Are your students forgetting important skills just a couple of units later? In this episode, we dive into the world of anchor activities to solve this problem. Anchor activities are the secret sauce to making lessons stick with your students. They create memorable and engaging experiences that connect prior knowledge with new concepts. Our guest speaker shares examples of anchor activities and reveals the key principles for designing effective ones. Get ready to launch your units with anchor activities that will leave a lasting impact on your students!

Highlights:

• Why we need to make our lessons sticky
• Anchor Activities: what they are and why you need them
• Examples of Anchor Activities in Action
• Creating your own Anchor Activities

Resources:
- MathMedic: A free resource bank created by fellow Michigan teachers for high school teachers looking for anchor activity inspiration.

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

The Power of Connection: Making Learning Real, Relevant, and Rigorous for Student Engagement

In this episode, we explore the power of connection in making learning real, relevant, and rigorous for student engagement. We discuss the challenges of students falling behind and the limitations of a boxed curriculum designed for on-pace learners. Discover how taking a project-based approach and giving lessons a reality check can hook students into the learning process, boost their motivation, and help them overcome fears. By making lessons relevant to students' lives and interests, we can ignite their interest and investment in the material, leading to increased engagement and confidence in learning.

Topics Discussed:

• The need for student engagement: Addressing student challenges and the limitations of boxed curriculum.
• Making lessons real, relevant, and rigorous: Emphasizing the power of connecting lessons to students' lives.
• Strategies for boosting engagement: Outlining three simple steps to give the curriculum a reality check.

Resources Mentioned:

• Get Real Checklist: A guide to determining how topics can be made real, relevant, and rigorous.
• Member Vault: Access the mini-course on designing lessons using the Reality Check framework.
• Discount Offer: 50% off the mini-course available at www.moorethanjustx.com/summer (for a limited time).

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

In this episode of Modern Math Teacher, we dive deep into the world of grading practices and challenge ourselves to answer the question: Are our grading practices truly equitable? We're going to get real as we reflect on our current grading systems, and begin to explore some of the transformative ideas from Joe Feldman's book "Grading for Equity." Plus we'll chat about some practical strategies to create a more fair and student-centered grading approach, including updates to my own grading practices. Get ready to shake up your grading practices and empower your students like never before!

Topics Discussed:
- Reflecting on current grading practices and identifying areas for improvement
- The difference between grading and assessing
- Incorporating alternative forms of assessment to capture diverse student skills
- Providing meaningful feedback that supports student learning
- Exploring some of the key principles from Joe Feldman's book "Grading for Equity"


Resources Mentioned:
- Book: "Grading for Equity" by Joe Feldman
-5 Secrets to Mastering Mastery Based Learning in Your Math Class

So, are you ready to shake up your grading practices and create a more equitable classroom? 

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Welcome to an exciting episode that will transform your math classroom! Join us as we explore my favorite topic discussing the power of project-based learning (PBL) and why now is the perfect time to dive in. 

In the first part, we dive into the benefits of PBL, from increased student engagement to the development of critical thinking skills. Discover how PBL connects math to real-world relevance, answering the age-old question of "when am I ever going to need this?" We share classroom tested project examples that foster global awareness, explore exponential growth, and tackle statistics-based debates. 

In the second part, we provide strategies to overcome common implementation challenges, such as time management and assessment. Learn how to break down projects into manageable milestones and align assessments with curriculum standards. We also delve into the role of technology in enhancing PBL experiences, from using AI to design projects to gathering assessment evidence through digital tools. It's time to revolutionize your math classroom, empower diverse learners, and equip them with the problem-solving skills needed for the modern world.

Join us on this journey to master math with project-based learning!

Topics covered in today's episode include:

• Unleashing the benefits of project-based learning in the math classroom
• Boosting student engagement and critical thinking skills through PBL
• Connecting math to real-world relevance and practical applications
• Overcoming implementation challenges and strategies for success
• Supporting students in gaining confidence as they overcome math anxiety
• Harnessing technology to enhance the PBL experience

Resources Mentioned:

• ⭐️Gold Standard Project Planner: moorethanjustx.com/projectplanner

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

• Episode 1, Unleashing the Potential: AIs Transformative Role in Math Lesson Planning
• On the blog:

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Get ready, math teachers, because we're about to embark on a journey that will revolutionize your lesson planning process. In this episode, we'll uncover the incredible potential of AI, specifically chatGPT, to streamline and simplify your math lesson planning endeavors. Trust me, this isn't just another Photomath equivalent for English teachers. It's a game-changer for math education, and once you dive in, there's no turning back. 

We'll start by setting our standards straight, ensuring that our learning goals are explicitly aligned with the course, standards, and units we teach. No more vague requests like "write a geometry lesson." We'll learn how to be specific and prompt chatGPT to co-create a lesson plan perfectly tailored to our objectives, such as "developing conceptual understanding of quadratic functions with standard F.IF.7." 

But that's not all! We'll also explore the importance of defining our focus, considering the different domains of rigor—procedural, conceptual, and applicable—and how they impact our lesson design. I'll even share a handy resource, my TpT store Moore than Just X, where you can find the complete breakdown of CCSS standards, including their rigor domains. 

Lastly, we'll check for understanding, just like we do with our students. Ask chatGPT to create an exit ticket aligned with your lesson and evaluate if it hits the mark. By following these three key steps, you'll unlock a world of creative and engaging lesson plans that ignite a passion for math in your students. 

So, let's embrace AI as our newest tool in the toolbox, empowering us to address standards, implement best practices, and captivate our students like never before. Get ready to transform your math teaching game!

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Welcome to the Modern Math Teacher podcast, the podcast that will help you use today's best teaching strategies to ignite and excite your students in math class and maybe even make it the best part of their day. 

It's no wonder why a lot of math teachers struggle with engagement, using resources that are outdated and focus on procedures over problem solving, with real world applications that are anything but to the students they teach. 

But you? You’re a Modern Math Teacher. You know that math is so much more than just solving for x and that with the right math class experience,  you can unlock your students' potential to be powerful problem solvers of the future. 

The Modern Math Teacher podcast delivers the PD you need, right when you’re ready for it.  

We’re talking:

• student engagement strategies 
• thinking classrooms that explore first and formalize later
• modern self-paced classrooms 
• assessment design 
• equitable grading practices
• mastery-based grading
• project based learning and so much more.

Tune in weekly to get stories and strategies straight from my classroom as we dive into all things curriculum, instruction and assessment and see how small changes to each of these can make big impacts on the students in the classroom.

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!