Making Math Moments That Matter

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How To #39

Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students. 

As a teacher are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? 

As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making?

Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have been engaging students, teachers, and district program leaders with effective mathematics pedagogy, accessible resources, and inspiring learning environments in K-12 math classrooms. 

Now, in this podcast they coach you - K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics  through a 6 step plan that cultivates and fosters your mathematics program like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.

If you master the 6 parts of an effective mathematics program, the impact you have on students or teachers will grow and reach far and wide.

Every week, you’ll hear insight from practicing classroom teachers and leaders in math education so you’ll get the feedback, guidance, and fresh ideas you need to stop feeling overwhelmed, gain back your confidence, and inspire the students and fellow teachers you serve to enjoy the beauty of mathematics once again. 

Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180

Avoiding The Trap of Algorithms in Math - An Interview with Pam Harris from Math Is Figureoutable
May 5, 2025 – 39:46
How To Convert Math PD Into Classroom Action
May 1, 2025 – 25:45
Parent Pushback: How to Teach High Quality Math Instruction Without the Backlash
Apr 28, 2025 – 27:38
Transform A Compliance-Driven Math PD Calendar Into Real Change
Apr 24, 2025 – 24:51
How to Support All Students Without ‘Watering Down’ the Math: A Look At MTSS
Apr 21, 2025 – 37:42
You Bought a Math Curriculum Resource... Now What?
Apr 17, 2025 – 24:21
My War Against Algebra Tricks - A Math Mentoring Moment
Apr 14, 2025 – 44:40
How To Lead Effective Math PLCs
Apr 10, 2025 – 27:05
Maximizing Your PLCs: Turning Collaboration into Real Impact
Apr 7, 2025 – 28:03
Support or Setback? The Hidden Cost of Front-Loading Support for Math Teachers
Apr 3, 2025 – 15:32
How To Prepare For Your Upcoming Standardized Math Test & Reduce Unwanted Pressure
Mar 31, 2025 – 27:47
How Useful Are Pacing Guides in Math Instruction? Balancing Alignment and Autonomy
Mar 27, 2025 – 34:48
The Real Magic Behind Math Talk Success In Your Classroom
Mar 24, 2025 – 31:01
Instructional Recipes For Teaching Math
Mar 20, 2025 – 39:10
The Key to Understanding Fractions and Algebraic Thinking
Mar 17, 2025 – 25:53
Why Math Coaching Might Not Be Sticking (And What to Do About It)
Mar 13, 2025 – 25:47
Math Rules That Expire: Rethinking Math Tricks & Shortcuts for Long-Term Understanding
Mar 10, 2025 – 31:47
Why Your Math PD Isn't Sticking (And What to Do About It)
Mar 6, 2025 – 18:55
Building Thinking Classrooms: Finding the Right Balance
Mar 3, 2025 – 27:14
How To Design Large-Scale PD For Math Improvement: When is it Worth the Investment?
Feb 27, 2025 – 27:27
