Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This week, we're kicking off our summer book study of Math Therapy by Vanessa Vakharia.

Rather than providing a chapter-by-chapter summary, this series is designed as a conversation around the ideas that resonate most, the questions they raise, and how they might influence our classroom practices.

In Chapter 1, one idea kept surfacing again and again:

The stories we tell ourselves about mathematics matter.

From cultural stereotypes and family messaging to our own classroom experiences, students often arrive carrying beliefs about who they are as math learners long before we ever meet them.

In This Episode

• Why the "math person" myth is so persistent
• The surprising connection between Teen Talk Barbie and productive struggle
• The difference between math anxiety and math trauma
• How family experiences influence mathematical identity
• What intervention students have taught me about confidence and resilience
• Questions I'm beginning to explore about math trauma in honors classes

This Week's Reflection

Consider these questions:

• Were you told you were a math person growing up?
• What messages about mathematics shaped your own identity?
• How do stress, anxiety, and math trauma show up in your students?
• Does it look different in intervention classes versus advanced courses?

Community Challenge

This week, start noticing how mathematics is portrayed in everyday life.

Look for examples in:

• Television
• Movies
• Social media
• Advertisements
• Conversations with friends and family

Then share your observations inside our Facebook group. Let's see what patterns emerge when we start paying attention to the messages surrounding mathematics.

Read Along With Us

📖 Physical Book: https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook: https://amzn.to/49nV55D

Next Time

We'll dive into Chapter 2 and begin exploring what math therapy actually looks like in practice—and why it might matter more than we realize.

Until next time, keep reflecting, keep learning, and remember that math is Moore than just solving for X. 🎙️📐

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

You asked, I answered!

In this special Listener Q&A episode of The Modern Math Teacher, I'm tackling some of your biggest questions about project-based learning, Building Thinking Classrooms, real-world math connections, and professional learning.

Whether you're just getting started with PBL or looking for new ways to make your math classroom more engaging, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use right away.

💡 In This Episode:

• How to get started with Project-Based Learning (without overhauling your entire curriculum)
• Can Project-Based Learning and Building Thinking Classrooms work together?
• Why I love the Gift Wrap Challenge as an anchor activity
• Real-world connections for rational and irrational numbers
• My favorite places to find authentic data, graphs, and statistics for math lessons
• Book recommendations to reignite your passion for teaching math and explore instructional best practices

✨ Resources Mentioned
Project or Practice? Free Guide
👉 https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

Join us for our July Math Therapy Book Study!

📖 Physical Book
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

🌊 Poolside PD Reflection

What's one question about your teaching you've been avoiding because you thought you "should already know the answer?"

Sometimes the best professional growth starts with asking better questions.

Until next time, keep it real.

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

Struggle Is Learning. Drowning Is Not.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned this year is that not all struggle is productive.

As math teachers, we want students to wrestle with ideas, persevere through challenges, and make sense of mathematics. But there's a fine line between productive struggle and overwhelming frustration.

In this episode, we're exploring what productive struggle actually looks like, why support and rigor aren't opposites, and how to challenge students without leaving them stranded.

Because struggle is learning.

Drowning is not.

💡 In This Episode:

• What productive struggle really means in a math classroom
• Why not all struggle leads to learning
• How my thinking evolved through teaching an inquiry-based curriculum
• Why support structures don't reduce rigor
• The difference between students who are struggling and students who are overwhelmed
• How relationships help us know when to push and when to support

✨ Key Takeaways

✨ Productive struggle is essential for deep learning

✨ Support and rigor work together—not against each other

✨ Good teaching requires knowing when to step in and when to step back

✨ The same task can feel very different to different students

✨ Student confidence and math identity influence how struggle is experienced

📥 FREE GUIDE: Project or Practice?

Want help creating meaningful learning experiences that balance rigor, engagement, and student thinking?

👉 Grab the free guide:
https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

📘 JULY BOOK STUDY: Math Therapy

Next week, we're kicking off our July Math Therapy book study!

We'll be exploring:

• math identity
• confidence
• productive struggle
• math anxiety
• student mindset
• emotional experiences in mathematics

Grab your copy and read along with us:

📖 Physical Book:
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

🌊 Poolside PD Reflection

Think about a student who struggled this year.

Did they need more challenge?

Or did they need more support?

And how do you know the difference?

🎧 What's Next

Next week, we begin our Math Therapy summer book study by exploring why so many students believe they're "bad at math"—and what we can do about it.

Until next time, keep it real.

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

Are we using technology because it improves learning—or because it's available?

