Why is student-to-student discourse so important in mathematics teaching? How do we change math tasks to give students more opportunities to be problem-solvers? Join me this month as I welcome my guest, Ki Karou to the podcast. Ki is currently the Senior Director of Product and Content for MIND Education, an institute dedicated to increasing engagement and excitement in math education using research-based approaches. We discuss these questions and even talk about integrating ed tech into the mat...
May 29, 2025•40 min•Season 3Ep. 10
What is problem-based learning? How can a problem-based curriculum positively impact students' experiences in mathematics? These are some questions that we explore in this episode as I welcome April Mouton to the podcast this month. April is the Interim Vice President of Product Development at Illustrative Mathematics. We discuss why problem-based learning is essential for keeping students engaged in math and how shifting from memorization to problem-solving leads to deeper understanding and bet...
Apr 30, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 9
What lies ahead in math education years down the road? What can we be doing to prepare our students in mathematics for a future that is unknown? What systems need to be in place for us to create spaces for all to learn mathematics and create a "liberatory math future"? These are some of the fascinating questions that I get to discuss with the phenomenal SL Rao! If you are not familiar with SL...well, you should be! SL Rao is a strategist who co-creates new futures in education, health and climat...
Mar 31, 2025•45 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Have you been told to use your curriculum to "fidelity"? What does that mean and how can we start to move from using a curricula with fidelity to using it with "integrity"? This is the topic that we discuss in this episode. I am joined by one of the Stanislaus County Office of Education's math special projects coordinators, Christina Rubalcava. We also talk about the work around Building Thinking Classrooms that has been done throughout the county and the rollout of the new CA Mathematics Framew...
Feb 25, 2025•51 min•Season 3Ep. 7
How can we think in an "ish" way? The phenomenal, Jo Boaler joins the podcast to have this conversation. Jo Boaler is the founder of YouCubed.org and the author of Mathematical Mindsets and Math-ish. She has devoted her entire career in education to supporting teachers in moving towards equitable and effective teaching environments. Jo and I discuss Math-ish, teaching fractions, data science and new CA Framework...something that I am looking forward to implementing! This is definitely a conversa...
Jan 30, 2025•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
How do we foster positive math identities for all of our students? Join this conversation with Rolanda Baldwin, the Vice President of Unbound Ed's Math and Science Projects as we seek to answer that question. We discuss "GLEAM", an acronym that can help teachers as an everyday guide to bringing all kids into the mathematics. We also spend some time talking about supports for our multilingual learners and rethinking "intervention" to help students and at the same time support positive math identi...
Dec 15, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this SUPERSIZED episode, I welcome the co-creators of the popular Building Thinking Classroom grade book tool, Tim Brzezinski and Melisa McCain! We have a great conversation about how the tool was created, how teachers have been using the grade book and reasons why it is so important to change grading mindsets to move towards "outcomes" based grading and away from "events" based grading. This is a great episode for anyone interested in shifting grading practices.
Dec 03, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Here it is! Part 2 of my conversation with Peter Liljedahl, author of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics. We continue our discussion by talking about non-curricular tasks. Peter outlines the importance of non-curricular tasks used on a regular basis and the best times in the school year to give non-curricular tasks. We also talk about homework and how teachers can work within school systems that require them to give or grade homework. This is a great discussion you don't want to miss!...
Nov 04, 2024•29 min•Season 3Ep. 3
He's back! Peter Liljedahl, the renowned author of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, returns to the podcast! Join us for part 1 of this "super-sized" conversation with Peter as we discuss success stories from teachers and students in Thinking Classrooms. Peter describes the power of success for teachers. He also describes why cards is the better way to go when randomizing student groups instead of digital randomization tools. This is an episode you don't want to miss!
Sep 23, 2024•32 min•Season 3Ep. 2
We are back!! It so exciting to be going into SEASON 3! In this first episode of the new season, I welcome one of our "teachers on special assignment" (and technology teacher), Melissa Marcucci, to the podcast. We talk about her work in our district's college and career ready initiative and discuss our takeaways from a California State University Symposium we attended focused on preparing students for college level mathematics. Let me tell you...the important skills students should know going in...
