Making Math Moments That Matter

Latest Episodes:

Math Homework in 2026-2027: What Should It Really Look Like? Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Homework has long been a part of the mathematics classroom, but opinions about its value continue to vary. Should students be completing pages of practice each night, or is there a better way to extend learning beyond the classroom?

K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Rather than asking whether homework should exist, perhaps the better question is: What purpose should it serve? In this episode, we explore what meaningful math homework could look like if it were designed to reinforce learning instead of creating stress. From fluency games and student choice to strengthening home-school partnerships and building productive routines, we discuss how homework can become a purposeful extension of classroom learning without overwhelming students or families. We also examine why homework shouldn't be used to evaluate student learning and how teachers can use classroom formative assessment to understand what students know instead.

In this episode, you'll explore:

The purpose of homework in mathematics education
Why less homework can often lead to better learning
How choice and flexibility can make homework more meaningful
Ways to strengthen partnerships between home and school through homework
Why homework shouldn't be used as evidence for grades
Alternatives to whole-class homework review that maximize instructional time
Considerations for school and district homework policies

If you're rethinking the role homework plays in your mathematics classroom or school, this episode offers practical ideas for creating homework experiences that reinforce learning, engage families, and make better use of valuable instructional time.

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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.

Is Math Intervention Working? Learn to Build A Better Fence Jul 27, 2026

Show notes

Every school system wants to improve student achievement in mathematics. Yet when students struggle, the immediate response is almost always the same: more intervention, more support programs, more people working at the bottom of the cliff. While these efforts are essential, they often come at the expense of investing in the work that could prevent students from struggling in the first place.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Using the classic "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" parable, this episode explores why school systems consistently prioritize rescue over prevention. It's not because leaders don't believe in strong Tier 1 instruction—they do. The challenge is that prevention is harder to see, slower to measure, and more difficult to defend. We unpack why intervention feels more urgent, why leading indicators matter more than waiting for test scores, and how systems can make the invisible work of prevention visible through classroom evidence and instructional coherence.

In this episode, you'll explore:

Why intervention often receives more attention and funding than prevention
The "ambulance vs. fence" metaphor and what it means for math improvement
Why Tier 1 instructional coherence is the foundation of long-term success
The difference between leading and lagging indicators of improvement
How to measure instructional shifts before test scores change
Why sustained professional learning outperforms one-off professional development
Practical questions leaders can ask to rebalance investment toward prevention

If you're leading mathematics improvement in a school or district, this episode will challenge you to rethink where your time, resources, and attention are focused—and help you build stronger systems that prevent students from falling behind in the first place.

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What Should You Grade in Math Class? Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

Assessment is one of the most powerful tools teachers have—but it's also one of the most misunderstood. Too often, every task, activity, or game is expected to produce a grade, making it difficult to distinguish between supporting learning and evaluating it.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

What happens when we stop asking, "How do I grade this?" and start asking, "What can I learn from this?" In this episode, we explore the critical difference between formative and summative assessment, and why that distinction changes everything. You'll hear why games, observations, conversations, and exit tickets are powerful sources of evidence—not because they belong in the gradebook, but because they help teachers make better instructional decisions. We also discuss backward design, student ownership of learning, professional judgment, and the importance of building coherent assessment practices across classrooms and schools.

In this episode, you'll explore:

The difference between assessment for, as, and of learning
Why not every classroom activity should generate a grade
How formative assessment informs instructional decisions
The role of backward design in planning meaningful assessment
Why professional judgment matters more than averaging marks
How collaborative conversations can strengthen assessment practices across a school or district
Ways to build a stronger body of evidence for student learning over time

If you're looking to move beyond grading everything and create assessment practices that truly support student learning, this episode will help you rethink the purpose of assessment and build greater confidence in using evidence to guide instruction.

