In this cross-posted episode from Math Chat, host Mona Iehl interviews Christina Tondevold about developing number sense in elementary students. Christina shares her journey from a "procedural" math student to becoming a math coach and founder of Build Math Minds. The conversation explores the eight components of number sense: four early numeracy concepts (subitizing, verbal counting, object counting, and cardinality) and four number relationships (spatial relationships, one/two more or less, be...
May 25, 2025•48 min•Ep. 203
In Episode 202: Going Beyond the Task When Building Thinking Classrooms, we reveal the exciting lineup of special guests for our summer book study on 'Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom Grades K-5' by Peter Liljedahl and Maegan Giroux. Starting July 14th, each week will feature a video with reading prompts followed by live Q&A sessions with experts including first-grade teacher Tammy McMorrow, co-author of the book Maegan Giroux, and Official BTC Consultant Kim Rimbey. Join now at ...
May 18, 2025•9 min•Ep. 202
In Episode 201, I share two exciting summer learning opportunities for fellow Recovering Traditionalists as we prepare to pause the podcast until August. First, enroll in The Flexibility Formula online courses (K-2 or 3-5) to transform how you build math fluency with your students. BuildMathMinds.com/courses Second, join our free summer book study on "Mathematics Tasks for the Thinking Classroom Grades K-5" by Peter Liljedahl and Maegan Giroux, starting July 14th. Register now at BuildMathMinds....
May 11, 2025•8 min•Ep. 201
In this milestone 200th episode of The Build Math Minds Podcast, I share the three essential math experiences every classroom needs: Number Routines, Word Problems, and Games. Drawing from research-backed practices in the IES/WWC guides, I explain why these activities are crucial for developing conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application in mathematics. Learn how Number Routines make implicit math concepts explicit, how Word Problems should help students understand mathematical...
May 04, 2025•17 min•Ep. 200
In this episode, I explore the fascinating world of finger use in math and specifically how we represent numbers differently. After noticing that Dan Finkel and I show the number 3 with completely different finger configurations, I dive into why these variations matter for children's mathematical understanding. Through personal stories about my own children's attempts to show the number 5, I highlight how fixed representations can limit children's number sense. Join me to discover why showing qu...
Apr 27, 2025•6 min
In this episode, Christina Tondevold welcomes special guest Dan Finkel, founder of Math for Love and creator of popular games like Prime Climb and Tiny Polka Dot. Dan shares his three essential principles for effectively implementing mathematical games in the classroom: games should involve meaningful choices, math should be the engine driving the gameplay, and games should be simple to learn and quick to play. Through personal stories and classroom examples, Dan and Christina explore how games ...
Apr 20, 2025•21 min•Ep. 198
In this final episode of our three-part series on upleveling missing part activities, I share ways to transform two popular math games: Salute and Number Sandwiches. Learn how to modify these traditional games to help your students build a deeper understanding of number relationships through missing part problems. These upleveled versions create opportunities for students to work with equivalent expressions while maintaining the fun and engagement of game-based learning. Perfect for elementary m...
Apr 13, 2025•13 min•Ep. 197
In this second installment of our three-part series on Missing Part Activities, we explore 'repackaging tasks' - a powerful approach to traditional missing part word problems. While educators are familiar with finding unknown parts in word problems like “Christina has $12, she spends some now she has $7. How much did she spend?”, repackaging tasks push mathematical thinking further by having students redistribute quantities across equivalent expressions. Through practical examples in both multip...
Apr 06, 2025•7 min•Ep. 196
In this episode, we explore how to elevate your 'Missing Part' math activities beyond the basic type like 5 + __ = 12' into more problems that help students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical equality and build foundational number properties. Get a quick way to implement these enhanced activities in your classroom. Perfect for elementary educators looking to strengthen their students' mathematical thinking without explicitly teaching formal properties. This is the first in a three-pa...
Mar 30, 2025•12 min•Ep. 195
In this episode, we explore the common misconception about mental math in mathematics education. Featuring insights from Pam Harris' newly published book 'Developing Mathematical Reasoning: Avoiding the Trap of Algorithms,' we discuss why mental math isn't about doing calculations without paper—it's about developing quality thinking strategies.
