
Think Thank Thunk
Join hosts Dean, Maegan, and Kyle on the Think Thank Thunk podcast as they explore Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl. Through interviews with experts and teachers, they share practical tips and insights on implementing the 14 optimal practices outlined in the book. Perfect for math teachers of all levels, each episode features chapter summaries and ideas for transforming lessons into engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or new to teaching math, subscribe to join the conversation and build a Thinking Classroom that inspires your students.
Latest episodes

May 26, 2023 • 41min
Ep 3 - Necessary Conditions with Geoff Krall
Dean and Kyle are joined by Geoff Krall (@geoffkrall), who wears multiple hats as an author, PhD student, math leader, and professional developer.
Geoff unveils the enlightening insights he has gathered in his book Necessary Conditions. Together, we delve into the fascinating realm of academic safety, effective facilitation, and quality tasks, all while forging meaningful connections to the transformative practices of Building Thinking Classrooms. Listen in as Geoff generously imparts a treasure trove of innovative ideas about the way we approach teaching mathematics, ensuring a truly enriching learning experience for all our students.
Notable links mentioned in this episode:
https://emergentmath.com/
Necessary Conditions Book
Necessary Conditions Cards Sets
https://wodb.ca
Strength in Numbers Book by Ilana Horn
Up for Debate! Book by Chris Luzniak
Find us on Twitter: @ThinkThankPod

May 24, 2023 • 15min
Ch 4 - How We Arrange Our Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 4 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why how we arrange our classroom matters and what defronting our classroom is all about. They also provide some ideas on how you might tackle this practice in your classroom.
This episode is the fifth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

May 17, 2023 • 18min
Ch 3 - Where Students Work
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 3 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why where we have students work matters, how implementing vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPS) can promote student engagement, thinking, collaboration, and reduce anonymity. Throughout the conversation, they provide valuable insights and practical tips for maximizing the benefits of VNPS in the classroom setting.
This episode is the fourth in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

May 12, 2023 • 43min
Ep 2 - Gale Russell
Kyle and Dean are joined by Dr. Gale Russell (@GaleForcedWinds), a professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Regina. Gale shares her insights on building a Thinking Classroom and how Peter Liljedahl’s work has influenced her teaching of pre-service teachers. She also talks about the importance of creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for students.
Listen in as we discuss some of the barriers and misconceptions we face when trying to change how math is taught, mathematical safety, assessment in math, and how mathematics is so much more than what we typically teach.
Learn more about Dr. Gale Russell and her research interests here: Dr. Gale Russell, University of Regina
Find us on Twitter: @ThinkThankPod
Books mentioned in the episode:
Necessary Conditions by Geoff Krall
Grading From the Inside Out by Tom Schimmer
Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning (and What to Do Instead) by Susan D. Blum
Looking for good math tasks? Check out our rich task database: http://bit.ly/SKmathtasks

May 9, 2023 • 17min
Ch 2 - How We Form Collaborative Groups
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 2 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why the way we form groups matters, how to form frequent visibly random groups, and share some of the benefits of structuring groups this way.
This episode is the third in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Apr 24, 2023 • 18min
Ch 1 - Tasks in Thinking Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into Chapter 1 from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss why tasks matter, the characteristics of good tasks, and share some of our favorite tasks with you.
Here is a link to our task database: http://bit.ly/SKmathtasks
This episode is the second in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Apr 24, 2023 • 13min
Ch 0 - Introduction to Building Thinking Classrooms
Join Kyle and Maegan as they dive into the Introduction chapter from Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.
They discuss how this introduction sets the stage for the rest of the book by introducing the "studenting" behaviors and looks at how little thinking is actually happening in traditional math classrooms.
This episode is the first in the series where we go through each chapter of Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl.

Apr 22, 2023 • 51min
Ep 1 - Jared Sliger
In this episode, Dean, Maegan and Kyle interview Jared Sliger (@jared_sliger), a middle school math teacher who teaches in Caldwell School Districts in Idaho.
Jared shares his experience teaching middle school math and how he has adapted his teaching style to better engage students over time - ultimately leading him to the Building Thinking Classroom practices. He also discusses some of the work he has done training teachers on Building Thinking Classrooms.

Apr 18, 2023 • 15min
Ep 0 - Welcome to Think, Thank, Thunk
What is Think, Thank, Thank all about? And who are Dean, Maegan, and Kyle?
Follow us on Twitter: @ThinkThankPod