The mindset shift for changing math instruction
Let me ask you something honestly…
Have you ever sat in a PD,
nodded along,
thought, “this makes so much sense”…and then walked back into your classroom
and taught the exact same way the next day?
Not because you didn’t believe it.
But because changing it felt… harder than keeping it.
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
And more importantly…
It’s not a knowledge problem.
🎧 If this is resonating with you, but listening works better than reading right now, you can hear the full episode here.
Why knowing better isn’t changing your math instruction
There are teachers right now who know:
Students need to do more of the thinking.
Struggle is part of learning.
Speed isn’t the goal.
And at the same time…
They’re still modeling every step.
Still jumping in too quickly.
Still doing most of the thinking for students.
That gap?
That’s not about knowing.
That’s about doing.
And that’s where so many math classrooms stay stuck.
The mindset shift for changing math instruction
I’ve been thinking a lot about something Mel Robbins shares:
People don’t struggle with knowing what to do.
They struggle with doing it.
And I think that’s exactly where we are in math education.
Because changing instruction isn’t just about strategies.
It’s about navigating everything around you:
Pacing guides.
Team expectations.
Time pressure.
The fear that it won’t work.
So we wait.
We wait until we feel ready.
We wait until we’re sure.
But what if the shift isn’t about waiting?
Let them… and let me
One of the simplest mindset shifts I’ve been thinking about is this:
Let them.
…and let me.
Let them:
Teach differently.
Move at a different pace.
Do what works in their classroom.
…and let me:
Try one different move.
Give students a little more thinking time.
Sit in the discomfort a little longer than usual.
Because sometimes the hardest part of changing your math instruction
isn’t the strategy itself.
It’s everything around it.
What it actually looks like in a classroom
I worked with a teacher who said:
“I know I shouldn’t jump in so quickly…
but the silence makes me uncomfortable.”
So we didn’t change everything.
We tried one small shift.
Wait 10 seconds longer.
That was it.
And when she came back, she said:
“They figured it out without me.”
Not perfectly.
Or instantly.
But they were thinking.
And that’s the shift.
A simple framework to support the shift
When I support schools, we don’t start with big changes.
We start small.
This is where the work often follows a simple pattern:
Shift → deciding to try, even when it feels messy
Hone → focusing on one move instead of everything
Amplify → creating more space for student thinking
Plan → being intentional, not perfect
Elevate → continuing, even when it’s uncomfortable
Not as a checklist.
But as a way to keep moving forward.
Because changing your math classroom doesn’t happen all at once.
It happens in small, consistent decisions.
What if it doesn’t work?
That’s a real question.
And the honest answer?
It might not… the first time.
It might take a few tries.
It might take a few weeks.
But staying the same?
We already know how that ends.
You don’t need more strategies
You don’t need another training.
You don’t need more ideas.
What you need is one moment where you decide to act before you feel ready.
Let them…and let me.
🎧 Listen + Subscribe
In this week’s episode of Math Chat, I walk through this shift in real classrooms… what it looks like, what gets in the way, and how to start.
If this resonated with you, the full conversation will give you the next step.
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