Mar 23, 2025•5 min•Ep. 194
In this episode, I follow up on last week's introduction to the Lesh Translation Model with an important caution. While I previously shared a template for The Translation Task, today I explore concerns raised by John Mason in the 1987 book "Problems of Representation in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics." Mason warns that frameworks like the Lesh Model can become "mechanical schemes for generating yet more useless student activity" when implemented without proper attention. I offer two sp...
Mar 16, 2025•6 min•Ep. 193
In Episode 192, "A Math Task All Teachers Should be Doing," I discuss the Lesh Translation Model, a powerful framework that was frequently featured at the 2025 Virtual Math Summit. This model, which dates back to 1979 but was highlighted in NCTM's 2014 book "Principles to Actions," identifies five different ways to represent mathematical concepts: Manipulatives (objects), Realistic (real-life contexts), Pictorial (drawings), Language (verbal descriptions), and Symbolic (numbers/equations). I exp...
Mar 09, 2025•9 min•Ep. 192
Highlights from the 2025 Virtual Math Summit Get a look into the 2025 Virtual Math Summit's six live sessions that are transforming mathematics instruction in classrooms across the country. This episode captures the essence of innovative teaching approaches from some of the most influential voices in math education today. Discover how Peter Liljedahl and Maegan Giroux are revolutionizing classrooms with their "Building Thinking Classrooms" approach, including their counterintuitive advice to cre...
Mar 02, 2025•22 min•Ep. 191
Get four powerful strategies for making mathematics engaging and accessible for elementary students from expert presenters at the 2025 Virtual Math Summit. Dr. Raj Shah reveals the psychology of engagement through video game design principles, while Kristin Acosta demonstrates how to use everyday images to spark mathematical discussions. Jeff Gobin shows how digital manipulatives can make abstract concepts concrete, and Tyler Tarver shares research on leveraging educational videos effectively in...
Feb 16, 2025•20 min•Ep. 189
How can we help our students retain what they learn in mathematics? The latest 2024 NAEP scores show that only 39% of 4th grade students and 28% of 8th grade students are performing at or above the Proficient level in mathematics, suggesting many students aren't retaining fundamental concepts. In this episode, Christina shares research-backed strategies from two Virtual Math Summit presenters, Jen Hunt and Michaela Epstein, that can help combat these concerning trends. Learn about The Forgetting...
Feb 09, 2025•18 min•Ep. 188
In this episode, get an inside look at three powerful sessions from the 2025 Virtual Math Summit focused on transforming math problem solving in elementary classrooms. Listen to clips from John SanGiovanni sharing a unique routine that shifts focus from answers to understanding, Danielle Moore demonstrating practical strategies for building student independence through CGI instruction, and Christine Riad exploring how classroom culture impacts students' problem-solving confidence. These pre-reco...
Feb 02, 2025•17 min•Ep. 187
In this episode, get a sneak peek at the live sessions happening at the 2025 Virtual Math Summit. Learn about sessions from renowned math educators including Pam Harris on moving beyond algorithms, Shannon Olson on connecting mathematical representations, Kim Rimbey's innovative approach to ten-frames, Latrenda Knighten's strategies for mathematical discourse, and Ann Elise Record's deep dive into visualizing problem-solving structures. These live sessions, happening February 22nd-23rd, are desi...
Jan 26, 2025•8 min•Ep. 186
In Episode 185, we dive into Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC), one of the most transformative approaches in mathematics education. Learn why this popular teaching method is more than just vertical surfaces and random groups - it's about creating environments where students truly think and engage with mathematics. This episode addresses a common misconception about BTC and previews the Peter Liljedahl & Maegan Giroux’s 2025 Virtual Math Summit opening keynote. Plus, get insights from their ...
Jan 19, 2025•9 min•Ep. 185
Transform both your math AND reading instruction with two powerful game-based resources! In this episode, discover how to implement engaging games that provide meaningful practice without the typical hassles of game setup and complicated rules. Learn about Reading Simplified's "Switch It" game for building foundational reading skills, and explore the versatile "Evergreen Games" for math practice that can be adapted for any math concept throughout the year. These games offer the perfect balance o...
