Build Math Minds
The Podcast
The Build Math Minds podcast is for my fellow Recovering Traditionalists out there.
If you don’t know whether or not you are a Recovering Traditionalist, here’s how I define us. We are math educators who used to teach math the traditional way. Flip lesson by lesson in the textbook, directly teaching step-by-step how to solve math problems. But now, we are working to change that to a style of teaching math that is fun and meets our students where they are at, not just teaching what comes next in the textbook. We want to encourage our students to be thinkers, problem solvers, and lovers of mathematics…we are wanting to build our students math minds and not just create calculators. If that is you, then this podcast is for you.
Listen To The Latest Episodes
Episode 148: Why Is Understanding Fractions So Hard?
Beyond Pizzas & Pies, Grades 3-5: 10 Essential Strategies for Supporting Fraction Sense by Julie McNamara and Meghan M. Shaughnessy How to Build Fraction Sense Welcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to Episode 148. Today we are looking at one answer to...
Episode 147: Practice Makes Permanent
Here in the United States, it is the end of the school year and teachers are contemplating what work they should send home with students for them to do over the summer. In today’s podcast, I get into why I’m not a big fan of general problem packets over the summer and how the phrase “practice makes perfect” is a little inaccurate.
Episode 146: Standard Algorithms Compared to Computational Strategies
Resources mentioned in this episode: A New Vision for Developing Addition and Subtraction Computation Strategies By Randall Charles Enroll in The Flexibility Formula Course Welcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to Episode 146. Today let’s take a look at...
Episode 145: Math Textbooks Have the Teaching of Fluency All Wrong
Resources mentioned in this episode: Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success For All by The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics The Flexibility Formula K-2, online math PD course for Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers The Flexibility Formula...
Episode 144: What is Computational Fluency?
The Flexibility Formula courses that I offer have a huge focus on how we can help kids develop number sense, but the main reason to focus on number sense is really to help your students become flexible thinkers; to build their flexibility in mathematics. In episode 144, I talk about how my courses started and the research that inspired them. Come take a listen as I discuss the concepts that make up computational fluency.
Episode 143: Summer Reading List for Elementary Math Teachers 2022
Each of you listening to this podcast have different goals for your professional development. You have different things you are wanting to read about to help your students next year have an even better math experience in your classroom. So I’ve compiled a bunch of different lists on Amazon so you can choose from books for specific areas you want to focus on. Come check out Episode #143 where I share my summer reading lists for elementary math teachers for 2022.
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Past Episodes
Episode #0: Welcome to the Build Math Minds Podcast
Episode #1: Children’s Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction
Episode #3: Balancing The Equation
Episode #5: Bandaids and Bandwagons
Episode #7: Beyond Pizzas & Pies
Episode #9: Teaching Fractions for Understanding
Episode #11: Never Say Anything A Kid Can Say
Episode #13: Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions
Episode #15: Knowing Mathematics for Teaching
Episode #17: Why Leaders Should Eat Last
Episode #19: Elementary Math Specialists
Episode #21: Inspiration & Information from Jennifer Lagrange
Episode #23: Bottoms Up Hundred Chart
Episode #25: Inspiration & Information from Carri Naumann-Monti
Episode #27: CGI-Using Kids Intuitive Mathematical Reasoning
Episode #29: Are you Indispensable?
Episode #31: Using your textbook as a guide with Christy Crees
Episode #33: Building Confidence in your Students with Melissa Barone
Episode #35: Features of Appropriate Math Tasks
Episode #37: Mathematical Argument in the Elementary Classroom
Episode #39: Executive Function’s Impact on Mathematics
Episode #41: Help Students Learn to Love Math with Kelly Sickle
Episode #43: Open Middle Math
Episode #45: 13 Rules that Expire
Episode #47: Innovate Inside the Box
Episode # 49: Catalyzing Change
Episode #51: Choral Counting and Counting Collections
Episode #53: Fluency is not just Fast & Accurate
Episode #55: Teaching Math at Home
Episode #57: How to Build Math Fluency
Episode #59: Harmful Effects of Algorithm
Episode #61: The Benefits of Inventing Algorithms
Episode #63: Admitting When I’m Wrong
Episode #65: Getting Started with Educational Equity
Episode #67: Selecting & Sequencing Student Solutions
Episode #69: The 2020 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #71: Continue the Learning from the Virtual Math Summit
Episode #73: Addressing Unfinished Learning
Episode #75: Counting is a Substitute for Sense Making
Episode #77: Predicting Future Academic Success
Episode #79: How Can I Help?
Episode #81: I’m Just Bad at Math
Episode #83: Inspection-Worthy Mistakes
Episode #85: Paper-Pencil versus Mental Computation
Episode #87: The Power of Addition in Building Fluency in Subtraction
Episode #89: Understanding Equality
Episode #91: Teaching Math for Understanding
Episode #93: Constructing Goals for Student Learning
Episode #95: Is Student Achievement or Student Enjoyment Our Goal?
