fatigue is and why it happens in schools
• How competing priorities impact teachers’ time and energy
• Why transparency and teacher involvement matter in decision-making in mathematics
• How to determine when it’s the right time to move on from a math initiative
• The importance of identifying clear success indicators in mathematics
• What teachers and math leaders can do to better manage competing demands

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by constant change—or trying to lead improvement without overloading your team—this episode will help you think more strategically about priorities, capacity, and sustainable progress.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In today’s math classrooms, there’s a growing expectation: students should be able to use and connect multiple mathematical representations. From visual models to symbolic notation, this practice is becoming a key part of high-quality math instruction. But for many teachers, this shift feels challenging—especially when their own experience with math was primarily abstract and procedural.

So what happens when you’re asked to teach in a way you didn’t experience yourself? When you’re expected to connect visual, physical, contextual, and symbolic representations—but don’t feel like you have the tools or confidence to do it? For many educators, this creates an experience gap. And without support, it can feel overwhelming. The reality is, this isn’t just about learning new strategies—it’s about rethinking what it means to understand math, and being willing to learn alongside your students.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• What it really means to connect mathematical representations
• The difference between strategies and representations
• Why many teachers feel unprepared for this shift—and what to do about it
• How learning alongside students can strengthen your practice
• The role of networks and collaboration in building confidence
• What teachers, coaches, and leaders can do to support this work

If you’ve been asked to implement connected representations in your math classroom but aren’t sure where to start, this episode will help you build clarity, confidence, and a path forward.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In math classrooms, there’s something that shows up again and again: resistance. It can come from students, from teachers, and sometimes even from the school system itself. And over time, it can start to feel like your job is to constantly push against it—trying to convince, redirect, and move people forward.

But what if we’ve been thinking about resistance all wrong? What if it’s not something people are, but something they’re experiencing in the moment? Because when students push back or teachers hesitate to try something new, it’s easy to label that as unwillingness. In reality, it’s often rooted in something deeper—fear of being wrong, uncertainty about expectations, past experiences with math, or a lack of trust. And in many cases, the system itself creates the very conditions that lead to resistance in the first place.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why resistance is a state—not a trait
• What’s really behind student and teacher pushback in math
• How trust plays a critical role in reducing resistance
• Why fear and past experiences influence willingness to try new approaches
• How inconsistent systems and shifting priorities can reinforce resistance
• What coaches, leaders, and teachers can do to build trust over time

If you’ve ever struggled with resistance in your classroom, your coaching, or your school, this episode will help you reframe what’s really happening—and how to respond more effectively.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In math classrooms, what is the most common frustration that keeps showing up? Not enough time. Interrupted lessons. Lost instructional minutes. The constant feeling of trying to cover more math than the time allows. It’s not just about lost time. It’s about lost momentum. Lost focus. Lost thinking. At the same time, schools are balancing another priority—community and culture. Assemblies. Events. Activities that matter.

So the question becomes:
Is it possible to protect instructional time and still build a strong school culture? Or does it have to be one or the other?

In this episode, you’ll explore:

• Why lost instructional minutes impact more than just pacing
• What happens to student thinking when lessons are constantly interrupted
• Why strong beginnings and endings matter more than we think
• How predictable routines can help reclaim lost time
• What teachers can do to maximize instructional minutes on a typical day
• How school leaders can create more predictable, protected instructional time

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly behind—or like your math block disappears before it even starts—this episode will help you rethink how to protect and make the most of every instructional minute.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

In this episode, hosts Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a tension that’s been debated in math education for decades: conceptual understanding vs. procedural fluency.

Yvette shares a powerful realization from her math classroom experience: in striving to teach conceptually, she may have unintentionally neglected opportunities for students to build automaticity and recall. Meanwhile, Jon highlights the importance of helping students move fluidly between visual models, strategies, and algorithms.

Together, they explore:

• Why the “either/or” debate in math instruction is a false dichotomy
• How different learners benefit from different approaches
• What happens when math teaching becomes too rigid in one direction
• The role of tutoring, parents, and community partners in shaping math success
• Why strong math instruction should leverage strengths while building other proficiencies
• How educators can balance reasoning, understanding, and efficiency

This conversation is a reminder that great math teaching isn’t about choosing sides—it’s about creating access, building flexibility, and meeting students where they are.

