The Mindful Math Podcast

You deserve support. It’s as simple as that. Whether you’re a teacher or leader, new to your role or not, you should not have to go it alone! Listen in to this episode and hear two game-changing relationships you’ll want to get lined up for next year. Give yourself the gift of support so you can be at your best and go further faster –  TOGETHER. I guarantee that having these two things in place will help you feel good and find even more success in your day to day work!

SURVEY LINK: Interested in joining my community of math coaches, specialists, and leaders? Complete this short survey to add your name to the waitlist.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode61

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to witness school improvement efforts in schools and districts across our country. Some have led to improved instructional practices and student growth, while others have made little (or no) impact. In this episode I’m sharing three common initiatives that by and large do NOT move the needle with student achievement (or teacher effectiveness) – and three that absolutely DO. Be forewarned… I’m not mincing words in this episode! Instead, I’m sharing my unfiltered viewpoint, based on 20 years working in math education. 

Streamline Your Math Strategy: https://symmetrycircles.com/streamline-orderform
Streamline Your Math Strategy is an on-demand workshop series for math coaches, district specialists, and school leaders.

Strategic Planning Workshop: https://symmetrycircles.com/nextyear-orderform-1
This is a 3-hour live experience where you’ll draft your vision, identify priorities, and think through systems to improve math teaching and learning in SY22-23, with feedback from Chrissy and other math leaders across our country.

Math Instructional Leadership Course: (aka The Math Improvement Pathway) - Email chrissy@mindfulmathcoach.com for more details about this comprehensive online course for math coaches, district specialists, and school leaders.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode60

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

I’ve scoured the internet, and I know for a fact that there are WAY more resources for K-8 math teachers than for secondary. So, high school teachers – this one’s for you! If you’ve ever wondered what strong math instruction at the high school level entails or what *exactly* the mathematical modeling process looks like, you’re in the right place. In today’s episode, math consultant Barbara Beske, shares guidance, tips, and advice to help teachers develop true mathematicians in their classrooms. She also sheds light on the interplay between the instructional shifts of FOCUS and COHERENCE in high school. (She should know… Barbara spearheaded the creation of Achieve the Core’s high school coherence map!) Click play now to learn from this experienced educator.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode59

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Embracing mistakes isn’t just for students; we must adopt a growth mindset (ourselves!) in order to model mathematical mindsets for students. That’s the focus of this conversation between two recovering perfectionists, myself and experienced middle school math teacher, Lisa Westholder. Learn how perfectionism shows up in Lisa’s day to day as an educator and why she’s focused on “perfecting” not being perfect – anymore. Finally, hear changes Lisa’s making to prioritize her wellbeing, while remaining committed to her ultimate goal of positively impacting students. 

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode58

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Want to know a secret? I recorded this episode way back in November 2020 when I first decided to package my biggest tips and best tools on the topic of Unfinished Learning and share them with secondary math educators. I’d just overcome a challenging season in my business with the help of a coach and community of peers. That transformational experience provided a vision for the Bridge to Grade-Level Math Workshop Series – specifically how to create a multi-faceted program for secondary math educators, coaches, and leaders online. Learn why I waited until now to launch the founding cohort and how you can be part of it (for free). 

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode57

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Did you know that between 40% and 50% of teachers leave the classroom within their first 5 years? Is this inevitable, or is there a way to prevent teacher burnout? Tim Schwarz, founder of Sustain Teachers, helps both teachers and leaders find the answer to the question, “What would it look like and feel like to work at your school in the exact role you have now but not feel stressed and tired?” You don’t need to quit teaching or work 60+ hours a week to be an effective educator and serve your students whole-heartedly. This episode is perfect if you are a: (1) leader who wants to prioritize educator wellness and stop having a revolving door of teachers at your school, or (2) teacher who is ready to set strong boundaries in order to thrive while juggling your myriad responsibilities.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode56

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Culturally responsive teaching is a hot topic in education these days… but maybe the concept is still a little fuzzy to you. (Raising my hand over here!) That’s exactly the reason I invited Dionne Aminata, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Illustrative Mathematics (IM), to break it all down for us in this episode. Dionne was a lead author on the Illustrative Mathematics K-5 curriculum Writing team, and in that role she led the team to deliberately design materials to support culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy. Listen to hear the 3 specific design choices they made and examples of each. This episode is jam-packed with mic drop moments, lots of laughter, and “ah-has” at every turn. Click play now to hear from Dionne.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode55

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

If you are a white educator working with students of color, this episode is a must-listen. I only WISH it existed 20 years ago when I entered the classroom! In the episode, Jessica Marshall, a Ph.D. student at Northwestern University makes a compelling case for why teachers should  spend more time getting to know students’ WHOLE selves – and less time trying to control or “fix” them. Listen to hear how Jessica’s personal experiences growing up in Chicago, coupled with 12 years as an educator, has led her to seek answers to how we can better attend to issues of race and equity, centering the lived experiences of marginalized youth.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode54

