Math Chat

Send us Fan Mail What if the reason students struggle with math problem solving has nothing to do with effort, curriculum, or ability? In this opening, we challenge a common assumption and reveal a powerful truth: the structure of math classrooms is often what holds students back from building confidence. This shift in perspective sets the stage for transforming how we think about teaching math as a language of power. Step into a real classroom scenario where a single moment exposes a deeper issue—students equating math success with speed rather than understanding. Watch how one student’s quick answer unintentionally shuts down others, revealing how traditional routines can quietly erode confidence. This story will resonate with any educator who has seen students disengage during problem solving. 🎧 Ready to Transform Your Math Classroom? If this episode resonated with you, it’s time to take action. 👉 Listen to the full episode to dive deeper into these strategies 👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode on building confident math learners 👉 Leave a review to help more educators discover this work Because when students truly engage…math becomes a language of power they can actually use.

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever walked out of professional development thinking, “That makes so much sense”… only to return to your classroom and teach the exact same way? You’re not alone—and this episode dives into the real reason why knowing better doesn’t always lead to doing better in your math classroom. Here’s the reality: teachers don’t struggle because they lack knowledge—they struggle because change requires action before confidence. In math education, that gap between knowing and doing is where classrooms stay stuck, even when teachers deeply believe in student-centered learning. 🔗 Links Mentioned in Episode: 📘 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins 🎧 Ready to Take the First Step? If this episode resonated with you, it’s time to turn reflection into action. Math Chatmath instruction and mindset📥 Free Resource: Start small with my 5 favorite math questions to spark student thinking: 👉 MonaMath.com/5questions Because real change doesn’t start with doing everything differently. It starts with one decision: Let them… and let me.

Send us Fan Mail Right now, gamified math platforms are everywhere—and yes, they can feel like a lifesaver. Students are engaged, they’re excited, and for a moment, it feels like learning is happening seamlessly through technology in math classrooms. However, this episode invites you to pause and consider what these tools are actually teaching students about math. At first glance, math games seem to promote engagement. But in reality, many students are focused on speed, rewards, and getting back to the game—not on understanding the math. As a result, math learning can quickly become about getting the right answer fast, rather than making sense of the problem. 🎧 Ready to Rethink Math in Your Classroom? If this episode challenged your thinking about gamified math, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. Math ChatWord Problem WorkshopMonaMath.com/wpw-teacher-trainingAs you reflect, ask yourself: Where in your math block are students truly thinking… and where are they just answering?

Send a text Many teachers have experienced this exact moment. Students can add, subtract, and multiply during a lesson, but the moment they see a word problem, everything seems to unravel. In this episode, we explore why word problems in math often feel so challenging—even when students clearly know the computation. One of the biggest shifts in teaching math word problems is understanding the difference between knowing procedures and making sense of a situation. Students may remember steps or operations, yet still struggle to interpret relationships between quantities in a story problem. This section reframes word problems as opportunities to reveal student thinking, not simply test whether they can follow a formula. 🎧 Listen, Reflect, and Take the Next Step If this conversation resonated with you, the full episode dives deeper into why word problems in math can reveal powerful insights about student thinking. Math ChatWord Problem Workshop Teacher Trainingmonamath.com

Send a text Reaching 200 episodes of the Math Chat is more than a milestone—it’s a movement. For two hundred conversations, we’ve challenged the idea that math is just memorizing steps and instead focused on building thinkers through meaningful math word problems and discussion. Most importantly, this episode reflects on what still matters most after years of listening, learning, and growing alongside educators like you. The Belief Shift: Thinking Builds Test Success After 200 episodes, one belief stands stronger than ever: thinking drives results. When students engage deeply with math word problems—modeling, explaining, and justifying their reasoning—they build lasting understanding and confidence. Consequently, math problem solving becomes a transferable skill that improves both test performance and lifelong learning. 🎧 Listen, Download, and Join the Next 200 Episodes If this episode resonated with you, take the next step today. Most importantly, remember this: math classrooms don’t change through more worksheets—they change when students are given space to think.