👉 What if the real goal isn’t picking a side… but helping students move between them?

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

We talk about planning all the time in math education. But here’s the question:

How much time should you realistically be spending planning your math lessons each day?

Because the reality is—you’re not just planning math. You’re planning multiple subjects or courses, managing everything else on your plate, and at the same time trying to make sense of a new math curriculum, new models, and new expectations for how math instruction should look in your classroom.

And when that happens, math planning can quickly turn into a daily cycle of planning for tomorrow, feeling behind, and trying to keep up.

Especially when you’re trying to design math lessons that move beyond procedures and actually build student thinking, reasoning, and understanding.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why planning math lessons day-by-day leads to burnout
• How to shift to unit-based math planning so you can see the big mathematical ideas
• A simple strategy: focus on one meaningful math experience per day
• How to reduce planning time while still improving the quality of your math instruction
• Why unpacking the math (not just the lesson) matters when using a new curriculum
• How to build repeatable planning routines that make math teaching more manageable
• Ways to improve your math practice without sacrificing your time or well-being

As you think about your next math lesson, consider this:

What if you didn’t try to perfect everything tomorrow?

Instead, choose one moment in your math block to focus on—one opportunity for students to think, reason, or engage more deeply with math.

Start there. Because improving your math instruction isn’t about doing more.

It’s about making small, intentional shifts in your math planning that build over time.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

You’ve got protected time for Tier 2 math intervention…

…but what are you actually supposed to do during that time?

This is one of the most common questions we hear from teachers and leaders. You know Tier 2 matters—but without a clear vision, it can quickly turn into reteaching the same lesson, louder and slower.

In this episode, we unpack what effective Tier 2 math instruction really looks like, sounds like, and feels like in the classroom.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why Tier 2 is not just reteaching the same math lesson
• How to structure small groups based on student thinking, not labels
• What purposeful practice should look like for the rest of the class
• How to use formative assessment and self-assessment (red/yellow/green) to form groups
• Why Tier 2 should focus on targeted moves (models, misconceptions, representations)
• How to build a classroom where students support each other, not just rely on the teacher
• The connection between strong Tier 2 and deep understanding of math big ideas

Take a moment and reflect:

If someone walked into your classroom during Tier 2…
Would they clearly see targeted support happening?

If not, start small:

• Identify one learning goal
• Pull one group
• Focus on one specific need

That’s where powerful Tier 2 begins.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

We talk about Tier 1 instruction all the time in math education.

But here’s the question:

Do we actually have a shared understanding of what strong Tier 1 math instruction looks like… or are we all picturing something slightly different?

Because when terms like rigorous, engaging, and grade-level instruction aren’t clearly defined, things start to drift.

In one classroom, students might be working through step-by-step procedures, focused on accuracy and speed. In another, they’re exploring multiple strategies, discussing their thinking, and making connections.

And both are labeled “strong Tier 1.”

That’s where the tension lives—not in effort, but in alignment. If we’re not clear on what we mean, it becomes really difficult to support teachers, measure progress, or build consistency across a school or system.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What Tier 1 instruction actually means within MTSS—and why it’s designed to support most learners
• Why staying at grade-level math matters, even when students are struggling
• What rigor really looks like in a math classroom (and what it’s often mistaken for)
• The difference between students completing math and students thinking mathematically
• How to recognize when students are reasoning, representing, and explaining—not just following steps
• Why access and entry points are essential for engagement
• How teams can reduce “interpretation drift” and build a shared understanding across classrooms

As you reflect on your own classroom—or the classrooms you support—consider this:

If someone walked in during a math lesson, what would they actually see and hear?

Would students be making sense of the math, explaining their thinking, and engaging with the task… or mostly following a set of steps?

That small shift in awareness is where stronger Tier 1 instruction begins.

K-12 Math Leaders - Strive for coherence around high quality math instruction in your school(s) with a Math Coherence Compass. Get a free template and training here: https://makemathmoments.com/compass/

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

It’s April, and in math class the countdown is on.

There is limited time left before standardized math testing or the end of the school year—and many math teachers are feeling the pressure to either rush through remaining math content or coast to the finish.

