Making Math Moments That Matter

How to Unpack Standards for Better Lesson Planning in K-12 Mathematics

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In math education, there are a lot of terms that get used interchangeably—unpacking standards, planning units, designing lessons. But for many teach...

Initiative Fatigue is Real! Learn How to Avoid it in Math Education

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In schools today, it can feel like there’s always something new being introduced. A new initiative, a new priority, a new expectation. And for many ...

How to Start Connecting Mathematical Representations in Classrooms

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s math classrooms, there’s a growing expectation: students should be able to use and connect multiple mathematical representations. From ...

How to Overcome Push-Back in Math Education

23 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In math classrooms, there’s something that shows up again and again: resistance. It can come from students, from teachers, and sometimes even from t...

How To Protect Instructional Time in Math Class in a World of Disruptions

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In math classrooms, what is the most common frustration that keeps showing up? Not enough time. Interrupted lessons. Lost instructional minutes. The c...

Conceptual vs Procedural Math: What Effective Math Instruction Looks Like When You Stop Picking Sides

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, hosts Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a tension that’s been debated in math education for decades: conceptual understanding vs. pr...

The One-Shift Strategy to Improve Your Math Lesson Planning

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about planning all the time in math education. But here’s the question:How much time should you realistically be spending planning your math...

What Should Tier 2 Math Intervention Actually Look Like For Maximum Impact?

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve got protected time for Tier 2 math intervention……but what are you actually supposed to do during that time?This is one of the most common...

What Does “Strong Tier 1 Math Instruction” Actually Mean?

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about Tier 1 instruction all the time in math education.But here’s the question:Do we actually have a shared understanding of what strong Ti...

End-of-Year Math Strategies: Finishing the School Year Strong Without Cramming

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s April, and in math class the countdown is on.There is limited time left before standardized math testing or the end of the school year—and ma...

Math Testing Season and Anxiety: How Teachers Can Build Confidence Without Adding Pressure

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As math testing season approaches, many teachers and leaders feel the tension. We want students to succeed. We know they’re capable. But too often, ...

Should You Teach Standard Algorithms First? A Better Way to Build Math Fluency

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If the standard algorithm is the final goal in math, why not just teach it directly?This question came up during a recent math leadership summit while...

What Is Conceptual Understanding in Math? And Why It Matters for Fluency

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What if one of the most common terms in math education — conceptual understanding in math — isn’t actually understood the same way across school...

Should Students Show Their Work in Math? What Teachers Should Actually Assess

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some math teachers insist students must always show their math thinking. Others argue that if the math answer is correct, that should be enough. When ...

Tier 2 Math Intervention: How Coaches and Teachers Can Use Small Groups More Effectively

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You’re teaching math to 34 students. You slow math pacing to support the middle, but you can feel yourself losing students who are ready to move.A l...

How to Prepare for Standardized Tests In Math Class Without Test Prep Mode

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Testing is around the corner—and teachers are asking: “Do I stop everything and switch into test prep mode?”Many teachers spend weeks reviewing,...

Don’t Let March Kill Your Momentum: When Planning for Next Year Hurts This Year

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s March. The weather is shifting. Spring break is coming. And quietly, many math leaders have already started thinking about next year.Budgets. S...

How to Help Students With Word Problems in Math—and Coach Teachers to Do the Same

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If your students can calculate but collapse in math word problems, the issue often isn’t the numbers—it’s the structure.Many schools default to ...

How to Teach Grade-Level Math Without Leaving Students Behind

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you wait until every student has mastered a math concept, you might still be in Unit 1 in December.Many teachers feel they can’t move on until st...

“I Want to Strengthen Math Fact Fluency”—But I Don’t Know Where to Start

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You know math fluency is more than timed tests… but what does that actually look like in your classroom tomorrow?Many teachers are at the awareness ...

“We Want Number Sense and Fluency”—So Why Are You Skipping Data?

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why does data always feel like the thing we don’t have time for in math?Teachers and leaders say they want students who can think critically, reason...

Learning Goals In Math Aren’t Working—Because You’re Using Them Wrong

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If math learning goals are so important, why do they feel like a checkbox?Research tells us that learning goals are critical for effective math instru...

Your Math Results Are Stagnant: Why Improvement Keeps Stalling

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Every year, schools and districts roll out a new math improvement plan. The language sounds right: teacher voice, coherence, sustainability, research-...

It Feels Like Chaos: Making Peace With a Noisy Math Classroom

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ever felt like your math classroom is too noisy, too messy, or too chaotic when students are working on open-ended tasks?You're not alone. Many m...

