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Making Math Moments That Matter

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.

As a teacher 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?

As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making?

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.

Now, in this podcast they coach you – K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics 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.

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

Copyright: © 2024 Making Math Moments That Matter

Latest Episodes:

Inside One District’s Journey to Define Math Critical Thinking Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

Your math vision prioritizes critical thinking, but can everyone on your team describe what that actually looks like in classrooms?

In this episode, you’ll sit in on a real conversation between our team as we unpack a problem of practice. Yvette shares her experience coaching a large district where critical thinking appears in their math vision but isn’t yet clearly defined across their leadership team. We reflect on a district that’s working toward coherence by focusing on problem solving, discourse, and fluency. You’ll hear how shared mathematical experiences are helping leaders connect their instructional goals to what students say and do. We also explore a powerful classroom moment from the film Counted Out, where students debated the real-world impact of COVID-19 using exponential thinking. It’s a vivid reminder of how math can fuel critical thinking when the conditions are right.

We’ll explore:

How to define math critical thinking using the simple frame: thinking carefully, questioning deeply, deciding wisely
Why the Ontario curriculum connects critical thinking to social-emotional learning and what that means for classroom practice
A strategy Yvette uses in leadership sessions: engaging instructional teams in mathematical experiences and reflecting together on where the vision lives in their actions
The importance of moving beyond shared language to shared experience

If your district has a strong math vision but you're still working toward system-wide clarity, this episode offers a grounded look at how to build it — one shared experience at a time.

Press play and reflect on how your own team is defining and supporting math critical thinking.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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 Critical Thinking Just a Buzzword in Your Math Action Plans? Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

Do you say your math program prioritizes critical thinking, but struggle to see it in action across classrooms?

Many districts include critical thinking as part of their math vision. It is a powerful goal and one that prepares students to engage with complex ideas and make thoughtful decisions. However, teams often lack a shared and practical definition of what critical thinking looks like during math learning.

In this episode, we reflect on a powerful moment from the documentary Counted Out. Students analyze exponential growth and challenge one another’s thinking using real math. That scene led us to consider what conditions allow for this kind of deep student thinking. We also explore how beliefs, systems, and instructional choices can either support or limit the development of critical thinking in math classrooms.

If your school or district is working toward greater coherence in your math instruction, this episode offers a meaningful opportunity to pause, reflect, and consider your next steps.

Listeners will:

Hear how one real classroom brought math-based critical thinking to life through meaningful dialogue and reflection.
Learn why unclear definitions of “critical thinking” create misalignment across teams.
Discover practical starting points — like focusing on metacognition — that help build coherence without overwhelming teachers.

Press play to rethink what critical thinking in math actually means — and why it matters more than ever.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Why Your Math Goals Might Not Be Working — and What One Team Changed Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Is your school or district chasing improvement—but feeling like nothing sticks? You're not alone. Fragmentation and unclear goals might be the reason you're not seeing real change.

In this episode, we go beyond theory and dive into a real-world case study of a school leadership team that thought they were aligned—until a simple conversation around “fluency routines” exposed deeper issues of misalignment. We explore how schools and systems can overcome the illusion of alignment by building true coherence—from a shared purpose to consistent support structures.

Listeners will:

Identify signs of false alignment and fragmentation within their school or system
Discover how to maintain autonomy at the school level while still supporting system-wide goals
See how professional development, assessments, and resources must align with a common outcome
Gain insight into how clarity at all levels—classroom, school, district—drives sustainable change
Learn how to initiate deep conversations that surface misalignment and lead to shared understanding

Whether you're a district leader, coach, or classroom teacher, this episode will help you identify misalignment in your system and take concrete steps toward coherence.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Does Everyone Know What Fluency in Math Means? Understanding The Math Coherence Gap Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever left a team meeting feeling confident everyone was working toward the same math goal, only to realize later that each person defined success in a different way?

This episode explores how that kind of disconnect can quietly stall school improvement in mathematics. A school team set out to strengthen math fluency with clear objectives and measurable outcomes. Yet when each member was asked to describe what fluency meant, their answers revealed four different interpretations of what mathematical fluency looks and sounds like in the classroom. That moment exposed a deeper issue: the difference between being aligned and being truly coherent in math teaching and learning.

Drawing on Michael Fullan’s research on the right levers for system change, the discussion examines how fragmented math initiatives, competing priorities, and disconnected professional learning can prevent real progress for students.

Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of how to:

Recognize when misalignment around key math concepts such as fluency, reasoning, and problem solving is creating invisible friction.
Build coherence across math classrooms, schools, and systems so that professional learning, coaching, and curriculum decisions all reinforce the same mathematical goals.
Engage every level of the system—teachers, coaches, and leaders—in shaping a shared vision for mathematics connected to a moral purpose of improving learning for all students.

Press play to explore what coherence really means in mathematics and discover how a shared understanding can move your entire system forward together.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

How One School Used the Stages of Implementation to Drive Real Change Nov 06, 2025

Show notes

You’ve got a strong teacher, strong strategies—and still, the innovation stalls. What gives? In this episode, we tackle what’s really behind resistance in math PD and why most implementation efforts collapse long before proficiency is even possible.