Beyond Think-Pair-Share: Practical Teaching Moves To Enhance Meaningful Mathematical Discourse
Feb 24, 2025 – 27:05
Too Many Math Initiatives, Not Enough Impact - How One District Found Focus & Results
Feb 20, 2025 – 21:41
How To Group Students In Math Class: Similar Abilities or Mixed Abilities in Math Classrooms?
Feb 17, 2025 – 34:07
The Five-Why Framework For Decision Making in Math Leadership & Education
Feb 13, 2025 – 28:03
Hitting Refresh In Your Math Classroom: How To Create The Right Conditions For Math Success
Feb 10, 2025 – 30:48
How To Create Math Impact and Avoid Teacher Burnout
Feb 6, 2025 – 27:01
Shifting From Textbook Teacher to Responsive Teacher Through Formative Assessment
Feb 3, 2025 – 41:51
It’s Not Just About the Math Curriculum: Turning Math Routines Into Real Results
Jan 30, 2025 – 27:16
How To Prepare For Parent-Teacher Interviews for Math Success
Jan 27, 2025 – 22:03
When to Say Goodbye: Navigating Challenging Math Coaching Relationships
Jan 23, 2025 – 31:13
Harnessing Feedback in Math Class: How to Make Assessment Work for You and Your Students
Jan 20, 2025 – 46:34
Beyond the Helper Zone: Strategies for Sustainable Math Coaching Impact
Jan 16, 2025 – 23:30
They’re Not Engaged! What Should I Do? - A Math Mentoring Moment
Jan 13, 2025 – 33:04
From Busywork to Results: How to Monitor What Matters in Math Improvement | Math Coaching & Support
Jan 9, 2025 – 30:14
Storytelling with Data: Making Data and Numbers Come Alive in Math Class
Jan 6, 2025 – 29:12
How You Can Model Math Lessons Effectively for Lasting Impact
Jan 2, 2025 – 15:38
How Do I Engage My Students When Teaching a Split-Level Math Class - A Math Mentoring Moment
Dec 30, 2024 – 32:41
Breaking Down Barriers That Prevent Progress in Mathematics Achievement
Dec 26, 2024 – 15:48
How To Develop A Robust Math Teaching Style
Dec 23, 2024 – 36:58
The Math "Money Bomb" Curse – And What It’s Costing Your Schools | Math Resources Decision Making
Dec 19, 2024 – 17:49
How To Use Tool Talks To Boost Student Agency And Sense Making in Math Class | Math Manipulatives
Dec 16, 2024 – 40:03
Is Your PD Structure Sabotaging Your Mathematics Goals? | Math Coaching & Training
Dec 12, 2024 – 15:30
High School Mathematics Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant: An Interview with Two NCTM presidents
Dec 9, 2024 – 39:36
Why “Doing It All” Is Hurting Your Progress For Sustainable Math Achievement
Dec 5, 2024 – 23:23
Why Shifting K-12 Math Instruction Feels So Hard (And What We’re Missing)
Dec 2, 2024 – 52:16
How to Re-frame Support To Increase Strategy Adoption in Math | Math Coaching & Training
Nov 28, 2024 – 15:00
Math Fact Fluency: Must-Know Facts - An Interview with Jennifer Bay-Williams
Nov 25, 2024 – 33:52
How Shifting Assessment Practices in Math Is Your Gateway To Improved Achievement | Math Assessment Coaching & Training
Nov 21, 2024 – 26:19
Math Retention Struggles Grades 6 to 12: Here’s Why and How To Fix It
Nov 18, 2024 – 31:31
Prune to Thrive: Why Doing Less Can Strengthen Your Math Program | Effective Mathematics Coaching and Training
Nov 14, 2024 – 08:21