After reflecting on student engagement, Chromebook fatigue, and intentional lesson design, I've been rethinking how technology fits into my math classroom.

And the more I think about it, the more I realize:

👉 The goal isn't more technology.

👉 The goal is better technology.

In this episode, I'm sharing how my thinking has evolved, the tools I'm keeping, the tools I'm rethinking, and how frameworks like TPACK and SAMR are helping me make more intentional instructional decisions.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why I'm not anti-tech—but I am pro-intentionality
• How TPACK and SAMR can help us evaluate technology use
• Why students sometimes use devices as an avoidance strategy
• The role of TI-84 graphing calculators in a modern math classroom
• Why tools like ASSISTments, Snorkl, and AI are staying in my toolbox
• My "Hannah Montana Model" for balancing digital and non-digital learning

✨ Key Takeaways
✨ Technology should amplify thinking—not replace it

✨ Learning goals should drive technology decisions

✨ Not every lesson needs a screen

✨ TPACK and SAMR help us ask better questions about technology use

✨ The best technology isn't always the newest technology

📥 FREE GUIDE: Project or Practice?
Want help deciding when to use projects, performance tasks, or practice in your math classroom?

👉 Grab the free guide:
https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

📘 JULY BOOK STUDY: Math Therapy

This July, we'll be reading Math Therapy together on the podcast.

We'll explore:

• math identity
• confidence
• productive struggle
• student mindset
• emotional experiences in mathematics

Grab your copy and read along with us:

📖 Physical Book:
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

🌊 Poolside PD Reflection

If you removed every piece of technology from tomorrow's lesson, what learning would be lost?

And what learning might actually improve?

🎧 What's Next

Next up, I'm sharing what I'm still figuring out about teaching Honors Math—including rigor, procedural fluency, pacing, and how to challenge students without overwhelming them.

Until next time, keep it real.

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

One of the best things that ever happened to me as a math teacher was teaching multiple grade levels.

Because the more I taught Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and intervention classes together… the more I realized:

👉 Math is one connected story.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• mathematical coherence
• conceptual progression
• activating prior knowledge
• and why understanding where students are coming from and where they’re headed changes your instruction completely.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why teaching multiple grade levels made me a stronger teacher
• How understanding future math changes present instruction
• Why conceptual progression matters in mathematics
• How studying above and below your course improves lesson design
• Why math should feel connected—not isolated

✨ Key Takeaways
✨ Every math lesson is part of a larger mathematical story

✨ Understanding future concepts changes what we emphasize now

✨ Strong instruction connects prior knowledge to future learning

✨ Deep content understanding leads to more intentional teaching

📥 FREE GUIDE: Project or Practice?

Want help creating more meaningful and intentional math experiences?

👉 Grab the free guide:
https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

📘 JULY BOOK STUDY: Math Therapy
We’ll be reading Math Therapy together this July and discussing:

• math identity
• confidence
• productive struggle
• and emotional experiences in math class

Grab the book here:

📖 Physical book:
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

🎧 What’s Next

Next up, we’re diving into technology in the math classroom, Chromebook fatigue, and why I’m rethinking what intentional tech integration actually looks like

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

Can I admit something?

There are math concepts I taught for years that I didn’t fully understand conceptually myself.

I could teach the procedure.
I could explain the steps.
But true sense-making? That took time.

In this episode, I’m reflecting on the math ideas I’ve come to understand more deeply as a teacher—and how that deeper understanding has completely changed my instruction.

💡 In This Episode:

• Why procedural fluency is not the same as conceptual understanding
• The math concepts that challenged me as a teacher
• Why horizontal transformations feel “backwards”
• How studying math more deeply changed my instruction
• Why every math teacher should study above and below their grade level

✨ Key Takeaways

✨ Memorizing procedures is not the same as making sense of mathematics

✨ Deep conceptual understanding changes the way we teach

✨ Students struggle with abstract concepts because they are abstract

✨ Seeing the “big picture” of mathematics makes instruction more intentional

📥 FREE GUIDE: Project or Practice?

Want help creating more meaningful math experiences in your classroom?

👉 Grab the free guide:
https://moorethanjustx.myflodesk.com/practice

📘 JULY BOOK STUDY: Math Therapy

We’ll be reading Math Therapy together this July and discussing:

• math identity
• confidence
• productive struggle
• and emotional experiences in math class

Grab the book here:

📖 Physical book:
https://amzn.to/42VJRl6

🎧 Audiobook:
https://amzn.to/49nV55D

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!