Stop Wasting Teachers’ Time: Making Math PD Practical, Coherent, and Ongoing

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever left a math PD session thinking, “This all sounds great… but what does it actually mean for my class tomorrow?”Teachers are hungry...

What About the Students Who Already Get It? – Supporting Advanced Learners Without Accelerating

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 ta...

“Thanks, But No Thanks”: Coaching Math Teachers Who Don’t Want Help

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when a teacher says, “I’m good—I don’t need help”?This real-life math coaching dilemma came straight from a listener. And if ...

How to Design a Math Improvement Plan That Has Coherence From The District Office to the Classroom

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Is your math team using the same words—but interpreting them in totally different ways?In schools and districts across the country, math leaders are...

When Parents Push Back on “New Math”: Building Trust Through Clarity and Confidence

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Have you heard a parent ask, “Why are we making math so complicated?” You're not alone.Many teachers want to move beyond rote procedures—bu...

MTSS: Fixing the Disconnect Between Tier 1 and Tier 3 Student Support

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Are your Tier 3 supports disconnected from Tier 1 math instruction?You’re not alone. Many schools implement math intervention with the best intentio...

Teaching Resilience in 2026: What Teachers, Leaders & Coaches Can Do When Students Shut Down

19 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Students quitting when the math gets hard? You're not alone.In math classrooms everywhere, teachers want to promote thinking, reasoning, and prod...

When There’s Too Much Math to Cover: Why Teachers Need Permission & Support to Innovate

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ever feel like you’d love to try a new strategy—but you’re too afraid to fall behind?You’re not alone. Math teachers often want to innovate bu...

Lessons Teachers & Leaders Need To Learn About Coaching Math in 2026

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve spent thousands on high-quality math curriculum and inspiring PD — yet instructional practices barely shift. Why?In this episode, Jon Orr t...

Tired of Calling on the Same Few Students in Your Math Classroom? Fixing Math Discourse Fatigue

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it so hard to get more students talking in math class? In this episode, the team digs into a common challenge: when just a few confident studen...

How Do I Teach Grade-Level Math When My Students Are All Over the Map?

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Struggling to meet the needs of every math learner in a single classroom?Many teachers feel overwhelmed when students show up with wildly different en...

Avoid this Mistake When Teaching Multiplication: An Interview with Dr. Alex Lawson

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this eye-opening episode, math researcher and educator Dr. Alex Lawson challenges one of the most common approaches to teaching multiplication: int...

The Most Critical Math Improvement Planning Insights for 2026

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve made big moves in your math program—but something still feels stuck. Why?After a full year of supporting school and district teams, we’re...

Rest, Reflection & Math Leadership Wins – A Holiday Message from the MMM Team

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Feeling behind? Tired? Wondering if your math improvement efforts are making a difference?In this episode released on Christmas Day, Jon Orr shares a ...

Why Students Still Hate Math—Even If They Are Scoring High

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’re seeing growth in the data. Students are performing well. But something feels… off. Maybe they’re disengaged. Maybe they’re saying they ...

When Early Strategies Are No Longer Working: Helping Students & Teachers Move Toward Efficiency in Math

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever watched a student solve 146 ÷ 12 by drawing 146 dots… one by one?In this episode, the MMM team dives into a common but frustrating classroom c...

I Taught It… So Why Don’t They Remember?? Tackling Retention in Math From the District Office to the Classroom

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You poured your heart into teaching a key math concept—and a student tells you they’ve never even heard of it. Sound familiar?In this episode, hos...

Helping Teachers Move Beyond the Algorithm in Math Instruction: Resistance to Teaching Multiple Strategies in Math

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are your teachers reluctant to move beyond the standard algorithm—even when it clearly isn’t working for their students?In this episode, we explor...

How Do We Help Our Multi-Language Learners Thrive in Math

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are your multi-language learners struggling to engage in math class? You’re not alone. Many teachers recognize the issue but feel unsure how to help...

Essential Math Coaching: The Highest Leveraged Move You Can Make For Math Improvement

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why are so many districts pouring resources into math PD but seeing so little classroom change?It’s not because teachers aren’t trying. It’s not...

Why “Fidelity” Might Be Hurting Your Momentum In Math Improvement

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You're rolling out a math resource across your district—but you’re noticing that some classrooms feel scripted and disconnected from student ...

