Making Math Moments That Matter Teaching Resilience in 2026: What Teachers, Leaders & Coaches Can Do When Students Shut Down
Students quitting when the math gets hard? You're not alone.
In math classrooms everywhere, teachers want to promote thinking, reasoning, and productive struggle—but are met with disengagement when tasks become challenging. In this episode, the Make Math Moments team explores the deep-rooted beliefs, structures, and messages that make resilience hard—and what we can do to change that.
Listeners Will Learn:
- Why students shut down during struggle—and what messages fuel that behavior
- How to redefine what it means to be “good at math”
- What makes struggle productive (vs. frustrating)
- How to teach resilience explicitly and with intention
- Why scaffolding, tools, and connections matter for access
- What math leaders and coaches must model for lasting instructional change
- How to build psychological safety for both students and teachers
If you’re ready to see more perseverance in your math classroom—or help your teachers build it—this episode offers practical insight, research-aligned moves, and real talk from educators who’ve been there.
Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/
Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com
Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units
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Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.