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Ever wish your students were better problem solvers? My guests on this episode of podcast, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce, wanted the same thing for their own math students. They realized their current instructional practices were preventing students from becoming more resilient problem solvers, so they made a significant change to their teaching methods. When they decided to stop spoon-feeding math to their students, and (instead) to focus on designing lessons that spark curiosity and fuel sense-making – everything changed. Now their students have “math epiphanies” on the regular, and they create opportunities for every student’s voice to be heard, and valued, in math class. Listen in to hear the three essential components needed to make math moments that matter in YOUR math classroom.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode53

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Ever feel like the parents of your students don’t like math? Or had a negative experience as a student in math class? If so, they may be unintentionally passing their OWN math anxiety along to their KIDS. That was the case with podcast guest, Dr. Kimya Barden. But after making a few missteps with her first child, Dr. Barden made the conscious choice to change her language while supporting her youngest three kids with math. Now she wants to make sure other parents don't make the same mistake, and she has some great ideas about how teachers can help parents (help their kids). Listen to learn how Embracing A Pedagogy Of Love makes all the difference and the #1 thing teachers must NOT do if they're going to teach children of color. I was captivated listening to Dr. Barden's words of wisdom (as well as her soothing voice!). Wanna give yourself the same gift? Click play now.

Episode Show Notes: www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode52

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

In this episode, Maggie Riley explains the meaning of “drama consciousness,” how it commonly shows up in schools, and what we can do to navigate our way out of it. If your thoughts ever spiral downward, or if you work in a culture of complaining, this episode’s for you! It’s possible to find connection, healing, and growth in the hard moments – but we need support and a balance of compassion and accountability. Listen in to hear what collective drama consciousness can sound like in school teams and communities and why it’s so problematic for educators.

Episode Show Notes: www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode51

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Is your school or district thinking about rolling out a new math curriculum? Or perhaps you adopted one this year, and it’s not going as smoothly as you had hoped? You’re in good company because today’s guest, Leanna Lantz, has been there. She describes her first round of curriculum implementation as “a dismal failure.” But luckily she reflected on that experience and is sharing her biggest lessons learned from those mistakes in this episode. Listen in to hear some of the promising practices she uses now to invest key stakeholders in the process to ensure all students have access to high quality curriculum.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode50

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

There’s a reason that our society has embraced “minimalism” more and more in recent years. It’s a simple and appealing idea, and it yields greater clarity and joy for people who have adopted it in their lives. In this episode, I’m applying this less-is-more concept to math teaching and learning. Listen in to hear five areas you can apply “minimalism” in your classroom or school to decrease overwhelm while increasing focus, impact, and joy.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode49

Streamline Your Math Strategy: https://symmetrycircles.com/streamline-orderform

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

In this bonus New Year’s Episode, I'm sharing three of my biggest reflections from the past twelve months. 2021 was our second year of the pandemic – AND my second year building Mindful Math Coach. Both experiences taught me a lot! Listen in to hear 3 takeaways I have from 2021 and how I'm taking those lessons with me into 2022.

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Listen in to hear an overview of the Mindful Math Coach programs, services, and professional development opportunities available to math educators, coaches, and leaders in 2022. From low-priced, on-demand workshops to ongoing, high-touch coaching, there's something for everyone working to improve math teaching and learning. Click play for this quick rundown of 2022 support opportunities.

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Welcome to The Mindful Math Podcast! Listen in to hear what this podcast is all about and how it can help YOU as a math educator or coach.

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Lesson study and problem-based learning have gained national attention over the past several years as promising solutions to American students’ lagging achievement in math. In this episode, you’ll hear from Tom McDougal, who’s at the heart of this work as the leader of Chicago’s renowned Lesson Study Alliance. Through his years of organizing public lessons and leading teachers through analysis of what did and didn’t work, he’s become an advocate of letting students do the real thinking in lessons - and he’ll show you how to do it. For more information, and to access show notes and related resource links for this episode, go to www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode48

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

In this episode, Chrissy explains why she is making a hard edit in her business right now and how you can apply this idea to to your role in your school or district.

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

When students enter our math classrooms several years behind, we tend to see THAT as the challenge that needs to be solved. However, in many schools, the question of how to catch kids up is ever present and something that needs to be addressed year after year after year.  When more than 30% of your students need math intervention and Tier 2 and 3 support, unfinished learning isn't the root of the problem -- but rather a symptom of bigger issues your school team faces. Click play to hear how I helped teachers at my school narrow the opportunity gap and 3 areas you’ll want to make sure you have on lock to ensure your students are on track to college and career readiness. To access show notes and related resource links for this episode, go to www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode47. 

For more information about the Streamline Your Math Strategy Workshop Series, or to sign up, click here: https://symmetrycircles.com/streamline-orderform.

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to partner with Astrid Fossum, Senior Math Specialist at Student Achievement Partners, on a topic we’re both passionate about -- catching kids up in math. We were motivated to help middle and high school math teachers find practical and effective solutions to a challenge they face every day in the classroom: what to do when students have significant unfinished learning from previous grades. Based on our individual experiences, conversations with math teachers, and countless classroom observations, we knew teachers and leaders were seeking guidance about best-practices related to math interventions. Listen in to hear common missteps schools make, recommendations for what to do instead, and examples to help shed light on the complex decision-making process teachers must go through to support students where they are while moving forward with grade-level content. For more information, and to access show notes and related resource links for this episode, go to www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode46

Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach