Modern Math Teacher- Teaching Strategies for High School and Middle School Math Teachers – Details, episodes & analysis

Tired of hearing “When am I ever gonna use this?” 😩
This week, Kristen shares easy, low-prep ways to make your math lessons feel relevant and real—without turning every unit into a full-blown project.

You’ll learn how to:
 ✅ Add real-world context to existing lessons
 ✅ Use AI tools to brainstorm examples and scenarios fast
 ✅ Let students personalize problems to increase buy-in
 ✅ Connect math to real-life decisions and reflection

💡 Plus, get practical AI prompts you can use right away to bring relevance to life—without adding extra prep.

Join me for Making Math Matter: Real-World Projects That Balance Rigor + Relevance at the FREE Make Math Moments Virtual Summit — Nov 14–16!

We’ll talk projects, AI, and practical strategies that make math stick.

Register free here 👉 summit.makemathmoments.com/?sc=OW02UEhg&ac=oeaoPKUr

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

 Feeling stuck, bored, or burned out with traditional teaching? This episode will help you reclaim your spark with the PBL Rockstar Mindset—a powerful mindset shift that makes project based learning feel possible, empowering, and fun again.

The PBL Rockstar Mindset: Reclaim Confidence, Creativity, and Joy in Math Class
 It’s time to stop playing small and start teaching math in a way that lights you up.

This episode shares what it means to have the PBL Rockstar Mindset—and how to bring project based learning to life in your math class without stress or perfection.

🎯 You’ll learn:
 ✅ How to shift from “I could never” to “I can do this my way”
 ✅ What Gold Standard Project Based Learning looks like in real classrooms
 ✅ Easy, actionable steps to make PBL part of your teaching identity
 ✅ How to use student centered teaching + thinking classroom strategies to support PBL

📥 Grab your Gold Standard PBL Planner →http://moorethanjustx.com/projectplanner
 🎧 Listen to the full episode →https://modernmathteacher.buzzsprout.com/share
 👥 Join the teacher community → https://www.facebook.com/groups/modern-math-teacher

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Not all real-world math is created equal.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what makes a math project actually relevant to your students—and how to make math feel meaningful without needing a full curriculum rewrite.

 You’ll learn what students really care about, how to design your first spark of engagement, and how to use AI tools to help personalize your next project in seconds.

✅ In this episode:

• Why some real-world math projects fall flat
• What makes students buy into a math task (hint: it’s not just budgeting!)
• Examples of topics and formats students actually care about
• How to start small and build a real-world spark
• How AI can support you in designing faster and smarter
• A free tool to help you plan your first (or next!) student-centered project
  
  
  

🔗 Resources & Links:
📘 Grab the Gold Standard Project Planner to map out your next student-centered project with confidence
 → http://moorethanjustx.com/projectplanner

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast: https://pod.link/1692336821
📢 Join our free teacher community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/modern-math-teacher

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Relevance = personal, practical, or conceptual meaning for students
• You don’t need a full PBL unit to start—you need one intentional spark
• Projects land better when they connect to what students are already thinking and talking about
• AI can save you time brainstorming topics, building tasks, and personalizing for your class

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Today, we're continuing our "The Best of Both Worlds" mini-series. Today’s topic? Combining the Modern Classrooms Project with Project-Based Learning—a match made in educational heaven! These two powerhouses have powered my classroom for four years and I'm excited to share with you how they do that

Today's Topics:

• Overview of Modern Classrooms Project
• Introduction to Project-Based Learning and the phases of PBL
• Synergizing and scaffolding for PBL success with the MCP model

Related Resources

• 🎙️ Ep 32: Project Based Learning in a Modern Classroom- discussion with Zach Diamond on MCP podcast
• 🎧PBL Playlist- top episodes for PBL in the math classroom
• Enroll in my MCP University PBL course, then book an Expert Call to connect with me!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Welcome toThe Best of Both Worlds" mini-series on The Modern Math Teacher podcast! 🌟

Today, we're diving deep into the exciting combo of the Modern Classrooms Project with Building Thinking Classrooms, exploring how these innovative teaching approaches can revolutionize your classroom.

As teachers nationwide embrace both instructional methods, the question arises: Can we truly have the best of both worlds? The answer is hell YES! 💡Join Kristen as she shares how she utilizes both these approaches in her own Modern Thinking Classroom

Today's Topics:
🧑‍💻What's a Modern Classroom?
🙇What's a Thinking Classroom?
🚀 Integration strategies that seamlessly blend the Modern Classrooms Project with Building Thinking Classrooms, from launching with inquiry-based tasks to facilitating collaborative thinking activities. 

Don't miss out on this expert guide to transforming your classroom into a dynamic hub of curiosity, collaboration, and mastery. Enroll now in the MCP Summer Institute and explore affiliate links to Building Thinking Classrooms for further resources. Let's create the ultimate learning experience together!

Related Episodes:

• 🎙️ Ep 13: Building my Geometry Thinking Classroom
• 🎙️ Ep 24: What is a Modern Classroom

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Today's topic is all about effective math instruction, with a focus on lesson planning that drives student learning.

Today's Topics:

• Determining the Focus of Your Unit: Explore the importance of holistic unit planning, considering curriculum goals, student needs, and available resources to maximize impact.
• Lesson Planning in Project-Based vs. Practice-Focused Units: Learn how to tailor lesson plans to fit the chosen approach, whether it's hands-on project-based learning or targeted practice and problem-solving.
• Approaching Lesson Planning on a Daily Level: Dive into crafting daily lesson plans that integrate various instructional methods and address diverse student needs while maintaining rigor.