Send a text Dr. Samuel Otten brings deep expertise and practical insight into helping teachers strengthen mathematical practices in math classrooms. With advanced degrees from Michigan State University and roots at Grand Valley State University, his journey reflects a lifelong commitment to improving math education. In this episode, you’ll discover how his research translates into actionable strategies teachers can use immediately. This conversation offers clear, research-based strategies to strengthen mathematical practices and student participation. You’ll learn how to support deeper thinking, improve classroom discourse, and create sustainable instructional change. Most importantly, you’ll leave with practical ideas you can use right away. 🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Take the Next Step If you’re ready to strengthen mathematical practices and transform your math classroom, this episode is for you. Listen now, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review to help more educators discover these powerful strategies.

Send a text If sustainable change in math instruction were simply about trying harder, most teachers would already be there. In this episode, Mona names a truth many educators feel but rarely say out loud: lasting instructional change doesn’t come from more effort alone — it comes from meaningful support. This conversation offers clarity, validation, and a path forward for teachers, coaches, and leaders alike. 💰 When Budgets Are Tight, Support Still Matters Not every school has funding for full-time instructional coaches — and this episode names that reality honestly. Still, limited budgets don’t mean educators should be left alone. Mona explains how sustainable change can still be supported through shared learning spaces, ongoing collaboration, and consistent connection over time. 🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Keep Growing If this episode resonated with you, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself. 👉 Listen to the full episode to explore what sustainable change really requires. ⭐ Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help more educators find these conversations. 📤 Share this episode with a colleague or leader who’s ready to move beyond effort and toward real support.

Send us a text In this episode, we explore what happens when math instruction moves beyond answers and procedures and into interpretation, questioning, and meaning-making. This conversation invites educators to rethink how math prepares students not just for tests, but for a world shaped by numbers, data, and decisions. At its core, this episode reminds us that teaching math is about more than content. It’s about helping students develop agency, critical awareness, and confidence in how they interpret the world. When students learn that math is a language of power, they begin to see themselves as capable of understanding — and shaping — the systems around them. 💬 Connect with Stephanie InstagramStephanie@algebramadesimple.comWorkshops🎧 Listen, Reflect, and Keep the Conversation Going If this episode stretched your thinking or named something you’ve been carrying, take a moment to sit with it. 👉 Listen to the full episode to explore what it means to teach math as a language of power. ⭐ Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help more educators find these conversations. 📤 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to help students think critically and see math differently. Because you’re not just teaching math — you’re teaching students how to see the world. ❤️

Send us a text When students were asked to solve independently, things quickly unraveled. Behaviors surfaced, lessons derailed, and reliance on the teacher increased. This wasn’t a lack of effort — it was a lack of confidence, a common barrier in developing effective math problem solvers. After the lesson ended, one question lingered: Do they actually understand the math? Students had learned how to watch and copy, not how to reason. This realization exposed the disconnect between effort and outcome and highlighted what was missing in math problem solving instruction. 🎧 Listen, Reflect, and Take the Next Step If this classroom moment feels familiar, this episode is for you. 👉 Listen to Episode 196 to hear how one moment reshaped math problem solving instruction. ⭐ Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help other educators find these conversations. 📣 Share this episode with a colleague who’s working to build confident, capable math problem solvers. Because strong math problem solving starts when students are given space to think. 💛

Send us a text What if math classrooms were places where every child saw themselves as capable, curious, and confident? In this episode, we’re joined by Deborah Peart Crayton, founder and Queen Mather of My Mathematical Mind, to explore what it truly means to become a Mather. Together, we unpack how joyful learning, strong identity, and intentional instruction can transform how students experience math. 💬 Connect with Deborah https://www.mathersgonnamath.com/Readers Read. Writers Write. Mathers Math!LinkedIn🎧 Listen, Learn, and Join the Mather Movement Ready to rethink what’s possible in your math classroom? 👉 Listen to the full episode to hear Deborah Peart Crayton share her insights on identity, joy, and becoming a Mather. ⭐ Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help other educators discover this conversation. 📢 Share this episode with a colleague who’s passionate about building confident, joyful Mathers in every classroom.