Aug 14, 2024•41 min
In this episode, I am joined by our fabulous continuation high school math teacher, Diana Andrade. Both Diana and I attended the California Math Council (CMC) Central Symposium in March and finally were able to get together to have a discussion of the highlights and learnings from the conference. It was, by far, one of the best small conferences that I have attended! Join us as we discuss some new insights from Peter Liljedahl on Building Thinking Classrooms, visual patterns and making meaningfu...
May 14, 2024•49 min•Season 2Ep. 10
In this podcast I highlight our AP Bootcamp that we held during Spring Break. Students came in during their vacation to review AP math and get ready for their weeks-long review and preparation for their AP Exams. After describing this, I get into the main conversation of this podcast. I am joined by the author of "Treating Mathematics Anxiety" and the founder of Elephant Learning which produces math education courses and software that specializes in getting kids from Pre-K to Algebra caught up t...
Apr 19, 2024•42 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this episode, I am joined by high school math teacher, Grant McCormick, for a discussion of how he uses technology in his "thinking classroom". Like many school districts, students in his class are issued a chromebook. There are so many digital tools accessible using the chromebooks that can support students' mathematical learning, but the logistics of using those digital tools in a class where students are standing and working at vertical non-permanent surfaces often can be difficult to mana...
Mar 27, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 8
In this special "Bonus Episode", I am joined by district teacher and tech guru, Brian Wise. We record this episode "live" from ETC 2024, the educational technology conference put on by the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Participants in our session join the podcast to discuss using podcasts with students, using Building Thinking Classrooms in science, and uplifting student experiences and stories using podcasts. This is a fun conversation that I know you will enjoy. You may even get some ...
Mar 01, 2024•23 min
Manipulatives are a great tool to help students connect a physical model to mathematics. Whether you're using algebra tiles, base 10 blocks, or "patty" paper, manipulatives not only bring engagement to math class, but a kinesthetic connection that many students need to see the math. If you are using the practices in "Building Thinking Classrooms in K-12 Math" by Peter Liljedahl, then you know that combining student use of manipulatives and working on vertical non-permanent surfaces can sometimes...
Feb 14, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Back from winter break, I get the opportunity to have a great conversation with the amazing Cathy Williams! Cathy is the co-founder and Executive Director of YouCubed. She has a vast amount of experience in mathematics education, especially at the secondary level, which is one of the reasons I loved talking to her. We have a great chat about low-floor high ceiling tasks, how teaching math has and must change (as outlined in the newly adopted CA Mathematics Framework), and what we can do as leade...
Jan 23, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 6
In this episode, I have a great "catching up" conversation with one of my former principals and the founder of the RODA Leadership Consulting group , Dr. Michael DeSousa. His work over the last several years has focused on building more equitable spaces for schools and communities working with teachers, leaders, and community members to create better structures for student success. We discuss bringing a sense of belonging for our students in mathematics and our schools. We also talk about bringi...
Dec 04, 2023•44 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Join me in this episode as I talk with my favorite guests ever to be on the podcast...my kids! Yup, my 4th, 7th and 9th grade kids talk with me about why (and when) they like math, how technology and working with others helps them learn, and how they feel they belong in mathematics. As a special treat, my daughter and son read a children's book called "7 Ate 9", a great book filled with lots of math puns! I hope you have fun listening to this special podcast and think about how you can use stude...
Nov 14, 2023•40 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Join me for an amazing interview with one of my favorite educational consultants and authors, Grace Dearborn! Grace is the Executive Director of Conscious Teaching, LLC. She is super cool, funny, and has so much great advice on building positive classroom culture and bringing joy and wonder to learning. We talk about managing students' misbehaviors in groupwork settings, especially those that use vertical non-permanent surfaces, using games to engage students, and building teacher confidence. Th...
Oct 24, 2023•45 min•Season 2Ep. 3
We are off to a great start for season 2! Following up on a great ending in season 1 with Peter Liljedahl, I check in on a few teachers that started their journey into Building Thinking Classrooms last year. This is the start of year 2 for them and they discuss their growing pains and gains! Listen to three amazing teachers as we they talk about implementing BTC practices in the beginning of the year, creating opportunities to build culture and relevance, and offering support to struggling stude...
