The Build Math Minds Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 214 - The REAL Purpose of Teaching Math (And Why It Matters More Than Ever) Nov 23, 2025

Show notes

When your students ask "When will I ever use this?"—especially with AI doing calculations faster than any of us—how do you answer? In this episode, I share a conversation that just validated how I think about the purpose of teaching math.

Spoiler: It's not about long division. It's about building thinkers, not calculators.

You'll hear the difference between students who DO math versus students who THINK about math, why building flexible thinkers actually speeds up your teaching (not slows it down), and how to shift your instruction to focus on what really matters. If you've ever questioned why we teach certain math skills, this episode will give you a whole new perspective.

Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/214

Episode 213 - Seeing Multiplication - How Subitizing Builds Fact Fluency Through Relationships Nov 16, 2025

Show notes

Are your students still counting on their fingers for 6×4? Transform how you teach multiplication facts with this game-changing approach to subitizing!

In this episode, you'll discover how to move beyond the exhausting "times tables treadmill" that forces students to memorize 100 disconnected facts. Instead, learn how subitizing—the ability to instantly recognize quantities without counting—can help your students see multiplication as beautiful, connected relationships.

You'll learn:

Why traditional fact memorization fails (and what works better)
The 4 Types of Multiplication Facts that create a foundation for all others
How to use ten frames and visual arrays to make multiplication facts "subitizable"
Three classroom-ready strategies you can implement tomorrow
How to help students see that facts, like 7×6, aren't random facts to memorize, but are connected to facts they already know (like 5×6 or 7×5)

This episode walks you through the visual progression from scattered groups to organized arrays, showing you exactly how to use color-coding and strategic groupings to make even challenging facts like 8×7 accessible through relationships. You'll also see how all eight foundational number sense concepts work together to build true multiplicative thinking.

Stop asking your students to memorize 100 isolated facts. Start helping them see the patterns, understand the relationships, and actually enjoy learning multiplication. Your students (and their fluency) will thank you!

Includes link to Christina's color-coded multiplication chart to support visual learning in your classroom.

Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/213

Episode 212 - Subitizing With Fractions Nov 09, 2025

Show notes

Discover how subitizing—the ability to instantly recognize quantities without counting—can transform your fraction instruction! While you may already use subitizing with your younger students, this episode reveals why it's equally powerful for upper elementary learners working with fractions.

You'll learn what subitizing with fractions actually looks like and why keeping quantities small makes all the difference. We'll explore how subitizing helps students focus on relationships between quantities rather than getting bogged down in counting individual pieces, allowing them to use grouping strategies and truly understanding what's happening when operating with fractions, not just following rules.

This episode will give you practical strategies to build stronger fraction sense in your classroom. Plus, grab the free Fraction Subitizing Cards to get started right away!

Get the Fraction Subitizing Cards here: https://buildmathminds.com/fraction-subitizing-10day

Enroll in The Flexibility Formula 3rd-5th: https://buildmathminds.com/enroll/

WATCH: 4 Early Numeracy Concepts

WATCH: How to Build Fraction Sense

Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/212

Episode 211 - Building Number Sense Without Adding to Your Plate Nov 02, 2025

Show notes

You know that building number sense is crucial—but finding time for one more thing feels impossible. In this episode, discover how investing time in foundational number sense concepts actually saves you time in the long run. Learn two practical strategies for fitting this essential work into your already-packed day without adding anything extra: the 1% Better Approach and the Replace, Don't Add Strategy. You'll walk away with clear examples of which activities to stop doing and what to start doing instead, so your students develop flexible thinking about numbers and you spend less time reteaching.

If you're ready to make math instruction more intentional without overwhelming yourself, this episode is for you. Students with strong number sense learn faster, make connections more easily, and actually enjoy math. That means less frustration for you, less reteaching, and more time for what really matters. Your small tweaks today compound into big results all year long.

Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/211

Episode 210 - Why Good Activities Aren't Enough - The Missing Piece That Makes Number Sense Work Oct 26, 2025

Show notes

Are you doing all the "right" math activities—Number Talks, Number Strings, Quick Images—but still not seeing the progress you expected? In this episode, you'll discover why having great activities isn't enough, and what actually builds real number sense with your students.

You'll learn the critical difference between facilitating activities to collect answers versus facilitating them to develop deep mathematical understanding. Through concrete examples, you'll see how the same activity can produce completely different results depending on how you guide the discussion, what questions you ask, and which student thinking you choose to highlight.

This episode reveals four common facilitation mistakes teachers make and gives you the tools to avoid them. Most importantly, you'll understand why this missing piece—knowing what to listen for and how to make number sense concepts visible—is the key to finally seeing your students think more flexibly and develop lasting mathematical reasoning.