Send us a text What happens when students haven’t been taught the math yet—but the task is right there waiting? In this episode, I unpack the fear many teachers feel before launching a rich task and explains why that hesitation, while understandable, often blocks the very learning we want. If you’ve ever wondered whether your students are “ready,” this conversation will gently shift how you think about readiness and learning. When we trust students to begin with what they know, incredible learning unfolds. Thanks for showing up for kids—and for yourself—as a math teacher willing to grow. 🤍 Need Ongoing Math Support? Join the Support Circle If you’re listening and thinking, “I want to do this well—but I don’t want to figure it out alone,” the Math Teacher Support Circle was created for you. Inside the Circle, you get ongoing math support, coaching, and a community of teachers all implementing Word Problem Workshop and rich problem-solving routines together. You’ll have a place to ask questions, get feedback, choose strong tasks, and build confidence—especially during Grapple—so supporting student thinking feels doable, not overwhelming. 🎧 Ready to Dive In? 👉 Listen to the full episode now 👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss future conversations 👉 Leave a review to help other teachers find this work

Send us a text What if the biggest shift in your math block didn’t come from a new curriculum or tool—but from the questions you ask? In this episode, I explore how intentional math questions can spark deeper thinking, richer conversations, and stronger reasoning, all while requiring teachers to talk less. If you’ve ever felt the urge to jump in and explain, this conversation will feel both challenging and freeing. You don’t need a new curriculum or a perfect lesson to transform math class. With meaningful questions, strategic silence, and a consistent routine like Word Problem Workshop, students begin to do the heavy cognitive lifting. This week’s challenge: ask one purposeful question—and then stop talking. 🎧 Ready to Listen? If you want students to think more deeply and take ownership of their ideas, this episode is for you. 👉 Listen to the full episode now 👉 Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode 👉 Leave a review to help other teachers find this work

Send us a text What should students actually be doing, saying, and thinking in math class? In this episode, I break down this essential question and shifts the focus away from pacing guides, tests, and compliance—and back to student thinking. If you want math class to feel alive, engaging, and meaningful, this conversation sets the stage. So how do we make this happen consistently? The answer isn’t more strategies or better worksheets—it’s a routine. This segment breaks down how Word Problem Workshop provides a predictable structure (Launch, Grapple, Share, Discuss, Reflect) that reliably gets students doing, talking, and thinking about math without relying on scripted lessons or high-level curriculum materials. 📘 Don't have time to read a book?? Join the Support Circle! 🎧 Ready to Listen? If you’re ready to build a math classroom where student thinking takes center stage, this episode is for you. 👉 Listen to the full episode now 👉 Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode 👉 Leave a review to help other educators find this work

Send us a text Today’s episode dives into a question many K–1 teachers ask: Why are we giving multiplication problem types when they’re nowhere in the standards? If you’ve ever wondered whether this is developmentally appropriate, too advanced, or simply “off track,” you’re definitely not alone. But here’s the truth: young children already experience multiplicative situations in real life — and those experiences naturally support early additive reasoning. In this episode, I share a powerful story from Kayla’s first-grade classroom that illustrates exactly why these problem types matter. 🎧 CTA — Listen, Subscribe, Review & Download If this episode sparked ideas or affirmed your instincts, make sure to listen to the full conversation, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review to help more teachers find it.

Send us a text In today’s episode, we’re diving into what really happens when kids struggle—and how to support them without rescuing them from the thinking process. You’ll hear the story of a quiet 3rd grader named Daria and how confidence, belief, and intentional instruction changed her entire trajectory. Many teachers have taught a student like Daria—sweet, shy, unsure, and labeled “below grade level.” Yet, through connection and curiosity, her brilliance surfaced long before her academic data did. This teaser shows why confidence isn’t everything, but why it’s a powerful catalyst for learning. 🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode: 📘 Word Problem Workshop ⭐️ Join the Book Club HERE 🎧 Ready to Dive In? Listen to the full episode to hear the stories, strategies, and mindset shifts that help kids thrive—without taking away their thinking. 👉 Listen now 👉 Subscribe to the podcast 👉 Leave a review to help other educators find this work

