This week we chat with Sara VanDerWerf, former K-12 Math Lead with Minneapolis Public Schools who taught grades 7 through 12, the President of the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and independent mathematics consultant. Lean in as we chat with Sara about her journey from being a fast “calculator” in her own K through 12 learning experience to focusing on making student thinking visible in the classroom. We can’t wait to dive into Sara’s backstory as well as some great tips and resources for your own teaching practice.     You’ll Learn:   How to help students see it before you show them and say it before you tell them;  Why asking kids to notice and wonder is so important as well as how to lead this protocol successfully in your own classroom;  Why Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces (VNPS) are so helpful in math class; How to use Stand and Talks as an easy way to get kids moving and promote mathematical discourse in your classroom; and,  What the difference is between focusing questions and funnelling questions.     Resources:  Sara VanDerWerf.com [Website]  John Hattie on Inquiry Based Learning.  Add annie fetter’s ignite  Curiosity Path  Stand and Talks Episode 21: Peter Liljedahl  Why I believe cell phones should be in the math classroom [ BLog post] Chris Luzniak [Debate Math]  Backwards bike Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/  Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

#55 - Seeing Before Showing: An Interview with Sara VanDerWerf

Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students.&nbsp;

Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings?&nbsp;

Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have been engaging students, teachers, and district program leaders with effective mathematics pedagogy, accessible resources, and inspiring learning environments in K-12 math classrooms.&nbsp;

Now, in this podcast they coach you - K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics&nbsp; through a 6 step plan that cultivates and fosters your mathematics program like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.

If you master the 6 parts of an effective mathematics program, the impact you have on students or teachers will grow and reach far and wide.

Every week, you’ll hear insight from practicing classroom teachers and leaders in math education so you’ll get the feedback, guidance, and fresh ideas you need to stop feeling overwhelmed, gain back your confidence, and inspire the students and fellow teachers you serve to enjoy the beauty of mathematics once again.&nbsp;

Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

How To

Courses

How can we engage our students for the entire class with grade level content? Puzzles aligned to grade level standards is one answer.  In this episode we speak with Gordon Hamilton from Mathpickle.com who designs mathematical puzzles for K-12 classrooms.  Stick with us and you’ll learn How to use puzzles to teach grade level standards, how to challenge students who tend to move through problems faster than others, and why games are important for mathematical thinking.   
You’ll Learn: How to challenge students who complete “the work” early.How to use puzzles to teach grade level standards; Where do I find gems to use in my math class; How to use a puzzle in my math class that can be used for all grade levels; How you can use the content standards to focus on the practice standards;How you can use puzzles to create math moments in our classroom;Why games are important for mathematical thinking; 
Resources:  Math Pickle Website 
 Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/  Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

Teach Your Math Class Using Puzzles & Games - An Interview with Gordon Hamilton from Math Pickle

It can feel frustrating and overwhelming and you’ll feel like you’re forced to “go back to the drawing board” when your curriculum resource is pulled away from you.  What do we consider when trying to select a new curriculum resource? Are we supposed to create our own resources from scratch?  As educators, we are constantly facing the challenge of adapting our teaching methods to improve student understanding and engagement.  This often involves exploring new pedagogies, such as problem-based learning, and selecting the right curriculum resources that align with our teaching goals.  In this episode we speak with long-time friend of the show Katrien Vance, a middle school math teacher in Virginia.  Katriene is trying to decide how to transition to a new curriculum resource and feels overwhelmed with the work ahead. Stick around and you’ll hear how together we make a plan for next steps. 

 What you’ll learnInnovative Teaching Strategies: Discover the effectiveness of problem-based learning and how it can enhance your students' understanding of mathematics.Navigating Curriculum Transitions: Gain insights on transitioning between different curricula, managing costs, and finding the right resources for your classroom.Building Confidence in Educational Choices: Learn how to confidently communicate your curriculum choices to parents and evaluate the effectiveness of educational tools and resources for your specific teaching needs.
 Resources: Connected Mathematics Project from Michigan State University. Illustrative Math Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units
 District Math Leaders:  How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge?  What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support?  Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning.  Book a short conversation with our team now.  Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/  Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

Help! My Curriculum Resource Is Being Pulled Away. What Do I Do Now? - A Where Are They Now Math Mentoring Moment

Each and every year, district and school mathematics leadership teams spend countless hours crafting lofty goals and monitoring plans, but struggle to state measurable improvement in effective teacher practice and student gains.  If you’ve ever wondered: How can I create a pd action plan that teachers view as useful and not “just adding to their plates”?We feel like we have many of the necessary pieces, but we aren’t clear on how to put them together to form an effective math program.How can I structure my PD so that I reach more teachers on a limited budget?How can I get my educators to “buy-in” to using research based teaching methods routinely?How can I get my teachers to become lifelong learners and take more ownership in their professional development?Then this is the episode for you! In this episode you’ll learn the 4-stage process to craft pd action plans that bring alignment to fractured organizations, highlights bright spots to spread effective math teaching practices more quickly, and inspires more teachers to become lifelong learners.  
 You’ll Learn:A clear step by step process to craft and create a unified vision for mathematics and PD action plan for your district so you can stop throwing spaghetti at the walls each year to see what sticks.A systematized approach to rolling out your action plan on a limited budget so you can hit your key results by your due dates.The most important component your PD action plan needs to include so that students can maximize their reach and how to embed that component in your action plans.Essential components of how to build a team of educators who care as much about improving their craft as you doTune into this enlightening episode now and equip yourself with the tools to make a lasting impact in your educational community! 
 Resources:  Learn the 4 Stages of Math PD For Improved Results Webinar  
 District Math Leaders:  How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge?  What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support?  Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning.  Book a short conversation with our team now.  Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/  Please help new listeners find the show. Leave a rating or review on your platform. 

Designing Effective Math Professional Development in 4 Stages

Ever felt like you're just "sprinkling fairy dust" in your educational role without making a real impact? This Math Mentoring is for every educator leader, math coach, or math coordinator grappling with the challenge of supporting teachers making meaningful changes in their teaching methods. It delves into the real-world struggles and victories of a math consultant navigating the complexities of influencing educational practices across multiple districts. 
You’ll Learn:Discover practical strategies for transforming classroom experiences, focusing on student engagement and empowerment in mathematical thinking.Learn how to build teachers' confidence and competence in new pedagogical approaches, ensuring that change is not just sustainable but also embraced.Gain insights into aligning teachers' goals with administrative objectives, ensuring a cohesive and supportive environment for educational reform.Tune into this enlightening episode now and equip yourself with the tools to make a lasting impact in your educational community! 

 Resources:  Learn the 4 Stages of Math PD For Improved Results Webinar  
 District Math Leaders:  How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge?  What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support?  Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning.  Book a short conversation with our team now.  Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/ 

Beyond Fairy Dust: A Math Consultant's Journey to Making Impactful Change

When you shift your teaching practices from “I do, we do, you” to a problem based approach that engages students to think first you will often be led to question how you give feedback to students.  In this episode we speak with Diane Hamilton, an elementary classroom teacher from Toronto Ontario.  Diane has been implementing the 14 strategies from Peter Liljedahl’s book Building Thinking Classrooms and is here to dig into how to give effective feedback to her students instead of grades.  Stick around and you’ll:  Discover innovative self-assessment techniques that empower students to take charge of their learning in mathematics, turning passive learners into active participants. Learn how to develop and communicate effective success criteria, a crucial step in providing feedback that genuinely enhances student understanding and performance. Gain insights into structuring self-assessment and growth-focused activities into your weekly routine, ensuring consistent student progress and deeper comprehension of mathematical concepts. This is another Math Mentoring Moment episode where we chat with a teacher like you who is working through some problems of practice and together we brainstorm ways to overcome them.  
 You’ll Learn: Practical self-assessment methods to facilitate student involvement and ownership in their mathematics learning;How can I develop success criteria and share them with students so I can give effective feedback; How can I structure self assessment and growth in mathematics into my weekly routine; 
 Resources: Assessment For Growth: A Blueprint Course For Standards Based Grading in Math ClassMake Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units
 District Math Leaders:  How are you ensuring that you support those educators who need a nudge to spark a focus on growing their pedagogical-content knowledge?  What about opportunities for those who are eager and willing to elevate their practice, but do not have the support?  Book a call with our District Improvement Program Team to learn how we can not only help you craft, refine and implement your district math learning goals, but also provide all of the professional learning supports your educators need to grow at the speed of their learning.  Book a short conversation with our team now.  Empower Your Students (and Teachers) Using A Professional Learning Plan That Sparks Engagement, Fuels Deep Learning, and Ignites Action!
https://makemathmoments.com/make-math-moments-district-mentorship-program/ 

#55 - Seeing Before Showing: An Interview with Sara VanDerWerf

Download our free app to listen on your phone