

Math on the Rocks
CMC Central
We are three mathematics educators who love to talk about math, math education, and the politics of math...often while drinking a beer. Our podcast is an attempt to invite more people into our conversations. For the video versions of our episodes, go here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 7, 2025 • 34min
Ep 50 - Adopting a textbook is just the start of the journey
First we talk about the challenges of being a mathematician parent of a student taking math. We grapple with whether there is a difference between y=4x-3 or y=4x+(-3)? Can a difference in heights be negative? Or is the difference in the heights of two objects always a positive?Then we talk about the importance of your district selecting a textbook that is closely aligned with the recommendations of the California Mathematics Framework. But selecting the textbook and delivering it to your teachers is just the BEGINNING of the journey. Now we need to support teachers as they implement the textbook and the instructional strategies within.Join us in this conversation. Email any of the boys directly…Cole: cosampson@kern.orgDuane: dhabecker@mcoe.orgScott: mre.teacher@gmail.com P-2 RESOURCES…✚ P-2 Conferences coming to an area near youhttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1G8ea6dpe7b1VkrP6r28047WTWjIquLzbAFzYyP-wQ5M/edit?usp=sharing Textbook Adoption RESOURCES…✚ A comprehensive list of all submitted textbooks…adopted and NOT adoptedhttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WALUohkIpD0RZNlGf1eiaOl2a4-0xJs6gFjk7HyRsNA/edit?usp=sharing✚ Textbook adoption guidancehttps://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1A49lTbrsjczTr8AmAJXoIbw8kuZZFaAlu_z4yIPT_Jo/edit?usp=sharingREGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ CMC North Conference in Monterey, December 5-7, 2025: https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ CMC South Conference in Palm Springs, November 7 & 8, 2025: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference ✚ CMC Central Symposium in Bakersfield, March 13 & 14, 2026: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central-symposium LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Sep 23, 2025 • 26min
Ep 49 - Cole and Duane talk about Pre-School Math and Textbook Adoption
Duane and Cole return from a long summer vacation and discuss how our P-2 conferences are going. This is the conference series we designed specifically for pre-school teachers up through Grade 2 teachers. Spoiler alert: It is going GREAT!!!Then we shift to talking about the impending textbook adoptions that school districts throughout California will be doing. The choice is so important and we need to do a great job supporting teachers to make a great decision.Join us in this conversation. Email Cole and Duane directly…Cole: cosampson@kern.orgDuane: dhabecker@mcoe.orgP-2 RESOURCES…✚ P-2 Conferences coming to an area near youhttps://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1G8ea6dpe7b1VkrP6r28047WTWjIquLzbAFzYyP-wQ5M/edit?usp=sharing ✚ Count, Play, Explorehttps://www.countplayexplore.org/ ✚ Play-based Learning in the Early Childhood Mathematics Classroom: Culturally Sustaining Play: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/icitl/vol2/iss1/2/ ✚ Early Math Collaborative: https://earlymath.erikson.edu/ ✚ DREME: https://dreme.stanford.edu/ Textbook Adoption RESOURCES…✚ A comprehensive list of all submitted textbooks…adopted and NOT adoptedhttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WALUohkIpD0RZNlGf1eiaOl2a4-0xJs6gFjk7HyRsNA/edit?usp=sharing✚ Textbook adoption guidancehttps://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1A49lTbrsjczTr8AmAJXoIbw8kuZZFaAlu_z4yIPT_Jo/edit?usp=sharingREGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ CMC North Conference in Monterey, December 5-7, 2025: https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ CMC South Conference in Palm Springs, November 7 & 8, 2025: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference ✚ CMC Central Symposium in Bakersfield, March 13 & 14, 2026: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central-symposium LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Jul 1, 2025 • 26min
Ep 48 - Scott and Duane share their math summer reading list
Scott and Duane share their mathematical summer reading list. If reading a good math book brings you joy, we've got EIGHT recommendations…plus Scott drops a surprise 9th book at the end. BTW…A huge shoutout to Justin Lanier. Find him on BlueSky at @jlanier.bsky.socialHere is information on his online math experience in July…https://justinlanier.org/21st-century-mathematics-2025/RESOURCES…✚ 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions https://a.co/d/fVXVhdp ✚ Building Thinking Classrooms https://www.buildingthinkingclassrooms.com/ ✚ Rethinking Disability and Mathematics https://www.corwin.com/books/rethinking-disability-and-math-287710 ✚ Teaching Mathematics Through Problem-Solving: A Pedagogical Approach from Japan https://a.co/d/cyUpcAj ✚ Routines for Reasoning https://www.heinemann.com/products/e07815.aspx ✚ Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom https://a.co/d/cOszpCc ✚ Embedded Formative Assessment https://a.co/d/a1Br7Wy ✚ Visible Learning: Feedback https://a.co/d/93BA4NS ✚ Here is the flyer for our long-awaited P2 Conference!! https://tinyurl.com/P2ConferenceFlyer REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in June, 2025] ✚ CMC-South Annual Conference - November 7-8, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference ✚ CMC-North Annual Conference - December 5-7, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ CMC-Central Annual Symposium - March 13-14, 2026 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central-symposium LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Who is the California Mathematics Council? (A one-pager) https://tinyurl.com/CMC-One-Pager ✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Jun 24, 2025 • 49min