Recent Reviews

Dawson Tate

Growth and Reflective Practices

The Making Math Moments podcast has helped me reflect and grow as a math educator. They continue to promote great mathematical instruction practices and conversations for a variety of educators and listeners. Through their podcast, I have gained valuable insights and implemented strategies that have led to great success in my classroom and pedagogy—which, ultimately, is what matters most.
Boy Mom^2

Love this pod!

If you teach any instructional level of math, this is the podcast for you! This podcast is full of helpful tips, surprising insights, and motivational guests. Listening to this podcast, just once a week, will help you feel empowered to try new strategies and help your students experience their own math moments.
kclark76

Game Changer

Three years ago, when I left administration and went back into the math classroom, I knew I had to make some changes to my tired and traditional approach. This podcast serves up dish after dish of excellent ideas and new strategies that actually work in the classroom. It covers an amazing breadth of topics and is easily understood and relatable. Jon and Kyle are clearly passionate about teaching mathematics and have so much insight, that it’s hard to know where to begin.
Clement Townsend

Great strategies to help math teachers

The interviews are great and the mentoring moments are very insightful. The recent episode about student engagement gave some solid tips around giving students opportunities to show their thinking. It raised some great questions about am I structuring lessons in a way that will achieve my goals. Great podcast!
GraphCalculator

Super helpful

These guys raise excellent questions and bring on helpful people to answer. Give it a listen to keep up with what’s happening in mathematics education!
Bigbluecoug

Inspirational

As a leader working to change math education across the country, I came across this podcast and fell in love. I truly believe that we must work together to change math education and the ideas shared on this podcast will effect that change.
sbucaro15

Always Learning

I have been listening to this podcast for years and always walk away with new insights and ideas. I enjoy hearing from others in the math moments community and how they are working to support change in math instruction.
mamaportillo

Spark

Listening to this podcast helps continue the spark to be better in my math class.
Kelly Green Consulting

Love how this supports all audiences!

As a mathematics specialist and consultant, I love how each episode reaches different audiences. There are episodes for district leaders, there are episodes for coaches and there are episodes for teachers. For someone like me, this helps build my capacity as a consultant and how I can support all members of an educational system!
Coach/Teacher/Chicago/Jen

In person just as wonderful as podcasts!

I have been listening to this podcast for ages and was thrilled to meet Kyle while volunteering at the NCSM conference and find out he is just as delightful and helpful in person! As a coach of teachers, I often direct them to many of the podcast episodes. As a teacher working with students in Tier 3, I am constantly questioning, thinking and learning about my practice. Thanks to both Kyle and Jon and all their guests on the podcast for the hard but vital work they are doing!
customer5122020

No more math island!

As an educator in the special education space, it can feel lonely advocating for strategies that encourage diversifying strategies focused on conceptual math as opposed to simply memorizing procedures. My students grow and connect with conceptual, hands-on learning far better than a traditional, memorization approach. This podcast has been a breath of fresh air in realizing I am not alone in this! This podcast is where I first heard of Jo Boaler's Math-ish, Conrad Wolfram and so much more. I have found my people that encourage diversity of thought across all spaces of math. I would love to hear more about differentiation for those with special needs and those with English as a 2nd (or 3rd) language. Keep building these bridges to all those still trapped on an island! I am so grateful!
EloïseMoz

Inspiration just for you

If you are looking to get inspired and learn more about some amazing, creative, practical tips to create a learning environment in which inquiry, conceptual understanding, and enthusiasm is the norm when learning math, listen to this wonderful podcast, filled with amazing educators. I love how we are invited to look how math can be taught in new ways. Such a great podcast! Thank you so much.
TJN314

Great Listen

This is an excellent show. I always learn something new each time I listen!
Cmarieeee3

Great listen

This podcast is such an easy listen. You can tell the guests are comfortable and excited to be there. So many gems to make us all better.
AZ_Bk

Binge Listening for Summer Break

I’ve been loving this podcast so much this summer and binge-listening through the backlog of episodes. Kyle and Jon are totally relatable, and they deliver their ideas in ways that are both pedagogically sound and grounded in research, while also being actionable and down to earth. I’ve been talking back to this podcast, taking notes, and sharing with my colleagues non-stop.
CoachLoriM

Totally worth it!!

Every time I listen to a show, I come away with a fresh idea, deeper understanding, or rekindled excitement. After sharing this podcast with several colleagues this year, I have enjoyed exciting math discussion about pedagogy and strategies. I attended the summit in 2023 and several of our teachers are now looking forward to 2024. Two of us have already requested PD through the academy and are awaiting approval. We appreciate your time, energy, and thoughtful that goes into creating valuable shows! So exciting!!!
Sethb867

So good!