Episode #97: Top Elementary Math Books for Your Summer 2021 Reading
Episode #99: Preview of Andre Daughty and Alice Aspinall’s Sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #101: Preview of Dr. Nicki Newton and Ann Elise Record’s sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #103: Preview of 3 more sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #105: 3rd-5th grade sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #107: CGI Math
Episode #109: Wondering About The use of AND in math
Episode #111: Fluency is the By-Product of Flexibility
Episode #113: The Knowledge Needed for Teaching Mathematics
Episode #115: Helping Kids Make Connections in Mathematics with Kelly Rogers
Episode #117: Why I Was Gone
Episode #119: Managing Small Group Work
Episode #121: Math Problems with More Than One Answer (part 1)
Episode #123: Math Problems with More Than One Answer (part 3)
Episode #125: Less Expectation, More Appreciation
Episode #127: Thinking vs Mimicking
Episode #129: Taking it a Step Further with Fractions and Subitizing
Episode #131: Observing Math Understanding with Michelle Chu and Kristen Emmel
Episode #133: Experiences and Equity and Access
Episode #135: The Tip of the Iceberg
Episode # 137: Math in Children’s Literature
Episode #139: Should We Stop Giving Tests in Math?
Episode #141: Get the Most Out Of Math Games
Episode #143: Summer Reading List for Elementary Math Teachers 2022
Episode #145: Math Textbooks Have the Teaching of Fluency All Wrong
Episode #147: Practice Makes Permanent
Episode #2: Three Phase Lesson Format to create a Student Centered Mathematics Classroom
Episode #4: Inspiration from Ann Elise Record
Episode #6: Contexts for Learning Fractions
Episode #8: Inspiration & Information from Jeni Veale
Episode #10: Making Number Talks Matter
Episode #12: Inspiration & Information from Lisa Kuo
Episode #14: The Teaching Gap
Episode #16: Inspiration & Information from Lemi-Ola Erinkitola
Episode #18: The Professional Development Gap
Episode #20: PD at Your Fingertips
Episode #22: Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic
Episode #24: Exceptionally Bright Children
Episode #26: Adding It Up
Episode #28: Teaching Mathematics Through Problem Solving
Episode #30: Inspiration & Information from Jessica Boyer
Episode #32: You have permission with Jess Hempel & Christine Farrell
Episode #34: Effectively Using Games to Build Mathematical Thinking & Reasoning
Episode #36: Encourage Student Perseverance and Authority
Episode #38: Look for and Make Use of Structure
Episode #40: Purposeful Practice
Episode #42: Making the Case for Play in the Classroom
Episode #44: Making Sense is First and Computation is Second
Episode #46: Get Going Using Math Manipulatives with Lori Linsmeyer
Episode #48: Developing a Culture of Questioning Can Be an Agent of Change
Episode #50: Transitioning From Teacher to Math Coach with Peggy Loutzenhiser
Episode #52: Am I a Broken Record?
Episode #54: Free Resources
Episode #56: Stop Teaching
Episode #58: Meaningful Mathematics
Episode #60: Building Self-Reliance in Math
Episode #62: The 80/20 Rule Applied to Teaching Math
Episode #64: Building Our Minds…Not Just In Math
Episode #66: Jump-start Math Class with Daily Routines
Episode #68: What Works Best
Episode #70: Implementing Ideas from the Virtual Math Summit
Episode #72: The Distance Learning Playbook
Episode #74: Why Children Have Difficulties with their Math Facts
Episode #76: Creating Images for Subitizing
Episode #78: Looking for the CAN DOs in Math
Episode #80: The 5 Strands of Mathematical Proficiency
Episode # 82: Hands-Down Conversations
Episode #84: The Dyscalculia Toolkit
Episode #86: Why Subtraction Is So Hard
Episode #88: Virtual versus Physical Manipulatives
Episode #90: The Missing Piece to Math Fluency
Episode #92: The Power of Counting
Episode #94: Small Teacher Moves with Vicki Tilson
Episode #96: This is Only a Test
Episode #98: Fluency Sessions at the Virtual Math Summit 2021
Episode #100: Preview of Dawn Dibley & Pam Tabor and Zak Champagne’s Sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #102: Equity & Access Sessions at the 2021 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #104: Two Ways to Build Number Sense (Virtual Math Summit Preview)
Episode #106: Two of my favorite ways to engage students (Virtual Math Summit Preview)
Episode #108: Creating More Wonder, Joy & Beauty in Math
Episode #110: Responses About The Use of AND in Math
Episode #112: Types of Activities that Build Math Fluency
Episode #114: Misconceptions About Developing Fact Fluency
Episode #116: Stop Teaching Strategies
Episode #118: Making Thinking Visible
Episode #120: My Favorite Mathy Gifts for 2021
Episode #122: Teaching Division with Remainders Even in the Early Years
Episode #124: Math Problems With More Than One Answer (Part 3)
Episode #126: Powerful Moments in Math Class with Mike Flynn
Episode #128: Doing Things Differently
Episode #130: Building Our Understanding
Episode #132: The Connecting Pillar
Episode #134: Pencil or Pen?
Episode #136: Problem Solving in Math
Episode #138: More Than a Test
Episode #140: Alternatives to Math Tests
Episode #142: Nothing Lasts Forever
Episode #144: What is Computational Fluency?
Episode #146: Standard Algorithms Compared to Computational Strategies
Episode #148: Why is Understanding Fractions So Hard?