Making Math Moments That Matter When Early Strategies Are No Longer Working: Helping Students & Teachers Move Toward Efficiency in Math
Ever watched a student solve 146 ÷ 12 by drawing 146 dots… one by one?
In this episode, the MMM team dives into a common but frustrating classroom challenge: students who cling to inefficient math strategies like counting on fingers, skip counting, or repeated subtraction—long after they’ve outgrown them. These early strategies worked, and students trust them. So how do we help them build confidence in more sophisticated approaches?
You’ll hear from our newest team member, Beth Curran, as we unpack why students get stuck, what teachers can do in the moment, and how school leaders can build the conditions for long-term change.
Listeners Will:
- Understand why students cling to familiar but inefficient math strategies
- Learn what teachers can do in the moment to nudge students toward more flexible thinking
- Explore how dynamic assessment and anticipating student responses builds instructional skill
- Hear how one district used the Five Practices to build teacher capacity over time
- Reflect on what it takes to build a math improvement flywheel that actually gains momentum
If you're supporting students—or teachers—who are stuck using early math strategies, this episode gives you real steps to move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
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
Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!
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.