Ep 47 - Tim Weekes gets us thinking about opportunity gaps
Tim Weekes is our guest for this webinar. Tim gets us thinking about reframing the Achievement Gap as really being an Opportunity Gap. Listen to this episode…Tim's ideas will live rent-free in your mind for some time! RESOURCES…✚ ARTICLE: Opportunities Denied - High-Achieving Black And Latino Students Lack Access to Advanced Math https://edtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Advanced-Math-V9.pdf ✚ ARTICLE: Advanced High School Math Classes a Game Changer, But Not All High Achievers Have Accesshttps://www.the74million.org/article/advanced-hs-math-classes-a-game-changer-but-not-all-high-achievers-have-access ✚ ARTICLE: Mathematics teacher specialization in elementary schools https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1426413.pdf But it is not clear whether specialization improves student achievement…✚ ARTICLE: Subject-Area Specialization in North Carolina Elementary Schoolshttps://epic.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1268/2021/08/EPIC-Specialization-R2_FINAL.pdf ✚ Here is the flyer for our long-awaited P2 Conference!! https://tinyurl.com/P2ConferenceFlyer REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in June, 2025] ✚ CMC-South Annual Conference - November 7-8, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference ✚ CMC-North Annual Conference - December 5-7, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ CMC-Central Annual Symposium - March 13-14, 2026 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central-symposium LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Who is the California Mathematics Council? (A one-pager) https://tinyurl.com/CMC-One-Pager ✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Jun 20, 2025 • 31min
Ep 46 - Seven steps to improve math instruction
Cole, Scott, and Duane discuss a recently published article by Michael Kirst (former president of the California State Board of Education) that lists the seven steps to improve mathematics instruction in California. The list is reasonable and attainable. Every district should consider implementing these steps TODAY.Drawing from 35 high-quality studies conducted over three decades, the research highlights seven core features that consistently lead to improved teaching and learning outcomes:Focus on curriculum standards and contentIncorporation of active learningSupport for teacher collaborationUse of models of effective teaching practiceAccess to coaching and expert supportOpportunities for feedback and reflectionSustained duration over timeRESOURCES…✚ ARTICLE: A new state role for experienced teacher improvement https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-new-state-role-for-experienced-teacher-improvement/ ✚ ARTICLE: This is who Michael Kirst is https://cepa.stanford.edu/michael-kirst ✚ ARTICLE: Looking Back to Look Forward https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/standards-based-education-reforms-report ✚ Here is the flyer for our long-awaited P2 Conference!! https://tinyurl.com/P2ConferenceFlyer ✚ Read about the CMC Leadership Summit here https://www.cmcmath.org/june-2025-presidents-message REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in June, 2025] ✚ CMC-South Annual Conference - November 7-8, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-south-conference ✚ CMC-North Annual Conference - December 5-7, 2025 https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ CMC-Central Annual Symposium - March 13-14, 2026 https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central-symposium LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Who is the California Mathematics Council? (A one-pager) https://tinyurl.com/CMC-One-Pager ✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Jun 12, 2025 • 29min
Ep 45 - How to improve math achievement
Cole and Duane discuss a recently published article about how a school dramatically improved their math scores. Lots of great ideas for YOUR school to consider. RESOURCES…✚ ARTICLE: tis Wisconsin school excels at teaching math. Can its approach work statewide? https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-school-excels-teaching-math ✚ ARTICLE: Towards an Empirically Grounded Theory of Action for Improving the Quality of Mathematics Teaching at Scale https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ960944 ✚ California Mathematics Framework: Chapter 2 https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/ REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in June, 2025] LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

