In this episode,  Dean returns to the host’s chair to welcome back Maegan and Kyle for the second half of their "Behind the Books" conversation, shifting the focus from the writing process to the messy reality of the classroom. Together, they contrast their unique creative styles from Kyle’s "procrastination-to-panic" sprint to Maegan’s marathon of task testing and open up about the vulnerability required to publish a static resource in an ever-evolving educational landscape. They discuss the feedback they have received and explore how teaching with intention can help alleviate math trauma. The conversation also dives into the power of storytelling to keep students engaged during dry curricular units, ensuring math acts as both a mirror and a window for learners, before concluding with reflections on how student solutions often surprised both and why the ultimate goal is teaching students that life, unlike a textbook answer key, is often "messy and gray."

Links:

• Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks in Mathematics, Grades K-5

• Building Thinking Classrooms Tasks in Mathematics, Grades 6-12

• Saskatchewan Understand Math Conference 2026