Archives: Episode

Building Problem-Solvers Through Social Emotional Learning with Meghan Princehorn In this episode, we sit down with Meghan Princehorn, a school social worker, to talk about the powerful connection between social emotional learning skills and success in the classroom—especially in math. Meghan shares insights from nearly two decades of collaboration and practical strategies you can use […]

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Step 4: Word Problem Workshop – Discuss: Circle Up and Let’s Chat Talking is my thing—I love it! But in the classroom, I’ve learned it’s not just about giving students time to talk. It’s about teaching them how to discuss math in ways that deepen understanding, build confidence, and move learning forward. In this episode, […]

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Building a Classroom Community That Inspires Risk-Taking and Ownership A strong classroom community changes everything. When students feel safe and supported, they take risks, own their learning, and grow as problem-solvers. In this episode, we share practical ways to build community, motivate students, and make math meaningful. A First Glimpse at Real Classroom Community When […]

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Step 3: Word Problem Workshop — Share: How Students’ Work Fuels Students’ Discussion Does your math class feel like only a handful of students ever raise their hands while the rest stay silent? Or maybe your students avoid sharing out of fear of being wrong? You’re not alone—many teachers face this challenge. In today’s episode, […]

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What Happens When We Stop Teaching Math as Memorization? What happens when we stop teaching math as a set of steps to memorize and instead create space for students to explore, question, and discover? In this episode, Jimmy Dietmeyer and I dig into how shifting our approach to teaching math differently can transform classrooms—and mindsets. […]

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Grapple: Supporting Students Through Productive Struggle We’ve all heard about the importance of productive struggle in math—but what does it actually look like in practice? In this episode, I share why Grapple Time is one of the most powerful parts of Word Problem Workshop, how to prepare students to persevere, and the exact four teacher […]

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Launch Word Problems So Every Student Can Start Solving It’s a common belief: “My students can’t read, so they need to master simple math first before tackling word problems.” But what if this thinking is actually holding students back? In this episode, we challenge the unproductive idea that kids must learn the basics first, and […]

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What If Slowing Down Is the Secret to Speeding Up in Math? You’ve probably heard the saying “Go slow to go fast” — but what does that actually look like in a math classroom? In this episode, we’re tackling one of the biggest challenges teachers face: balancing the pacing guide with the reality of diverse […]

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