May 27, 2025 • 50min
Ep 44 - Christina Lincoln-Moore on Subversive Leadership
Christina Lincoln-Moore is our guest this episode. She led one of our Inspiring Math Minds webinars and we are reposting it in the Math On the Rocks feed. Christina is the STEM Mathematics Unit Lead focusing on advancing equity and anti-racism within mathematics education. She is also a co-founder of Black Womxn in Mathematics Education (BWXME), fostering a community where Black womxn in mathematics can thrive. RESOURCES…✚ Black Women in Mathematics Education https://bwxme.com/ ✚ Future conference dates: https://www.cmcmath.org/conferences REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in May, 2025] LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

May 20, 2025 • 26min
Ep 43 - P2 teachers are MATH TEACHERS too!
Duane and Cole uncork a crucial conversation about why educators working with our youngest learners—preschool through 2nd grade—must embrace the title “math teacher” with the same pride they claim “reading teacher.” They unpack the regrettable disconnect that leaves many early-years classrooms brimming with alphabet charts but light on number talk, then spotlight compelling research showing that strong early-math foundations outshine early-reading skills as predictors of later literacy success. We talk about creating joyful opportunities for play-based learning to nurture numeracy between ages 3 and 8 as the hidden catalyst for lifelong learning.Join us in this conversation.RESOURCES…✚ Count, Play, Explore https://www.countplayexplore.org/ ✚ Play-based Learning in the Early Childhood Mathematics Classroom: Culturally Sustaining Play: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/icitl/vol2/iss1/2/ ✚ Early Math Collaborative: https://earlymath.erikson.edu/ ✚ Future conference dates: https://www.cmcmath.org/conferences REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in May, 2025] LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

May 12, 2025 • 26min
Ep 42 - Cole has us thinking about TRUST in mathematics
Cole ask us: Do leaders TRUST their teachers to implement ambitious instruction? Do teachers TRUST themselves mathematically? Are we asking teachers to trust their parachute or trust their light switch?It is well known that teachers need to have deep, flexible, and fluent thinking about mathematics in order to fully prepare their students for higher-order learning in later grades. Providing teachers with this kind of math understanding so they can then improve the quality of their teaching will require all partners in the math ecosystem to TRUST one another. Join us in this conversation.RESOURCES…✚ Myth #1: Beliefs Precede Action https://padlet.com/monatoncheff/ncsm-nctm-2024-sh63z58ru0m2363o/wish/wKmOZ5elKAMXZzMA ✚ Read about ASSETS-BASED instruction in Chapter 2 of the California Mathematics Framework: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/documents/mathfwchapter2.pdf ✚ What is Bansho and Teaching Through Problem-Solving (TTP)?: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/documents/mathfwchapter2.pdf ✚ View the SkyDeck that Duane was talking about: https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/tours-and-attractions/chicagos-observation-decks/ ✚ Future conference dates: https://www.cmcmath.org/conferences REGISTER FOR OUR CONFERENCES:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in May, 2025] LEARN with the California Mathematics Council…✚ Join us in our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series ✚ Visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ ✚ Become a member of the California Math Council: https://camc.memberclicks.net/member-info-join-renew SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089

Apr 29, 2025 • 31min
Ep 41 - NCTQ says teachers have a shaky understanding of math. What should we do about it?
Duane is loafing on Spring Break. Cole and Scott are working. We talk about a convergence of two things: an article about teachers needing significantly more math training than they already get AND we at California Math Council updated our mission statement to say that we are committed to providing professional learning to teachers in California.Teachers need more math training. CMC is ready to provide it.Let's get to work.Reach out to us if you want to help run a webinar series for a particular grade level: Duane Habecker: dhabecker@mcoe.org Cole Sampson: cosampson@kern.org Scott Ellingson: state.treasurer@cmcmath.org RESOURCES…✚ ARTICLE: In Elementary School, Many Teachers Have a Shaky Grasp of Math https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-04-08-in-elementary-school-many-teachers-have-a-shaky-grasp-of-math-can-preparation-programs-change-that ✚ Listen to our webinar with guest Dionne Aminata: https://youtu.be/f9QFHBqLul0✚ Nominate yourself or another CMC member to serve on the CMC state or section boards:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnIBTFGVT_CKsz5L8LbvEzkCLPekoe7GKEMxG7v1xOrfgNIA/viewform✚ Apply to speak in Asilomar. Deadline is April 27, 2025: https://www.cmcmath.org/asilomar ✚ Future conference dates: https://www.cmcmath.org/conferences Register for our conferences:✚ Register for CMC Central P-2 Conference on August 2, 2025. It is for day care teachers through grade 2: [COMING SOON!!...Probably in April, 2025] Learn about our monthly webinars and get on our mailing list to be notified: https://www.cmcmath.org/cmc-central/virtual-learning-series As always, we hope you visit the California Math Council website: https://www.cmcmath.org/ SUBSCRIBE!✚ YouTube (video & audio): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvolZqLMhJmlKZXVW-HMWHmGsXXaeH09f ✚ Spotify (video & audio): https://open.spotify.com/show/7A17FvtyV8FiFJ0SWoTiQm?si=44d81611497e4c7a ✚ Apple Podcast (audio only): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/math-on-the-rocks/id1728772089