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 197: Upleveling Missing Part Games
Join the Build Math Minds PD site Part 1 - Episode 195: Upleveling Missing Part Activities to Build Deeper Mathematical Thinking Part 2 - Episode 196: Repackaging Style Word Problems: Transforming Missing Part Word ProblemsWelcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to...
Episode 196: Repackaging Style Word Problems: Transforming Missing Part Word Problems
Part 1 (Episode 195) Join the Build Math Minds PD site Putting Essential Understanding of Multiplication and Division into Practice in Grades 3–5 All the books in the Essential Understandings into Practice series at NCTMWelcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to...
Episode 195: Upleveling Missing Part Activities to Build Deeper Mathematical Thinking
Join the Build Math Minds PD site Putting Essential Understanding of Multiplication and Division into Practice in Grades 3–5 All the books in the Essential Understandings into Practice series at NCTM Welcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to Episode 195: Upleveling...
Episode 194: The Truth About Mental Math – It’s Not Just In Your Head
Episode 176: Avoiding the Trap of Algorithms Pam Harris’ book Developing Mathematical Reasoning: Avoiding the Trap of Algorithms Pam’s Virtual Math Summit session Welcome fellow Recovering Traditionalists to Episode 194: The Truth About Mental Math - It's Not Just In...
Episode 193: Beyond the Template – Making the Lesh Translation Model Meaningful
Episode 192 - A Math Task All Teachers Should be Doing Problems of Representation in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics edited by Claude Janvier I did track down the original source! Lesh, R. (1979). Mathematical learning disabilities: Considerations for...
Episode 192: A Math Task All Teachers Should be Doing
NCTM book Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All. Teaching Student Centered Mathematics by John Van de Walle, et al Lesh, R. (1979). Mathematical learning disabilities: Considerations for identification, diagnosis, and remediation. In R. Lesh,...
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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 #149: Things to Say Instead of IDK
Episode #151: What Do Students Need to Know About Division?
Episode #153: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Tips for Creating Student-Centered Classrooms
Episode #155: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Teaching Math with Newcomers in Mind
Episode #157: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Challenges and Benefits of Building Kids’ Thinking
Episode #159: The Number Strings Queens
Episode #161: A candy bar is better than a pie…when it comes to fractions
Episode #163: Helping Your Students to Be a Successful Student
Episode #165: Geometry in PreK-2 is more than just knowing names of shapes
Episode #167: Mental Math does NOT mean doing it in your head
Episode #169: Math Fluency Through Flexibility
Episode #171: Summer Book Study for Elementary Math Educators
Episode #173: Using Number Lines to Round Numbers – Rounding Numbers Series
Episode #175: Always Building Relationships – Rounding Numbers Series
Episode #177: Math Misconceptions
Episode # 179: A Math Hack That Isn’t a Hack
Episode #181: Exploring Patterns Through Number Routines
Episode #183: The Count – Uncovering Mathematical Structure in Elementary Classrooms
Episode #185: Tasks for Building Thinking Classrooms – Virtual Math Summit 2025 preview
Episode #187: Problem Solving Success: 3 Experts’ Ideas from the 2025 Virtual Math Summit
Episode #189: Making Math Irresistible: 4 Expert Strategies for Student Engagement in Elementary Math
Episode #191: Math Teaching Strategies: Highlights from the 2025 Virtual Math Summit Live Sessions
Episode #193: Beyond the Template – Making the Lesh Translation Model Meaningful
Episode #195: Upleveling Missing Part Activities to Build Deeper Mathematical Thinking
Episode #197: Upleveling Missing Part Games
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?
Episode #150: A Quick Math Story Problem Activity
Episode #152: Why don’t you talk about Time & Money?
Episode #154: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Helping Students Understand Multiplication
Episode #156: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Things to Think About When Doing Number Routines
Episode #158: Virtual Math Summit Preview: Preventing Teacher Burnout
Episode #160: Tips for Getting Kids to Talk in Math Class
Episode #162: Approximation, Precision, & Accuracy in Measurement
Episode #164: The Power of Using Inverse Operations to Subtract & Divide
Episode #166: A Child’s Progression When Grouping to Count Items
Episode #168: Use Math Manipulatives – No Matter The Age
Episode #170: The Importance of Play
Episode #172: Is Emotional Teaching a Thing???
Episode #174: Helping Students Understand Magnitude of Numbers – Rounding Numbers Series
Episode #176: Avoiding the Trap of Algorithms
Episode #178: Students who struggle with Less Than problems
Episode #180: Leaping Numbers: a great math activity for exploring patterns
Episode #182: Visual Patterns: The Secret Weapon for Teaching The Math Practices
Episode #184: Don’t Discount the Use of Games in Your Classroom
Episode #186: Live Elementary Math PD Sessions You Won’t Want to Miss: 2025 Virtual Math Summit Preview
Episode #188: The Science of Making Math Stick: Using Brain Research to Combat the NAEP Score Crisis
Episode #190: Building Equitable Math Classrooms Where Every Student Thrives
Episode #192: A Math Task All Teachers Should be Doing
Episode #194: The Truth About Mental Math – It’s Not Just In Your Head
Episode #196: Repackaging Style Word Problems: Transforming Missing Part Word Problems