Send us a text I’ll start with a confession: I’ve never taught kindergarten. Honestly? I don’t think I could. Kindergarten teachers bring superhuman levels of compassion, patience, and organizational magic. They teach kids how to be at school while also supporting families. Yet I support K–8 math, and as a parent of two kindergarteners, I know exactly what a Monday afternoon classroom feels like. So when a kindergarten teacher asked me to model what math could look, sound, and feel like with deeper engagement, I said yes. Today, you’ll hear the case study that proves Word Problem Workshop is the solution for low-level, boring curriculum tasks. Here’s the encouragement I want to leave you with: you don’t need a new curriculum. You just need a routine that reveals student thinking. Word Problem Workshop does that — every single time. Even in kindergarten. So try one step next week. Launch a real problem. Give space. Let kids think. And watch what happens. 🎧 Listen to the full episode, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review to support more teachers bringing sense-making into math. ❄️ NEW: Join the Winter Break Book Club HERE If you want a simple, supportive way to deepen your practice over break, join our Word Problem Workshop Winter Book Club. It’s cozy, low-pressure, and designed to refresh your teaching before January hits. You’ll get discussion prompts, coaching insights, and a community of educators who care deeply about student thinking. Come as you are — pajama coffee, holiday chaos, and all.

Send us a text 💭 What “Let’s Just See What They Can Do” Really Means This phrase isn’t about tossing students into a problem they can’t handle. It’s about honoring the strategies, intuitions, and lived math experiences they already bring. You’ll hear how the Grapple step in Word Problem Workshop allows students to make sense of the story without the teacher rescuing, modeling, or pre-teaching every step. In this episode, you’ll hear a vivid classroom moment where a teacher doubted her students could handle: “There are 27 puppies. Eighteen are big. How many are small?” Even with large numbers and no regrouping lesson yet, students entered the problem with drawings, cubes, equations, and revising strategies. You’ll see how every learner — regardless of level — found a way to show their thinking when given space to explore. 🎧 Tune In and Try It Yourself Ready to try this mindset shift in your next lesson? Listen to the full episode to hear how Word Problem Workshop helps students think deeply, reason flexibly, and approach big problems with confidence. ➡️ Listen now, subscribe, and leave a review to support the podcast and help more teachers bring sense-making into their math classrooms.

Send us a text Coaching often becomes hectic fast. Schedules shift, classrooms get noisy, and teachers feel stretched thin. While the instinct is to fix everything, coaching isn’t actually about fixing at all — it’s about refocusing on student thinking. In this episode, Mona introduces the anchor moves she relies on when coaching feels chaotic. These moves bring clarity, calm, and purpose back into the work. When coaching feels wild, return to the routine: Observe → Name → Nudge → Celebrate. This is enough. You are enough. Your coaching makes a difference — especially now. And if you want a space to practice these moves with community, we’re diving into them inside Math Coach Huddle on December 8. Bring your questions, your chaos, and your curiosity. 👉 Listen to the full episode 👉 Subscribe and leave a review to support the show 👉 Join Math Coach Huddle anytime at monamath.com/huddle

Send us a text Hey teacher friends, Mona here! Today we’re diving into one of my favorite ways to grow as a team and strengthen math instruction across a school: Learning Walks. If you’ve never tried one before, don’t worry. By the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly what Learning Walks are, why they work, and how to use them to build collaboration, confidence, and shared vision among teachers. And if you're a math coach, instructional leader, or team lead who’s been craving a more meaningful way to bring teachers together — this one is especially for you. Because inside Math Coach Huddle, Learning Walks are one of our most powerful community practices. They help us move from coaching alone… to coaching together. Your challenge this week: Invite one person into your classroom. Or visit theirs. Notice. Wonder. Reflect. Learn together. Until next time — keep leading with curiosity, keep learning in community, and keep building joyful math spaces. 💛

Send us a text Many classrooms use the CUBES strategy for solving word problems. It's familiar, structured, and gives students a clear process. However, in this episode, we explore how traditional CUBES may unintentionally encourage students to “hunt for clues” instead of understanding the meaning of the story. Let’s talk about how to shift from keywords to reasoning using the Word Problem Workshop approach. In this episode, you’ll hear how we reimagine CUBES to shift students from identifying to understanding: C — Consider the Context:U — Understand the Question:B — Bring Meaning to Numbers:E — Examine the Situation:S — Support Understanding:This small shift leads to huge gains in reasoning, confidence, and real problem-solving. 🎧 Listen + Subscribe 👉 Subscribe to the podcast ⭐ Leave a review to help more math educators find it www.monamath.com/cubes