Math Chat

By Mona IehlScience Education How To Mathematics

Math Chat episodes

April 28, 2025143: Interview Christopher Danielson
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Today’s episode is all about counting—but not just any kind of counting. We’re diving deep into how kids think about numbers, quantity, and patterns… and we’ve got the perfect guest to guide us.
I’m thrilled to welcome Christopher Danielson to the show. If you’ve ever stumbled across Which One Doesn’t Belong or How Many?, you already know Christopher’s work gets students—and adults—thinking more deeply about math in ways that feel playful, thoughtful, and refreshingly human.
We are chatting about:
What is counting
Why does counting matter
How to support students through counting
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Which One Doesn't Belong?
📘 How Many? A Counting Book
📘 How Did You Count?
Christopher's Website
Math on a Stick
Visual Patterns
How to Increase Student Confidence in Math without Changing Your Curriculum
May 7, 2026 at 11:30 Central - Zoom
Sign up NOW - monamath.com/leaderworkshop
35 min
April 21, 2025142: Hard Math Problems are Scary
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Today, we’re diving into a tough but important topic: Why are we so afraid to give kids hard math problems? If we’re being honest, it can feel uncomfortable to watch students struggle. We want them to feel successful, and sometimes it's tempting to step in and help too soon. But when we rescue students from struggle, we rob them of the chance to build resilience and problem-solving skills.
In this episode, we’ll talk about why hard problems are essential for deep learning, what holds us back from giving students these challenges, and how we can create a classroom where students see struggle not as something to avoid but as part of the learning process. I'll also share strategies you can use tomorrow to help your students grapple with tough problems while feeling supported. Let’s get started!
We are chatting about:
Why do we avoid giving hard problems
Why hard problems are essential
How to support students through hard problems
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Principles to Actions
18 min
April 14, 2025141: 5 Quick Math Talk Strategies to Spark Classroom Conversations
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Today, we're talking about 5 quick math talk strategies that will spark math conversations and increase engagement!
As math teachers, we often feel like we're talking at our students. As you know it is easy to fall into the cycle of telling students what to do and how to do it in math. But, deep down what we really want is more engagement. If we’re being honest with ourselves talking and telling our students doesn’t lead to more engagement. What we really want is to get our students talking with each other about math?
In this episode, I’ll share a few simple strategies you can use tomorrow to get your students talking, thinking, and collaborating on math problems.
We are chatting about:
What are Quick Math Talk Strategies
Why Spark Math Conversations
How to Spark Math Conversations
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Principles to Actions
14 min
April 07, 2025140: Understanding Comparison Problems in Math
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In today’s episode, we’re talking about comparison problems: what they are, why they’re tricky, and how we can help students build strategies to solve them.
We’re gonna start today’s episode with a problem. Omar made 22 baskets during practice. He made 9 more baskets than Eli. How many baskets did Eli make?
This is a comparison problem and there are 3 types of comparison problems we can use with students. And they are all hard!
We are chatting about:
Different types of comparison problems
Student strategies
Tips for planning and facilitating this work in your classroom
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Waitlist for Word Problem Workshop Book
18 min
March 31, 2025139: Why Every Classroom Needs Productive Struggle in Math
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Imagine a student looking at you, frustrated, saying, 'I don’t get it.' It’s tempting to step in and rescue them, right?
Today, we’re talking about productive struggle—why it’s a game-changer for math classrooms and how to make it happen without letting kids flounder.
We are chatting about:
What productive struggle is
Why it's important to let students struggle in the math classroom
How to foster productive struggle
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Principles to Actions
16 min
March 24, 2025138: Break Free from Script Planning a Math Lesson
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Welcome back to Math Chat! Today’s episode is all about how we can break free from the script and let our students lead.
Today’s episode is going to require a shift in teacher mindset. So, if you are like me and a bit of a control freak, Type A if you will… then I’m talking to you. Letting go of control can actually help students learn more in math. I know it’s hard, but it is essential to day’s big idea.
We are chatting about:
What student-centered learning in math is
Why this approach to teaching math works
How to do this and do it well
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Connecting the NCTM Process Standards and the CCSSM Practices
Word Problem Workshop

Have Questions? 📱 My DMs on IG are always open @hellomonamath
13 min
March 14, 2025137: Serving Up Problem Solving: A Slice of Math Joy
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If you've ever seen the spark in a student's eyes when they really get the joy of solving a tough problem, you know what I mean when I say math can be joyful. It’s all about creating the right environment.
Today, Pi day, we're serving up a slice of math joy by diving into how we can make problem-solving the most joyful part of our math classrooms.
We are chatting about:
What makes problem solving joyful
Why use problem solving in math class
How can we create joyful problem-solving in our classrooms
Links mentioned in this episode:
📘 Principles to Actions
Word Problem Workshop
When Sophie Thinks She Can't...

Have Questions? 📱 My DMs on IG are always open @hellomonamath
12 min
October 28, 2024136: You're not the only expert in the room (My NCTM session in podcast form!)
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How do we create classroom communities that includes and values each member's expertise? In this episode, I'm sharing my NCTM session with you on empowering learners through math discourse.

We're chatting about:
How to partner with our students in math discussions to leverage each student's insights
Strategies for teachers to use to build a strong math culture that supports mathematical discourse
3 student stories and examples of strategies I used to empower them to engage in math discussions

Links mentioned in this episode:
Word Problem Workshop
Cultivating Mathematical Hearts by Maria del Rosario Zavala, Julia Maria Aguirre
A quote from an article titled “Student Representations at the Center: Promoting Classroom Equity” by Imm, Stylianou, and Chae 2008
Choosing to See By Pamela Seda & Kyndall Brown
My example video with Nairobi
Guide to Engaging Math Discussions

While take a break from the podcast to write my book, enjoy these episodes:
Episode 85 with John SanGiovanni
Episodes 93 & 96 with Peter Liljedahl
Episode 73 Best First Week Activities (you can do these anytime)
Episode 107 Math Discussions: 3 Ways to Get Students Engaged
Episode 102: Talk less so students will talk more
Episode 97: 6 Ways to Love Teaching Math
Episode 82: Say This to Parents to Explain “New Math”
Episode 2: What is Student Centered Math (A look inside my classroom)

Have Questions? 📱 My DMs on IG are always open @hellomonamath

How to Increase Student Confidence in Math without Changing Your Curriculum
May 7, 2026 at 11:30 Central - Zoom
Sign up NOW - monamath.com/leaderworkshop
26 min
October 21, 2024135: How to get students to SHOW their reasoning
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How do we get students to show their reasoning in our math classroom community? On today's episode, I'm sharing about a simple way to build community & student confidence with a simple lesson plan straight from my favorite research based instructional practice... Word Problem Workshop!

We are chatting about:
What is a math community & why it matters
The elements of the lesson plan
How each element builds an essential skill for our students' Social Emotional Development!
Links mentioned in this episode:
🆓 Guide to Engaging Math Discussion
Word Problem Workshop
110: Building Thinking Classroom with Maegan Giroux

Have Questions? 📱 My DMs on IG are always open @hellomonamath
18 min
October 14, 2024134: Are your students thinking? How do you know?
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Are your students thinking deeply about math concepts? Today we are talking about having research-based instructional strategies for math to create student-centered classrooms.

We are chatting about:
Why research based instruction matters
The research Word Problem Workshop is based on
How you can have peace of mind knowing that the strategies and routines you are using in your classroom are based on research
You might also like:
5 Steps to a Student Centered Math Class
Children’s Mathematics Cognitively Guided Instruction
124: Word Problem Workshop - What is it & Why you need it this school year
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14 min

About Math Chat

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