Oct 02, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Here we are! The beginning of Season 2 of the Teaching That "Counts" podcast. The follow-up to a great first season in which we explored Building Thinking Classrooms will have us diving into a new, but adjacent, topic: How do we build teacher and student self-efficacy? In this episode, I welcome my "partners in math", Melanie Roche and Sarah Harris. We discuss our hopes as we enter into a new school year filled with new initiatives and building upon our work with teachers over that last several ...
Sep 11, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 1
We wrap up a great first season exploring Building Thinking Classrooms with an interview with the author of the book, Peter Liljedahl! It is a great conversation in which Peter gives some insight into various questions that many have had on their minds when implementing the 14 practices in the BTC Framework. We talk randomized groups, student identity and agency, learning intentions, and including students with physical limitations into a thinking classroom. Sit tight and enjoy this fabulous, in...
Aug 22, 2023•47 min
In this episode, I am joined by Rogelio Adame, Principal of Cesar Chavez Junior High School and Steve Merchant, Principal of Whitmore Charter School in Ceres, CA. Both principals attended the Building Thinking Classrooms Conference in Franklin, Indiana in June along with some teachers and instructional coaches from the Ceres Unified School District. We discuss some of the takeaways from the conference and talk about how the BTC practices can change the culture of thinking and learning in their s...
Aug 08, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Joining me this episode are two high school teachers, Diana Andrade and Sarah Mucha. We discuss our trip to Franklin, Indiana for the Building Thinking Classrooms Conference 2023! A group of teachers, coaches, and administrators from our district traveled from Ceres, CA to do some professional development all focused on the 14 practices. Listen as the three of us discuss our thoughts on the sessions, implications for this coming school year and some new ideas that we picked up during the confere...
Jul 15, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Joining me this episode are instructional coaches Kelly Linhares and Melanie Roche. Kelly and Mel have been working with elementary teachers this year supporting implementation of the building thinking classrooms practices. Both coaches share insights from their experience working with the elementary teachers and students. We also discuss the different issues that arise in thinking classrooms in elementary grades as opposed to secondary grades.
May 11, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this episode, I am joined by one of our district's junior high resource teachers, Sydnee Merchant. Sydnee is a special education teacher that teaches 7th and 8th grade students with mild or moderate learning disabilities. She has been using the Building Thinking Classrooms framework this school year with great success. Join us as she describes her journey into Building Thinking Classrooms, the assessment data that has been extraordinary as a result of the changes, her own personal growth and ...
Apr 21, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 10
We have made it to the end of our book study and deep dive into Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl. Our round-table conversation focuses on how we grade and the tools that help us do so in a thinking classroom. We follow that up with a wrap-up discussion of the book, talk about the two types of toolkits that are highlighted in chapter 15 and, lastly, describe what is next as we look to the beginning of next school year and implementing the 14 practices.
Apr 05, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Join our discussion on Peter Liljedahl's powerful book, Building Thinking Classroom in Mathematics. This episode, I am joined by a panel of five awesome high school math teachers as we have a conversation about chapters 12 and 13. We dive deep in how we evaluate students using rubrics in competencies, in this case we talk the standards for mathematical practices. We also discuss how we begin to have students self-evaluate their learning. We connect this with learning intentions and success crite...
Mar 20, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Join our panel of teachers as we discuss implementation and thoughts about chapters 10 and 11 of Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl. In this episode we discuss how we consolidate the learning in a thinking classroom. Spoiler alert: we consolidate from the bottom! We discuss how this looks in our classes and ways we can support student learning using three different consolidation techniques. We also talk about taking notes in a thinking classroom and how we can give st...
Mar 03, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 7
We continue our round-table discussion of the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl. Our focus this episode is on fostering student autonomy and how we give hints and extensions in a thinking classroom. Join us as we share more classroom experiences from implementing the practices in previous chapters and thoughts about future implementation.
Feb 16, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 6