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The Two-Level Math Training You Haven’t’ Yet Considered To Strengthen An Entire District Jul 13, 2026

Show notes

Many school systems want better mathematics outcomes, but few struggle because of a lack of effort. More often, the challenge is figuring out how to create meaningful change at scale—without overwhelming teachers, coaches, and leaders along the way.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

After a year of working alongside a large multi-level school system, several important lessons emerged. Sustainable improvement requires more than strong professional development sessions or clear messaging. It requires intentional systems for support, clear priorities, strategic use of coaching resources, and a realistic understanding of how change spreads through an organization. The work isn't about reaching everyone with the same level of support. It's about creating coherence through Tier 1 structures while strategically investing Tier 2 support where it can create the greatest long-term impact. Perhaps most importantly, it means designing for the reality that people constantly move through the system—what works today must continue working even as staff, leaders, and teams change over time.

In this episode, you'll explore:

Why professional learning should be designed through Tier 1 and Tier 2 support structures
How to identify high-leverage groups for intensive coaching and support
The importance of "facilitating the facilitators" in large systems
Why clarity around the "why" matters more than who sets the goal
How coaching, PLCs, and instructional leadership can create scalable change
The role of bright spots, leverage points, and compounding growth
Why every improvement plan must account for the "Ferris wheel" reality of staff movement

If you're responsible for leading mathematics improvement in a school, district, or system, this episode will help you think more strategically about where to focus your energy, how to scale your impact, and how to build change that lasts beyond any one individual or initiative.

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How to Build Deep Fraction Understanding K-12 Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Few math concepts seem to create as much anxiety as fractions. For students, parents, and even educators, fractions often carry a reputation for being difficult, confusing, and disconnected from everything else students learn in mathematics.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Description:

But what if fractions aren't inherently difficult? What if the challenge comes from how they’ve traditionally been introduced and taught? Many educators learned fractions through procedures, memorization, and isolated units rather than through reasoning, relationships, and meaningful representations. As a result, important ideas—like fractions as numbers, fractions as measures, benchmark fractions, and multiplicative relationships—often remain hidden. When we begin to see fractions as quantities that live on a number line and connect naturally to measurement, proportional reasoning, and operations, a very different picture emerges.

In this episode, you'll explore:

Why fractions should be understood as numbers with magnitude
The importance of naming and counting unit fractions
How different fraction representations shape student understanding
Why benchmark fractions can strengthen number sense and comparison
The connection between fractions, division, and proportional reasoning
How fractions can be integrated across the curriculum rather than taught in isolation
What many educators wish they had known about fractions earlier in their careers

If fractions have ever felt challenging to teach—or if you're looking to deepen your own understanding of fraction concepts—this episode will help you rethink fractions and build confidence in supporting students' mathematical reasoning.

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Atomic Habits For Math Educators & Coordinators: Why Summer Is Your Secret Weapon Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Summer is often seen as a time to step away from school, recharge, and reset. But it can also be an opportunity to strengthen your mathematical thinking, explore new ideas, and build habits that support your growth as an educator—without turning your break into more work.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Yvette's Summer Task List.

The key isn't filling your summer with professional development or adding more to your to-do list. It's about being intentional. Whether it's spending a few minutes each week exploring a visual pattern, solving a rich math problem with your family, or exposing yourself to new ideas through reading and diverse experiences, small habits can have a lasting impact. The goal isn't productivity for the sake of productivity—it's creating opportunities to stay curious, build mathematical proficiency, and return to the school year feeling energized and inspired.

In this episode, you'll explore:

Why doing math regularly strengthens mathematical proficiency
How visual patterns and rich tasks can spark meaningful math conversations
Ways to build simple, sustainable summer habits around mathematics
Why increasing your inputs can broaden your thinking as an educator
The value of reading beyond math education and learning from other fields
How to balance growth, curiosity, and rejuvenation during the summer months

If you're looking for ways to make the most of your summer without sacrificing rest and recovery, this episode offers practical ideas for staying connected to mathematics, learning, and personal growth in a joyful and sustainable way.

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How One School Designs Math PLC Time That Actually Shifts Instruction Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

Many schools want to improve math instruction, but few have a clear process for deciding what to focus on, how to measure progress, and how to align professional learning around a shared vision. Without that clarity, improvement efforts can quickly become fragmented and difficult to sustain.