Just this year alone, I have implemented multiple strategies from the podcast and I can’t wait to continue to learn more for the betterment of my students!
cmic566

Make Math Moments

John and Kyle are my go to. They have sound practice that is dynamic and helps students to build meaning. They are the first place I go to with questions.
InvestorMan1234

Really Exceptional

Awesome show that really helps contextualize bringing math to life in the classroom. Kyle and Jon are clearly passionate about helping more students like math and there’s a ton of useful information to tackle the day-to-day challenges of math educators.
Felish05

A podcast worth listening to!

Jon and Kyle have a gift for knowing when to listen and when to ask the right questions to help listeners think about their own teaching practices. It’s also reassuring to know we all have “pebbles in our shoes” and majority of the time it’s the same type of pebbles that others have. I have shared this podcast with my admin and we will often have conversations about different episodes. If you’re ready to make math moments that matter then give this show a listen.
KyleTheHun

Thumbs up!

I love the “real” flipped classroom
Rapids808

Rock on!

Always gets me thinking!
LincolnStoller

Lincoln Stoller

Interesting to hear that dyscalculia was neurologically specific and could be remedied with training. I would have like to hear more of the subjective experience of those with this condition and how they felt in about it. There is suspiciously little recognition of the abilities of neurodivergent people, and an overemphasis on normalizing them. What strengths might these people have that are being under appreciated? This is not a trivial question.
Libo V

Highly Recommended

Fantastic show for any mathematics educator looking for innovative ideas or inspiration from lead experts on the field. Kyle and Jon do an amazing job bringing passionate educators to share their stories. Amazing PD!! Highly recommended!!
TriviaNerd22

This is what math needs

So many students dislike math. The subject needs a facelift, it needs methods and resources that show students not only that anyone can be great with with numbers but also that math is an exciting subject full of problem solving and detective work and puzzles. Making math moments does this. It explores how we can improve our practice and get kids engaged and really thinking. It is a must listen for every math educator.
_Laura F.

The BEST!

If you are involved in math education in any way, this is the podcast you need. Jon and Kyle are THE BEST! They are thoughtful, knowledgeable, and truly understand the day-to-day challenges of math educators. No matter what your role is in math education, this podcast is helpful. If you are a classroom teacher, it will provide you with realistic, actionable steps to take to transform your teaching. If you are a math coach, administrator, or another type of leader, it will provide you with ideas and structures for supporting system-wide change. Aside from the mathematics, you can listen to how Jon and Kyle engage with educators and model how to effectively coach. I cannot say enough good things about this podcast. It is absolutely my favorite!
Annette K TX

Great questioning

I LOVE the in-depth questioning! “I’m wondering . . . “ Great model for how I might help teachers think deeper about their teacher moved.
jayjourd

MMM

Amazing podcast.
Darrell Armstrong Forever

Fantastic resource for math teachers

MMM is a tremendous resource and inspiration for math teachers, led by thoughtful, genuine educators in Kyle and Jon. It has completely transformed my math instruction!
MAGCampbell

A Weekly Must

Jon’s & Kyle’s podcast is a weekly must! Great guests, applicable info, awesome ideas; hosted by two guys w/great senses of humor who are passionate about mathematics education. You need to give this podcast a listen!
Lip223344

It’s got it all!

The Pocast challenges traditional methods for teaching mathematics. It is relevant to all levels. The has many current math leaders and folks that are in the classrooms everyday. This show is engaging intellectually and philosophically, with loads of pedagogy, activities and materials to use with young people in our classrooms.
laurenf951

Inspiring

Each episode always inspires me to continue to fuel sense making in the classroom!
Crys from

So many takeaways for the math classroom

After each episode, there is always something I can takeaway to use in my math classroom. The dialogue is always thought provoking. No matter if you’ve been teaching for 1 year or 20 years, this podcast is highly recommended.
Runinback

Educator

This is a breathtaking podcast that constantly keeps me engaged and inspired
shershey0303

Down to earth and practical strategies to implement right away

Kyle and jon are two passionate educators who can relate to our struggles and are willing to tackle tough issues head on with practical advice. They offer actionable steps to help with topics such as but not limited to: classroom management, concept based lessons, mathmatical practices, managing your time, engagement, selecting technology, etc. This is a very worthwhile and beneficial podcast for any educator looking to enhance their pedagogy and deepen their understanding of mathematics.
Outdoor mom

Finally! I get it!

