Making Math Moments That Matter
Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr
Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students. As a teacher are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making?Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have been engaging students, teachers, and district program leaders with effective mathematics pedagogy, accessible resources, and inspiring learning environments in K-12 math classrooms. Now, in this podcast they coach you - K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics through a 6 step plan that cultivates and fosters your mathematics program like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.If you master the 6 parts of an effective mathematics program, the impact you have on students or teachers will grow and reach far and wide.Every week, you’ll hear insight from practicing classroom teachers and leaders in math education so you’ll get the feedback, guidance, and fresh ideas you need to stop feeling overwhelmed, gain back your confidence, and inspire the students and fellow teachers you serve to enjoy the beauty of mathematics once again. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 15, 2026 • 35min
Dr. Nicki Newton: Rethinking Math Fact Fluency.
Dr. Nicki Newton, a mathematics educator and author specializing in fact fluency and equitable instruction, rethinks what it means to know math facts. She explores fluency as efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy with understanding, why timed tests can mislead, and how differentiated practice, better assessments, coaching, and equity-focused data conversations can reshape schoolwide learning.
Oct 12, 2026 • 30min
Is Productive Struggle One Of Your Math Classroom Pillars? Should It Be?
Yvette Lehman, a mathematics education professional with MakeMathMoments.com, joins a deep dive into the beliefs that shape math classrooms. They revisit growth, curiosity, collaboration, and productive struggle, exploring how these pillars influence assessment, rigor, classroom culture, and student expectations. They also consider practice, precision, sense making, and how math teams can co-create meaningful guiding principles.
Oct 8, 2026 • 28min
Graham Fletcher: Are We Making Math More Disjointed Than It Needs to Be?
Graham Fletcher, a mathematics educator and professional learning presenter, explores how to create a stronger through line in math instruction. He discusses the pitfalls of constantly changing contexts, how familiar settings can deepen conceptual understanding, and connections across whole numbers, fractions, and rates. He also highlights mathematical progressions and ways teachers can recognize student thinking across grade levels.
Oct 5, 2026 • 41min
From Classroom Observations to a Focused Math Improvement Plan
Yvette Lehman, a mathematics education consultant and instructional leader, shares lessons from a three-day school visit across five campuses. She explores turning a vague math vision into observable classroom practices, distinguishing participation from independent thinking, and using curriculum tasks to promote student ownership. The conversation also covers non-evaluative observations, focused instructional moves, and short-term milestones that build lasting improvement.
Oct 1, 2026 • 38min
Zak Champagne: Creating Curious Kids in the Math Classroom
Zak Champagne, mathematics educator, author of Curious Kids in the Math Classroom, and Flynn Education co-founder, explores how curiosity can thrive in math. He discusses building safe classroom communities, modeling genuine uncertainty, using cliffhangers, and adapting existing tasks to spark questions. The conversation also examines student resistance, sustainable instructional shifts, and centering students’ humanity.
Sep 28, 2026 • 38min
Math Wars: Why Conceptual vs. Procedural Is the Wrong Math Debate
Yvette Lehman, a mathematics educator focused on conceptual understanding and teacher development, challenges the familiar “math wars” debate. She explores the hidden prerequisites behind new learning, why mathematics is ruthlessly cumulative, and how multiplying fractions reveals ideas about scaling, ratios, and equivalence. Visual models, specialized teacher knowledge, and long-term capacity building also take center stage.
Sep 24, 2026 • 33min
Peter Liljedahl: Can We Teach Students to Be Resilient?
Peter Liljedahl, mathematics education researcher, author, and creator of Building Thinking Classrooms, explores how resilience develops in math learning. He distinguishes temporary states from lasting traits, examines how classroom design sparks interest, and discusses sequencing success before challenge. They also explore productive struggle, collaboration, random groups, and environments that invite students to become persistent problem solvers.
Sep 21, 2026 • 17min
How to Spiral Your Math Curriculum: A Better Alternative to Cramming and Reteaching
Why does math disappear after students seemingly learn it? This conversation explores blocked instruction versus purposeful spiraling, the roles of spacing and retrieval, and how random mixing can create confusion. Discover practical, low-lift ways to revisit concepts through mini-units, warm-ups, math talks, and lagged practice, plus leadership moves that help sustained change take root.
Sep 17, 2026 • 33min
Rewarding Student Thinking: An Interview with Dr. Pamela Seda
Dr. Pamela Seda, a mathematics educator, author, and creator of the ICUCARE framework, explores what schools truly value in mathematics. They discuss the tension between speed and accuracy versus reasoning, problem solving, and confidence. Topics include classroom routines, formative assessment, standardized testing, leadership, grading, and how educators can recognize and reshape outdated systems.
Sep 14, 2026 • 29min
How Strong Math Teams Turn Decisions Into Action
Yvette Lehman, a mathematics education leader and coach, explores why math improvement teams can get trapped in discussion instead of action. She unpacks ownership versus consensus, autonomy balanced with accountability, and meeting structures that sustain momentum. The conversation also examines psychological safety, shared direction, and how leaders can distinguish clarity challenges from confidence challenges.
