Are percents truly figure-out-able? You bet! Grab a pen and paper for this one as Pam and Kim discuss the 3 types of percent problems and how they solve them using relations, not with algorithms.   
Talking Points:

• What Journey members are emailing about
• The three types of percent problems
• Pam and Kim share their thinking as they solve all three types of percent problems
• Two traditional ways of teaching percents and how they rob students of resoning fluently
• Math is fun when it's figure-out-able!

So are percents really figure-out-able too? In this episode Pam and Kim do a Problem String and share their strategies to solve some percent problems. Listen in as they play with percents!
Talking Points:

• Can we make math fun?
• Benchmarks that kids need to know around percents
• Percent Problem String

Pam and Kim explore what it means to be flexible with fractions, decimals, and percents. They discuss how we can become more flexible as we deal with rational numbers to help us be more judicious problem solvers.
Talking Points:

• Why kids of today are more familiar with percentages
• Using benchmark fractions, decimals and percentages
• How students might mess with gnarly fractions, decimals and percents
• Why flexibility matters
• How to become more flexible using different representations of rational numbers

You might want your magnifying glass for this one, because in this episode we're getting a little nitpicky. Pam and Kim discuss common and often traditional nomenclature/math-slang that can take the reasoning out of mathematics. They offer useful alternatives and illustrate the importance of using clear mathematical language so students have less opportunites for misunderstaning the mathematics.
Talking Points:

• Adding a zero
• No 'Butt-Cheeks' in math
• 'Canceling' can means many different things
• Will reducing 6/8ths to 3/4s give me more pie...?
• Three-point-two or three and 2 tentsh or $3 and 20 cents?
• 'Over' is a positional word, not a mathematical relationship
• 'And' in bigger numbers

See Episode 140 for further discussion of more unhelpful words we use in math class.

Math is Figure-Out-Able, but surely there are some parts that are only memorizable, right? In this episode Pam and Kim parse out the difference between social knowledge and logical mathematical knowledge. They explain how knowing the difference can help determine how we teach the content.
Talking Points:

• What is the difference between social and logical knowledge?
• What are some examples for elementary and higher math?
• How should we teach social knowledge?
• How should we teach logical knowledge?
• Is there an occasion where wait time is not helpful?

This week's episode is for all you parents and teachers of young children. Pam and Kim discuss ways to make counting Figure-Out-Able! How can we help kids make sense of our counting system and master the meaning behind the words we give to numbers? No matter what grade you teach, you're sure to learn something this episode.
Talking Points:

• How different languages name numbers
• How to support young learners to make sense of teens and multi-digit numbers
• Give kids multiple representations of single-digits numbers
• Finger Flash game - Pam even plays it at the grocery store!

Have you tried teaching your students "the steps" to approaching word problems, but your students still struggled? Pam and Kim discuss a better way to help kids tackle math problems. They explain why the acronyms and problem annotation methods of the past simply won't cut it. They suggest to help your students live the problem solving process, and not just memorize it. 
Talking Points:

• The dangers of teaching and asking kids to memorize "Problem Solving Methods"
• Engage students in Real Math so that problem solving is a natural outcome
• Numberless word problems can be helpful

Resources: Brain Bushart's Numberless Word Problems

Pam and Kim have some fun in this episode as they read out a submission from Aaron Houston about his mathy dad and having mathy fun at a restaurant. They talk about the kinds of things parents can do with their kids to have fun mathematizing! 
Talking Points:

• I Have, You Need
• Kids Menus vs Adult Menus
• Guess my Number game
• How do you think about finding Prime Numbers?
• Math can be fun!

There are so many aspects to teaching, and it gets more complex when we want to discuss teaching math. Pam and Kim define the 5 layers for mathematics teaching. What do math teachers, who want to help their students mathematize, need to focus on? 
Talking Points:

• Building your own numeracy
• Know the major strategies and models for your content
• Modeling student thinking to make it visible and take-up-able
• High leverage teacher moves
• Advancing the mathematics by sequencing tasks
• These stages repeat with new content
• Need support with these stages?  Check out Journey

Resources: Journey

As Pam and Kim wrap up their series on how to start the school year right, they discuss the importance of having your beliefs about teaching and learning solidified, so that everything that you do fits when making decisions in your classroom. They discuss how they approach analyzing and implementing other's ideas into their teaching practice, without giving up on their integrity.
Talking Points:

• How did Pam get to a point where she know about who she wanted to be as a math teacher?
• Knowing what you believe about teaching and learning can help you make choices.
• It's more about a common belief system that personality with co-teachers
• Intentional use of worksheets & resources can be determined by your teaching beliefs
• Determine your system of beliefs so that everything you do fits and works together for students

Check out Episodes 114 of this podcast for more ideas about starting your school