This time of year creates a real tension in math instruction. Teachers want to maximize the time that’s left, but they also know that flying through math units won’t lead to retention or confidence. At the same time, no one wants to lower expectations or lose momentum in the final stretch.

So what does strong end-of-year math instruction actually look like?

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why rushing through math content at the end of the year often undermines lasting math understanding
• How to identify priority math standards and focus your remaining math time wisely
• Why end-of-year math units like measurement, geometry, probability, or data can be powerful opportunities for applying prior math learning
• How rich math tasks and cognitively demanding math problems can consolidate a year’s worth of math learning
• What math coaches and math leaders can do to support teachers in making end-of-year math decisions
• How spiraling math instruction can reduce end-of-year math pressure altogether

If you’re feeling the pressure of end-of-year math instruction, take a step back and ask:

What math learning is most important for students to carry forward from this year?

Let that answer guide how you finish strong in math.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

As math testing season approaches, many teachers and leaders feel the tension. We want students to succeed. We know they’re capable. But too often, that message turns into stress, anxiety, and even math avoidance.

So how do we walk the line between pushing for excellence in math and protecting student confidence?

In this episode, we unpack the difference between high expectations and pressure in math classrooms—and why they’re not the same thing.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The critical difference between math expectations and math pressure
• Why focusing on math outcomes (scores) can increase anxiety
• How shifting to process-based goals in math reduces stress
• What it looks like to build a math classroom culture of confidence and capability
• How to use leading indicators (like persistence and engagement) instead of just test scores
• Why student math identity and disposition matter just as much as achievement
• Practical ways to support students during math testing season without lowering expectations

If you’re heading into math testing season and want your students to feel confident—not overwhelmed—this episode will help you rethink how to maintain high expectations in math while minimizing pressure.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

If the standard algorithm is the final goal in math, why not just teach it directly?

This question came up during a recent math leadership summit while discussing fluency and strategy development in math classrooms. One teacher asked a question many educators are quietly wondering: if students ultimately need to use the standard algorithm in math, why spend time exploring other strategies first?

This debate sits at the heart of modern math instruction. Some argue that teaching the standard algorithm early provides a reliable method students can always use. Others argue that focusing too quickly on procedures can limit math reasoning, number sense, and strategy flexibility.

In This Episode, We’ll Unpack:

• Why the standard algorithm in math is a useful tool—but not the only one
• How flexible math reasoning strategies build deeper number sense
• Why students who only learn the standard algorithm often struggle with efficiency and estimation
• How reasoning strategies strengthen understanding of math properties like distributive and associative
• Why math fluency is about strategy choice, not just executing one procedure
• How math teachers can help students move from “What should I do?” to “What could I do?”
• Why the goal of math instruction is helping students choose the right mathematical tool for the problem

If you’re navigating the balance between teaching the standard algorithm and developing deeper math reasoning, this episode will help you rethink how both can work together to build stronger mathematicians.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

What if one of the most common terms in math education — conceptual understanding in math — isn’t actually understood the same way across schools, systems, or even math classrooms?

A recent podcast sparked a big question: is conceptual understanding in math poorly defined? The challenge wasn’t just the definition itself, but the claim that conceptual understanding in math may be getting in the way of math fluency. In this episode, Jon Orr, Yvette Lehman, and Beth Curran unpack that tension and wrestle with a deeper issue: maybe conceptual understanding in math is not poorly defined in research, but poorly understood and inconsistently implemented in practice.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why conceptual understanding in math and math fluency should not be framed as opposing goals
• How conceptual understanding in math supports retention, reasoning, and equitable access to math learning
• Why poor implementation of conceptual understanding in math can create confusion and pushback
• How overemphasizing one part of math instruction can unintentionally crowd out purposeful math practice and explicit math instruction
• Why dips in math data should not automatically trigger a rejection of conceptual understanding in math
• How math leaders can build coherence around what conceptual understanding in math actually looks like in math classrooms

Ask yourself: when your team says “conceptual understanding in math,” do you all mean the same thing? If not, that may be the real math improvement work ahead.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Some math teachers insist students must always show their math thinking. Others argue that if the math answer is correct, that should be enough. When math grading practices don’t align with math learning goals, frustration grows — for math students and parents alike. The real issue isn’t compliance in math. It’s clarity about what we are assessing in math.