Get any links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/210

Episode 209 - The Power of Integration - Why Teaching Number Sense Concepts Together Accelerates Learning Oct 19, 2025

Show notes

Are you overwhelmed thinking about trying to add in number sense activities into your already jam-packed day? In this game-changing episode, learn how to transform your math instruction by integrating number sense concepts into ONE quick activity. The 'unspoken rule' of teaching math has been to keep each math skill in separate boxes that we teach in isolation. Teaching in this way is one of the causes of feeling overwhelmed when teaching math.

In this episode, you'll see how to integrate math concepts into one activity using an example of Number Strings. A single 10-minute activity can simultaneously develop multiple foundational number sense concepts - from subitizing to part-part-whole thinking. Whether you teach early or upper elementary, this episode provides practical strategies to help your students develop more flexible, sophisticated mathematical thinking. Walk away with a clear approach to making your math lessons more intentional, engaging, and effective. Get any links mentioned in the episode at BuildMathMinds.com/209

Episode 208 - The Number Relationships That Transform Math Understanding Oct 12, 2025

Show notes

In this second episode of the math fluency series, we explore the four essential number relationships that help students move beyond counting and develop true mathematical thinking. Learn about spatial relationships, one/two more or less, benchmarks of 5 and 10, and part-part-whole thinking—and discover how these relationships evolve from PreK through fifth grade. We'll look at why students get stuck using inefficient strategies and how building these foundational relationships transforms them into flexible problem-solvers who can see multiple pathways to solutions. Plus, get practical questions you can start asking tomorrow to assess and develop these critical relationships in your students. Free number sense assessment resources available at BuildMathMinds.com/208.

Episode 207 - The Math Foundations - What Elementary Students Need Before You Ever Have Them Operate with Numbers Oct 05, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I'm kicking off a series on building math fluency by diving into what I wish I had known when I first started teaching—the critical foundations students need BEFORE we ever ask them to add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

Many students can DO the math, but they don't truly UNDERSTAND it. And the problem isn't that they need more practice—they're missing something much more fundamental.

I'm sharing the four early numeracy concepts from the research of Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama: subitizing (instantly recognizing quantities without counting), verbal counting (understanding number patterns and structure), object counting (purposefully counting items), and cardinality (understanding that the final count represents the total quantity).

You might be thinking these sound like kindergarten concepts, but stay with me! These foundations develop in sophistication all the way through 5th grade and beyond, including fraction subitizing and understanding complex number relationships.

I've got free Savvy Subitizing Cards (PreK-2nd) and Fraction Subitizing Cards (3rd-5th) linked up at https://buildmathminds.com/207 to help you with one of the 4 early numeracy concepts.

Next episode, we'll dig into the four number relationships that move students from counting to mathematical thinking!

Episode 206 - 1% Better - The 4-Minute Daily Math Difference Sep 28, 2025

Show notes

What if transforming your math teaching only required 4 minutes a day? In this episode, Christina breaks down the powerful concept of getting 1% better daily and shows how just 4 minutes of intentional change in your classroom adds up to 12 hours of enhanced math learning over the school year. Perfect for busy educators who want to make a real impact without overwhelming themselves. Get your free guide with 30+ quick math activities to get you started at BuildMathMinds.com/1%

Episode 205 - Stop Coaching Everyone: Use the 80/20 Rule to Transform Your Elementary Math Coaching Sep 21, 2025

Show notes

As an elementary math coach, do you feel like you're trying to be everywhere at once with never enough time to make the impact you want? In this episode, discover how to use the 80/20 principle to transform your coaching approach and actually increase your impact while saving time.

Learn how to strategically apply the 80/20 rule in two key ways:

Which Teachers to Prioritize: How to identify the 20% of teachers who will create the biggest ripple effect across your school (hint: it's not just about who needs the most help)

What to Coach On: The foundational instructional moves that will serve teachers for years versus the "trivial many" that keep you busy but don't create lasting change

Stop spreading yourself thin and start coaching smarter. By the end of this video, you'll have a clear framework for focusing your energy on what truly matters - and you'll walk away with two concrete action steps to implement immediately.

Perfect for elementary math coaches, instructional coaches, and math specialists looking to maximize their impact with limited time.

What You'll Get: ✅ Understanding of the 80/20 principle and how it applies to coaching ✅ Specific strategies for identifying high-impact teachers to prioritize ✅ Clear criteria for choosing coaching topics that create lasting change ✅ Two actionable lists to create after watching

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Build Math Minds Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected