The Mindful Math Podcast

In this episode, I talk with Winnie Stevenson, Assistant Principal of a small, K-8 elementary school in Chicago. Be a fly on the wall as we discuss our work together over the course of the 22-23 school year to: (a) successfully roll out a new curriculum, and (b) increase math discourse in daily instruction. Walk away with ideas to try in your own school, insights about what moves the needle, and inspiration to keep going!

LISTEN TO HEAR:

1. Our strategic planning process + key priorities for the school year

2. The 5 main buckets of work we took on, in collaboration with the school principal, teachers, and grade-band leads

3. Results and outcomes (spoiler >> they’re good!)

ON-DEMAND COURSES & WORKSHOPS:

< Shifting the Lift to Students >

< Bridge to Grade-Level Math >


COACH THE COACH OPPORTUNITIES:

< Math Coach Collective >

< Math Coach Mentorship >


CONNECT WITH CHRISSY:

< Mindful Math Coach Website >

< Instagram >

< LinkedIn >

I had to hear about this book from 5 different people before I started reading it… and trust me, it was worth it! Luckily, my friend and fellow math coach, Tom Redmon, was persistent, and *finally* convinced me to pick it up. He wasn’t wrong –  Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl is SO GOOD! I can’t say enough positive things about it. Seriously. In this episode, Tom and I share our biggest takeaways and discuss why the book had such an impact on us. If you’re looking for a simple way to engage students during math class so THEY are the ones doing the thinking (instead of you), then do yourself a favor and make Building Thinking Classrooms your next read. 

Purchase Your Copy: Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-allison-b4987838/ 

This episode is even better with the visuals! Get immediate access to the edited version of this killer video training, 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make by going to: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/improvement

Or if you're on the go, press play now and listen in to the audio recording of my latest and greatest free webinar: Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make where I share 3 math improvement strategies that commonly fail and 3 alternatives to help you succeed.

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-allison-b4987838/ 

In this episode, I’m helping you reflect on the question: Is my leadership style too hot, too cold, or just right? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the characteristics of the most effective school and district leaders I’ve worked with, plus my own leadership style as a math coach. I recognized a trend: that the best leaders have all found a *just right* rhythm, which in turn leads to fast and consistent progress. If you’re a math coach, principal, or district leader who wants better teaching, better learning for kids, and a better professional environment where people are happier and more engaged, you can’t afford to get this wrong. Click play to listen now.

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-allison-b4987838/ 

In this episode, Chrissy brings clarity to the elusive idea of Math Rigor, explaining what it is and dispelling common misunderstandings about what it’s NOT. Using non-math examples from our day-to-day lives, such as learning to ride a bike or tie your shoes, Chrissy illustrates how the nature of a skill or task influences our instructional approach as parents – and how that connects to math rigor. Listen to better understand the 3 aspects that comprise mathematical rigor and how they work together to prepare students for their futures, no matter what path they choose. Teachers, coaches, and instructional leaders will hear practical ways to uncover where math standards fall within the categories of rigor and how to strategically plan lessons with the aspects of rigor in mind.

Blog Post: The Magic is in the Mess

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

When was the last time you looked at your pacing guide? Did your stomach drop when you saw where you were “supposed” to be – and then compared that to where you actually ARE? I know, I know. You’ve been heads down teaching your students, taking it one day at a time, and moving on to the next lesson *only* when your students were ready. But as the end of the year draws closer, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore the fact that you’re running out of time. You’re coming to terms with the reality that if you continue at this pace, there’s NO WAY you’re going to finish. So what should you do now? Follow the 5-Step Process outlined in this episode to catch up on pacing and get back on track.

Resource: Catching Up On Pacing In Math (5-Step Process)

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

Sauda Porter is a master of time management. She’s a mom of 3, works full time, runs an online business – and yet she STILL finds time for dates with her husband, daily exercise, and 1-on-1 time with her daughters. (WHAT?!?!? Who IS this time magician?) Knowing how busy our lives are as teachers, coaches, and administrators, I brought Sauda onto the podcast to share her wisdom + systems and time hacks with us. Wish you had more strategies to prioritize personal relationships and carve out time for self care? I’ve got ‘em for you inside this episode – so hit play now.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode65

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

How do your values influence your coaching style? In this episode, Chrissy shares her biggest values when it comes to supporting math coaches, school leaders, and district specialists – PLUS real-life examples of how they show up in 1-to-1 coaching conversations. Hear 3 problems of practice from Chrissy’s ACTUAL mentorship clients, along with her responses, insights, and suggestions. Curious about the work happening behind-the-scenes of Mindful Math Coach? Click play and start listening now.

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-allison-b4987838/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach

In this episode, Chrissy interviews Dr. Kim Melgar, department chair for mathematics at the Relay Graduate School of Education, to discuss two related topics – math trauma and math identity. Dr. Kim is on a mission to help educators first reflect on their own math experiences and then empower them to replace math trauma with positive math identities. Hear examples of traumatic math events and how they negatively impact students. Plus, gain insight into how you can stop math trauma and create students who see themselves as mathematicians – even if you experienced math trauma yourself.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode63

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-allison-b4987838/

Despite our best efforts as leaders, sometimes we don’t see the kind of change in teacher practice that we set out to achieve. Perhaps you’ve been coaching your heart out or spending late nights designing the most epic PDs, yet you STILL walk into classrooms and observe the same instructional practices you’ve been trying to shift. What’s going on? Why the lack of progress? In this episode, I’m sharing 3 common mistakes you may be making that keeps teacher growth stagnant.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/episode62

Bridge to Grade-Level Math Course: https://symmetrycircles.com/bridge-orderform

Mindful Math Coach Website: www.mindfulmathcoach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmathcoach/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mindful123Coach