In this episode, we explore:

• The difference between assessing math fluency and assessing math understanding
• Why getting the right answer in math doesn’t always prove deep math understanding
• When requiring students to show their math thinking strengthens math learning
• When over-requiring explanation in math can harm math confidence and math identity
• How math leaders can support math teachers in aligning math learning goals, math success criteria, and math grading practices

Before grading the next math assessment, ask:
What was I trying to measure in math — accuracy or reasoning?

Your answer should determine whether students need to show their math thinking.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

You’re teaching math to 34 students. You slow math pacing to support the middle, but you can feel yourself losing students who are ready to move.

A listener emailed us after our episode on rigorous Tier 1 math instruction: they don’t want to create opportunity gaps by slowing math down—but they also don’t know how to actually run small group math instruction after the main lesson. We also connect this to a real conversation with a district math team wrestling with Tier 2 math and Tier 3 math supports.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why “high/middle/low” labels get in the way of effective math small grouping
• How CRA math (concrete–pictorial/representational–abstract) can guide flexible math groups after the lesson
• Why CRA in math is not a ladder—and why abstract math isn’t automatically the “top group”
• How to use formative math assessment (including exit tickets) to identify what students need next in math
• How to structure math class so random groups drive discourse, then targeted math groups drive practice and support
• A coaching/leadership math move: “live the math work” in a classroom for a full unit before scaling the strategy
• Why sustained math coaching support (not one-off math PD) builds coherence in math instruction across a system

If you’re a math leader or math coach, ask: What’s one unit where we can co-teach, gather formative math assessment daily, and build CRA-informed math small groups—so we can scale what actually works in real math classrooms?

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments.

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

Testing is around the corner—and teachers are asking: “Do I stop everything and switch into test prep mode?”

Many teachers spend weeks reviewing, drilling, and assigning packets. But students don’t remember what was “taught” months ago, review feels like pulling teeth, and anxiety spikes. The firehose approach overwhelms students and often leaves teachers feeling like they have no choice but to cram harder.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why end-of-year review can overwhelm students and raise anxiety
• What Jon Orr changed after a decade of test-prep cycles (and why he stopped doing month-long review)
• How teaching through problem solving builds real math readiness: stamina, strategy use, and resilience
• How cumulative practice and cumulative assessment reduce the need for cramming
• Why daily independent work time can lower testing anxiety
• How formative assessment and progress monitoring help teachers support students without shifting into panic mode
• What to do if it’s already March: why it’s not too late, and what to start tomorrow

Pick one shift you can start now. Keep math instruction steady. Build habits this month that reduce anxiety now—and make next year’s testing season feel like business as usual.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

It’s March. The weather is shifting. Spring break is coming. And quietly, many math leaders have already started thinking about next year.

Budgets. Staffing. PD planning. Testing season. Fatigue.

It becomes easy to let this year wind down early—to shift staff meetings to logistics, to soften expectations, to delay the hard work until September. But when we ease off the gas in March, we slow the math improvement flywheel we’ve worked all year to build.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why March fatigue leads math leaders to prematurely shift into “next year mode”
• How easing off math improvement work now disrupts momentum for September
• What “keep the math flywheel turning” actually means in practice
• Why unrelenting focus (not more initiatives) protects system coherence
• How budget pressures and staffing changes make systems even more important
• What finishing strong really looks like for math leaders

Ask yourself: What does finishing strong mean in my role?
Keep one foot in next year—but don’t lift the other foot out of this year just yet.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

If your students can calculate but collapse in math word problems, the issue often isn’t the numbers—it’s the structure.

Many schools default to keyword hunts, graphic organizers, and “pick the operation” routines. But those tools can accidentally train students to guess instead of model what’s happening. The result: multi-step math problems feel like a maze.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why “keywords/highlighters” often fail (and what they train students to do instead)
• How focusing on math problem types (join/separate/compare, fair share, measured, etc.) strengthens multi-step thinking
• What to assess when students miss word problems (structure breakdown, not just computation)
• How to build cumulative practice so word problems improve all year—not in one unit
• A simple, curriculum-anchored move leaders can run next week

If word problems are your team’s pebble, this episode gives you a clean first step to build shared language, stronger instruction, and better student math outcomes—without adding another program.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.