Building on our last episode, we unpack how a school we support used the five implementation stages—Non-Use, Awareness, Mechanical, Routine, and Proficient—to move real teacher practice forward in mathematics.

You’ll hear how assumptions like “math teachers just need to buy in” or “they’re too comfortable” miss the point—and how shifting the conversation back to student outcomes changed everything.

Listen in to learn:

What each of the five stages of implementation looks like in real math classrooms
Why most resistance towards math PD is rooted in fear, fatigue, or flawed systems—not mindset
How to use department meetings and peer examples to build momentum in mathematics
Why focusing on student growth—not compliance—creates authentic engagement in math class
What math leaders can do to provide the right support at the right stage

Hit play to explore how real school teams are flipping the script on math improvement implementation—and how you can do the same by putting students, not strategies, at the center of your plan.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Five Phases of Implementation Every Math Leader Needs To Know To Overcome Resistance Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

Still stuck “talking” about change, but not seeing it in action? The real roadblock to change in math may not be teacher resistance—it might be your system.

Based on Jim Knight’s powerful article in Educational Leadership, “Moving from Talk to Action in Professional Learning,” this episode reframes what looks like math pd resistance in schools. We walk through the five stages of implementation—Non-Use, Awareness, Mechanical, Routine, and Proficient—and reveal how most educators aren’t resisting change… they’re stuck in a system that makes it nearly impossible to act on it. If multiple people are resisting, it’s not a people problem—it’s a system problem.

You’ll learn:

What each of the five implementation stages looks like in real practice in math pd
Why math educators appear resistant—and how fear, perfectionism, and lack of agency fuel hesitation
How student-focused goals create momentum where strategy mandates fall flat
Simple, leader-driven shifts that support movement in math pd from awareness to action
What it takes to make professional learning stick, even after the workshop ends

Press play to explore Jim Knight’s findings and discover what it really takes to turn professional learning into professional practice.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

How to Build a Math Plan That Survives Leadership Changes Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

What happens to your math improvement efforts when you leave the role?

Many school and district leaders assume that lack of time or teacher buy-in is the biggest barrier to sustainable change. But the real threat? Fragility—the risk that everything falls apart when key people leave or switch roles. In this episode, we unpack the often-overlooked issue of leadership transition and how it stalls momentum, erodes trust, and resets years of progress. You’ll hear real-world case studies and actionable strategies for building an infrastructure that outlasts any single leader.

You’ll learn:

How to avoid the “spaghetti at the wall” cycle every time leadership changes
What distributed leadership really looks like in successful math programs
How to create structures that sustain the work—no matter who’s at the helm

Press play to discover how to future-proof your math leadership and build lasting momentum across your district.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

The Biggest Threat To Sustainable Math Improvement - Your Guess Will Be Wrong! Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Why does your math plan feel like it resets every time someone new steps in?

You’ve seen it happen: a coordinator retires, a coach changes roles, or a principal moves on—and suddenly all the momentum in your math plan disappears. Teachers feel like they’re starting over (again), and it’s back to square one. It’s not a motivation issue. It’s not even a planning issue. The root problem? Your system depends on people, not process.This episode explores the high cost of person-driven leadership—and what to do instead.

You’ll walk away with:

A clear understanding of how fragility shows up in your district—even when things look “fine”
Real-world examples of what happens when improvement isn't documented
A new lens for building systems that retain progress, even when people leave

Press play to stop rebuilding from scratch—and start protecting the progress you’ve worked so hard to build.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Math Fluency in Action: Observing What Proficient Students Actually Do Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

What does it really mean to be fluent in math—and are we measuring the right things in our classrooms?

Math fluency is often reduced to speed drills and memorization—but true fluency goes much deeper. In this episode, we unpack the key differences between fact fluency, computational fluency, and procedural fluency—and why it matters for both teaching and learning. Drawing on research from Jennifer Bay-Williams and John San Giovanni, we explore what fluency actually looks like in action, and how educators can spot it beyond just correct answers. Whether you're a teacher, coach, or leader, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how fluency is developed, observed, and supported.

You’ll walk away with:

A clear understanding of the three types of fluency and how they’re interconnected
Observable indicators that a student is truly fluent—not just fast
Insight into how to shift classroom practice away from rote performance and toward meaningful fluency development

Press play to rethink fluency and gain practical insight for monitoring its development across your schools or district.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Why Your Math Coaching Model Isn’t Working — Insights from Jim Strachan Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

How do you know if your district’s mentoring and coaching efforts are actually making a difference?

Too often, system and instructional leaders focus on program delivery but miss the deeper question: how do we monitor and support the real impact of our math mentorship and coaching practices? In this episode, Jim Strachan returns to explore how leaders can center educator well-being, trust, and professional learning as essential foundations for student success. You'll hear practical insights on how to navigate the complexity of school systems, avoid common blind spots, and create math mentoring relationships that build independence—not dependence.

In this conversation, you'll learn:

How to recognize whether math mentoring is building true capacity or just going through the motions
What effective trust-building really looks like—and why it’s not a one-time thing
A simple but powerful feedback strategy that gives math mentors honest insight into their impact

Press play to explore how you can better monitor and strengthen fluency in mentorship and leadership across your district.

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

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

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