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

What does it actually look like to bring an entire math team together and build a plan for improvement from the ground up? In this episode, we unpack a real three-day process used with a middle and high school math department to co-create a vision for mathematics, identify priority areas for growth, define success criteria, and establish structures for ongoing professional learning. Rather than starting with programs or initiatives, the work began with a shared understanding of the student experience they wanted to create—and the specific shifts needed to move toward that vision.

In this episode, you'll explore:

What a Math Coherence Compass is and why it matters
How to co-create a vision for ambitious mathematics teaching and learning
Why engaging in mathematics together is a critical part of professional learning
How to identify high-leverage instructional priorities for improvement
What effective classroom look-fors can reveal about progress
How PLCs and collaborative structures can be redesigned to support instructional change
Why coherence and shared language are essential for sustainable improvement

If you're planning for next school year and wondering how to align professional learning, coaching, PLCs, and classroom practice around a common goal, this episode offers a practical roadmap for building clarity, coherence, and momentum across your math team.

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Stop Waiting for Math Test Scores: A Better Way to Measure Improvement Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Many school systems measure success in math education by one thing: math test scores. But what if waiting for scores to improve is actually slowing down meaningful change?

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Description:

Math test scores are often treated as proof that math professional development, initiatives, or instructional changes are working. But the reality is, they’re lagging indicators—they tell us what already happened, not what’s happening right now. When math leaders focus only on math test scores and outcomes, they risk missing the daily classroom experiences that actually produce those outcomes. Sustainable improvement doesn’t come from chasing math test scores. It comes from redesigning the systems, structures, and instructional experiences that shape student learning every day.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

Why math test scores are lagging indicators in math improvement
The difference between activity and actual impact
What math leaders should measure instead of waiting for outcomes
How classroom experiences shape long-term achievement
Why systems—not individuals—drive results
What it means to “change the change” in math education

If you’re feeling pressure to prove improvement through math test scores alone, this episode will help you rethink what meaningful progress actually looks like—and how to build systems that create lasting change.

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How to Design Math Improvement That Survives Staff Turnover Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Every school system wants sustainable improvement in math instruction. But in education, there’s one reality we can’t ignore: people are constantly stepping on and off the system. Teachers change roles, leaders move positions, and new staff enter every year. So how do you build improvement efforts that actually last?

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Description:

For years, many educators have thought about improvement through the idea of a flywheel—something that takes significant effort to get moving, but gains momentum over time. But what if education systems are less like flywheels and more like Ferris wheels? In a Ferris wheel system, people are always coming and going. And that means improvement can’t live only inside individuals—it has to live within the system itself. Sustainable change requires structures that preserve learning, distribute leadership, and continuously support people as they enter and move through the system.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

Why sustainable improvement can’t depend on individual people alone
The role of hubs, networks, and distributed leadership in math improvement
What it means to “learn fast and implement slow”
How systems can preserve and share learning over time
Why continuous improvement must be built into the system itself

If you’re leading math improvement in a classroom, school, or district, this episode will challenge you to think differently about sustainability—and help you design systems that continue to grow even as people come and go.

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How to Design High Quality Low Floor High Ceiling Math Tasks Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

Not all math tasks are created equal. Some lead to deep thinking, rich discussion, and meaningful learning—while others fall flat. So what actually makes a math task effective?

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

K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us 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

Description:

It’s easy to assume that a “good” task is just one that students can complete. But truly powerful mathematical experiences go beyond that. They provide access for all learners while still offering meaningful challenge. They invite multiple strategies and solutions, encouraging students to think, question, and engage with the math in different ways. And they require careful design—not just of the task itself, but of how it’s facilitated in the classroom.

In this episode, you’ll explore:

The key criteria of a high-quality math task
What “low floor, high ceiling” really means in practice
Why multiple strategies and solutions matter
How teacher moves impact the effectiveness of a task
The role of high-quality instructional materials
How to reflect on and improve the tasks you’re already using

If you want to create more engaging and meaningful math experiences for your students, this episode will give you a clear lens for evaluating and improving the tasks in your classroom.

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