By “it” I mean the answer to how to teach math in a way that works for all students, changes perceptions of what math class is, and gives support to teachers as they implement these teaching practices. I am in my 24th year of teaching and I finally feel like I am figuring out how to do this job of teaching math to middle schools students. I have a renewed enjoyment of teaching math and I want all math teachers to feel empowered the way I do! I feel like the higher ups have tried to tell me all of the pieces and parts that you talk about in your podcast but, I never got the message in a way that made any real sense to me so I could not make real change to my teaching practices. I now wonder if the higher ups telling me what to do actually understood it themselves. Your podcast has given me the big picture as well as the details needed to make real, lasting changes for the better! I already had students give a collective groan at the end of class when the bell rang in the middle of our work. Then, at the start of the next day’s class a student walked in and said, “We finally get to find out the number today.” I look forward to many more moments like this!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
JenBMMM

I listened to this almost every day on my way to teach 5/6 grade!! Get your motivation here!!

Awesome learning here! NEVER a dull moment with these two. Their energy is contagious. Don’t miss these!
Aldenator7

Listening leads to Growth

I have learned so much from listening to this podcast. I started listening as a classroom teacher, then as an elementary math teacher specialist, and now as a new math coach. I appreciate all of the different lenses that are examined (teacher, coach, district leaders, students). Thanks Jon and Kyle!
Txboy13

Make an appointment to listen!

A colleague shared this podcast with me last year and we are in the process of catching up with all 240 episodes while eagerly awaiting each new weekly release! Jon and Kyle bring a wealth of first-hand experience as teachers and coaches to each and every conversation with educators, administrators, and researchers. A must listen for everyone in the profession. Parents of K-12 students might also find the podcast helpful in gaining insight into where mathematics education has been and where it is going!
PAmathteacher

Always curious to hear more

Thank you for really helping me to see what I need to do to improve my math classroom. Listening to you talk about the pillars of of a classroom has me brainstorming and planning ahead for next year. I can’t wait to hear more!!!
bridetobe12345

Learning

Always learning while listening to the show. Helps me become a better teacher for my students and makes me question why I make each decision.
The American Canuck

Motivating

Love the Podcast. Keeps me going and trying to keep me improving for my 3rd graders. Thanks guys.
MisterAngle

Conversational with realistic, nonjudgmental next steps

It is energizing to hear these conversations with educators that all have different levels of experience and training. The framework of each podcast starting with helping the listener to get a picture of a teacher’s environment and style, then moving onto successes of the educator, then moving onto their pebbles is so natural. They do a great job of honoring where each educator is coming from them suggesting realistic next steps to try.
Ally20335

Wonderful Podcast

I enjoy listening to Kyle and Jon‘s podcasts each week. Listening to their conversations with other educators have helped me to reflect on my teaching and focus on helping all students become better at learning mathematics.
atreble

Cool podcast!

Lots of great ideas for the classroom.
Grade5cat

Math moments Keeps Me Math Minded

When I think I stuck, I come here and get a reboot! The material is so relevant! It’s like food’. I feel so full and satisfied…thank you for making my career that much better
MathLuv123

Can’t teach without this podcast!

This podcast makes me a better teacher every time I listen! It is a MUST listen! Thank you for all your hard work!
NewbieMathTeacher

Thank you!

I started listening last year when I was unexpectedly assigned to teach math for the first time. This podcast has been so helpful!
Dfro0514

Worth a listen or 10!

Love the ideas I’ve gained in recent weeks of being a subscriber!
telizabethb

Awesome!

Great podcast! I love gaining ideas from all of the speakers on the podcast.