What do you do when students already know the math before you even teach it?

This question came straight from a listener—and it’s one we don’t talk about enough. While so much attention in education focuses on supporting students below grade level, we often miss a critical (and underserved) group: the students who already “get it.”

Without meaningful mathematical thinking and cognitive challenge, these students may disengage, develop surface-level strategies, or come to see math as boring and procedural. In this episode, we explore why traditional unit pacing may actually harm these learners—and what educators can do instead to deepen reasoning, sense-making, and flexibility. If you’ve ever wondered what comes after mastery, this conversation is for you.

Listeners Will Learn:

• Why “early finishers” often get the least instructional support in math
• How adjusting pace can unintentionally limit access to the full landscape of grade-level mathematics
• What it looks like to create math challenge without just assigning more problems
• How “what if?” questions and strategic mathematical constraints deepen understanding
• Why abstract thinkers need to represent their thinking—and how to get their buy-in
• How planning ahead (not improvising) leads to better differentiation in math
• The power of mini-consolidations to target all learners, not just the middle
• Why all students—not just struggling ones—deserve access to rich, high-cognitive-demand math tasks

Whether you’re a teacher trying to meet a wide range of learners or a coach supporting classroom math differentiation, this episode is packed with tools and mindsets to help you stretch mathematically confident learners without sacrificing your core instruction.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/ 

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com 

Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units 

Show Notes Page

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Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.