Jan 12, 2025•13 min•Ep. 184
The Count is an activity from John SanGiovanni's book that turns simple counting into a deep mathematical exploration. In this episode, learn how this routine helps elementary students engage with Math Practice #7 by looking for and making use of mathematical structure. We'll break down how a seemingly simple counting sequence can develop number sense, encourage mathematical thinking, and create a low-pressure environment for pattern recognition. Key Takeaways: Learn what "The Count" activity is...
Dec 15, 2024•9 min•Ep. 183
Discover how Visual Patterns can transform mathematical thinking in your elementary classroom! Listen in as we explore Fawn Nguyen's powerful activity that engages students in all 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice. Learn how a single activity can help students reason, argue, model, and see the hidden structures in mathematics. This episode is a must-listen for educators looking to make math more engaging, meaningful, and accessible for their students. Key Takeaways: Understand how Visual Patt...
Dec 08, 2024•10 min•Ep. 182
The predictability of mathematics is one of the things I love about math. There are some great activities you can do in your classroom with your students to help them see & USE that predictability. Last week I shared one (Leaping Numbers) and this week I’m sharing another: Finding One and All. This is a great number routine that is similar, yet different, to Number Strings and is a wonderful way to get your students engaged in Math Practice #7: Look For and Make Use of Structure. To see this...
Dec 01, 2024•9 min•Ep. 181
Want a fun, engaging, and mathematically powerful activity to help keep your students engaged in math until the holiday break? In this episode I’m sharing a new activity by one of my favorite creators, Steve Wyborney, Leaping Numbers. This activity is a great way to get your students doing Standard of Math Practice #7: Look For & Make Use of Structure. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: htt...
Nov 24, 2024•5 min•Ep. 180
Math tricks or hacks are everywhere, but which ones should you actually use with your students? I came across one this week on social media and thought I’d use it as an example to give you some ideas on how to approach the use of math tricks in your classroom. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: https://buildmathminds.com/179...
Nov 17, 2024•6 min•Ep. 179
This week’s episode comes from a question that was sent in about helping students who struggle with math problems that are written differently than kids typically see them. These types of “less than” math problems are strange because kids don’t often encounter them in that way even in their own lives. I’m giving you two tips to help students so that these types of problems aren’t so difficult for them. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To ge...
Nov 10, 2024•7 min•Ep. 178
Math Misconceptions might just look like mistakes that your students are making, but they are usually slightly different. Mistakes happen when we don’t remember, or remember incorrectly, whereas Misconceptions are rooted in understanding…we believe this is the way it is. Mistakes happen from time to time, and are usually not anything to get too worried about. But Misconceptions stem from a person’s understanding of something and if it isn’t addressed it will forever be misunderstood. In this epi...
Nov 03, 2024•5 min•Ep. 177
In this episode I’m introducing you to a not-yet-released book about the traps of math algorithms, but it’s actually so much more than that. It’s about women supporting women and lifting someone up when you see they are doing good instead of trying to tear them down. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: https://buildmathminds.com/176...
Oct 27, 2024•9 min•Ep. 176
Rounding numbers should be way more than just a procedure where we ask students to look to see if the number behind is a 5 or higher. Helping elementary students round should be based upon their number sense. In this last episode of the Rounding Numbers series, I’m giving you an acronym to remember to help your students with rounding numbers: ABR. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: BuildMathMin...
Oct 20, 2024•10 min
Rounding numbers should be way more than just a procedure where we ask students to look to see if the number behind is a 5 or higher. Helping elementary students round should be based upon their number sense. In this 2nd episode of the Rounding Numbers series, I’m giving my 2nd tip on how to help your students round with understanding. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: BuildMathMinds.com/174...
Oct 13, 2024•9 min•Ep. 174
Rounding numbers should be way more than just a procedure where we ask students to look to see if the number behind is a 5 or higher. Helping elementary students round should be based upon their number sense. In this first episode of the Rounding Numbers series, I’m giving my first tip on how to help your students round with understanding. To see this episode instead of just listen, go to https://www.youtube.com/BuildMathMinds To get any links mentioned in the episode go to: BuildMathMinds.com/1...
Oct 06, 2024•11 min•Ep. 173