Related Resources:

• Project or Practice: The Expert Guide to Unit Focus: Download this free resource at moorethanjustx.com/guide to help identify the primary objectives for each unit and plan accordingly.
• Ep 36: Unpacking Math Standards

Don't miss out on the opportunity to enhance your lesson planning skills and create meaningful learning experiences for your students. Tune in to the full episode for valuable insights and strategies!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

In this episode, we explore the transformative power of project-based learning (PBL) in math education. Join us as we uncover the benefits of PBL, share inspiring success stories, and provide practical tips for designing impactful projects in your classroom.

Today's Topics: 

• Benefits of Project-Based Learning: Discover how PBL boosts student engagement, attendance, and achievement, while fostering complex thinking and 21st-century skills.
• Teacher Success Stories: Hear inspiring tales from math teachers who effectively implemented PBL, including a kite project to explore quadrilaterals and a store project integrating systems of equations and statistics.
• Practical Tips for Designing Projects: Learn essential strategies for designing PBL experiences, from selecting topics aligned with standards to creating project pathways and leveraging existing curriculum materials.
  • Need help picking your perfect project topic? Click to Grab the guide!

Special Offer
Explore the promise of project-based learning in your classroom.
👉Click to enroll in PBL Kickstart with coupon code Podcast to put your project planning into action!

Want to run your own kite project or create your own class store? Check out these teacher favorites 👇

• Kite Project
• Pitch Profit

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

 Today, we're breaking free from the monotony of traditional drill and kill worksheets and delving into the realm of engaging math practice strategies. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to innovation! 💡📊 In this episode, Kristen shares four math practice methods guaranteed to make procedural practice more meaningful and enjoyable. Get ready to transform your math classrooms and elevate your students' problem-solving proficiency!

Today's Topics:

• Thin Sliced Problem Sets: Discover the power of variation theory and how making minor changes to problem sets can lead students through productive struggle. 
• Partner and Group Collaborative Work:
  Foster peer teaching and communication skills with partner and group collaborative work. 
• Games and Activities: Take procedural practice to the next level with games and gamification! Kristen suggests a variety of options, from classic board games to TpT resources and interactive Smartboard games and full lesson gamification. 
• Problem Solving and Performance Tasks: Go beyond traditional practice with problem-solving and performance tasks. These tasks enhance procedural skills and foster conceptual understanding through active investigation. 🌐📈
  
  

From thin-sliced problem sets to collaborative work, games, and problem-solving tasks, Kristen has equipped you with a toolbox full of ideas. Remember, variety is the spice of life, so don't be afraid to mix it up in your classrooms. 🌈✨

Now get out there and experiment with these strategies in your upcoming lessons and share your experiences on social media using #EngagingMathPractices and tag Kristen @MooreThanJustX. 

Recommended Resources:

• Thinking Task: Math Medic's "What's Missing?"
• Gamification: Mathable Game and MathWars PD

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Welcome back to another insightful episode of "The Modern Math Teacher" podcast! In our previous episode, we dissected the three domains of math standards – procedural fluency, conceptual understanding, and real-world applications. Today, we're delving into a crucial decision every math teacher faces – choosing between project-based learning and traditional practice. Your lessons are about to get a major upgrade!

Today's Topics:

⚖️Deciding Between Project and Practice: Let's break down the critical 3P approach – projects, practice, and problem-solving. Discover how project-based learning aligns with application and modeling standards, while practice and problem-solving are tailored for procedural standards. Understanding these distinctions is key to crafting effective lessons. 

📝Planning for Projects, Practice, and Problem Solving: Explore the strategic planning involved in deciding whether to focus on projects or practice at the unit level. Kristen shares her favorite topics for project-based learning, emphasizing real-world applications. Learn how to design projects that are not just about creating posters but also about reasoning and problem-solving in real-world situations. 

🌍Connecting with Real-World Applications: Uncover the importance of selecting topics with meaningful real-world applications for projects and activities. Kristen emphasizes the need for topics that are real, relevant, and rigorous to resonate with students. Real-world connections can make or break the success of a project, as Kristen shares her experiences and insights. 

Effortless Planning with our Expert Decision Maker Guide

Save valuable planning time with the "Expert Guide to Projects or Practice." Dive into the top 10 topics for PreAlgebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, each in its own expert guide. Gain insights into major learning goals and instantly know whether to focus on projects or practice. Spice up your practice-focused units with four creative ideas and receive a

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Today, we're diving deep into the very foundation of our teaching – the math standards. Navigating through over 100 high school math standards can be a challenge, but I've got you.  We're here to unpack them and discover how they can be the key to creating effective and engaging lessons.

Today's Topics:

• The Three Domains of Math Standards + Examples of Each from Middle and High School
  • Procedural Skills- enhance your students procedural fluency
  • Conceptual Understanding- build students understanding
  • Application Standards- apply skills to problem solve 
• Modeling + WAP Standards:
  •  Modeling standards- where mathematics meets everyday life. 
  • Peek into Widely Applicable Prerequisites (WAP) – the top skills for success in various careers.
• Unpacking Standards:
  • A step-by-step guide to unpacking each standard. Get ready to take note!. 
• Aligning Instructional Goals to Match the Standards 

Stay tuned for next week's episode, where we'll explore the best teaching strategies for different types of standards! 🚀🍎

Resources:
If you're looking to fast-track your knowledge, check out the CCSS Standard Breakdown in my TpT store:

• CCSS Standards Breakdown MS + HS
• CCSS Standards Breakdown Middle School
• CCSS Standards Breakdown High School

 It's a game-changer! 🎲🔗 Don't forget, send me an email at kristen@moorethanjustx with the receipt, and I'll hook you up with two free printables to make your standards journey even smoother! 🎁✉️

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!