From AI to Joyful Math Teaching: Ideas You Can Use Tomorrow

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we share our biggest insights from the 7th annual Make Math Moments Virtual Summit. We highlight powerful sessions that explored ethi...

From Math Overload to Alignment: A Mentoring Moment for Leaders

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leading math professional learning in a large system is never simple — especially when every school wants something different. How do you support me...

Inside One District’s Journey to Define Math Critical Thinking

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Is Critical Thinking Just a Buzzword in Your Math Action Plans?

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Why Your Math Goals Might Not Be Working — and What One Team Changed

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Does Everyone Know What Fluency in Math Means? Understanding The Math Coherence Gap

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 suc...

How One School Used the Stages of Implementation to Drive Real Change

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve got a strong teacher, strong strategies—and still, the innovation stalls. What gives? In this episode, we tackle what’s really behind res...

Five Phases of Implementation Every Math Leader Needs To Know To Overcome Resistance

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

How to Build a Math Plan That Survives Leadership Changes

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

The Biggest Threat To Sustainable Math Improvement - Your Guess Will Be Wrong!

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Math Fluency in Action: Observing What Proficient Students Actually Do

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Why Your Math Coaching Model Isn’t Working — Insights from Jim Strachan

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know if your district’s mentoring and coaching efforts are actually making a difference?Too often, system and instructional leaders focus...

Making Durable Decisions in Math Leadership | A Sustainable Math Practice Case Study

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fidelity matters, yet rigidity can stall growth. In this follow-up episode, we revisit the balance between fidelity and flexibility in math improvemen...

When Fidelity in Math Improvement Turns Into Rigidity & How To Avoid This Costly Mistake

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Implementing with fidelity matters—whether it’s adopting a new math resource, embedding a routine like number talks, or structuring PLCs. But fide...

How to Sequence Math Tasks: Thin Slicing in Building Thinking Classrooms Explained by Peter Liljedahl and Kyle Webb

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you move your students from confusion to confidence—one question at a time when Building Thinking Classrooms?If you've ever found yourse...

When Tools Steal Thinking: Rethinking Technology Use in Math

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we dig into the tricky question every math teacher faces: When is a calculator a helpful tool—and when does it actually rob student...

Going Narrow in Math Improvement: A Practical Playbook from One District

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Math improvement plans don’t gain traction just by naming priorities—they gain traction when districts commit to going narrow. For one small distr...

Fear, Pressure, and the Struggle to Truly Commit to Math Priorities

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

District math improvement plans can’t succeed if we try to do everything at once. For meaningful change to happen, leaders need to go narrow.In this...

Beating Initiative Fatigue: How to Filter Math PD Opportunities without Overwhelm

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever feel torn between staying laser-focused on your math goals and chasing all the new opportunities that come your way?Whether it’s a confe...

How AI Can Help Math Teachers Differentiate Instruction for Every Learner

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How can math teachers harness AI to lighten their workload, differentiate with confidence, and boost student thinking—without losing the human touch...

Why Systemic Change in Math Fails Without the Right Bridges in Place

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it look like to build Bridges in real time?In this episode, we highlight the story of a district leader who knows she can’t do the work of...

Why Math Improvement Efforts Stall Without Clear Bridges

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

District math objectives can’t live on a slide deck. For change to happen, they need Bridges—the leaders who translate vision into action at the s...

How Time Debt Is Derailing Your Math Leadership Goals

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you letting daily emergencies steal time from what really matters in your role as a math leader?From a soaked teenager's phone to the all-too...

How To Teach Multi-Digit Multiplication

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we explore why multi-digit multiplication continues to be the thorn in so many teachers’ sides. We talk about why sometimes we need...

Making Math Progress Visible: The B+ Approach to School Math Improvement

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are your district's math improvement plans stuck in “waiting for perfect”? What if aiming for B+ work could unlock real progress—right now?...

Rich Tasks vs. Gradual Release: Do We Have to Choose?

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most frequent questions we hear from district and school math leaders is:“How do I convince math educators to shift from always using the...

Why District Math Plans Fall Flat Without School-Level Action

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Too often, district math improvement planning happens “up there,” with big visions and system-wide goals that don’t trickle down into meaningful...

It’s Not Either-Or: Building a Math Classroom That Has It All

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A teacher asked us a fair question: “If direct instruction and practice are working, why change?While presenting at a recent conference, we were app...

From Lofty to Laser-Focused: Unpacking One District’s Math Improvement Plan

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we share how one district is entering the new school year with a sharper focus in their Math District Improvement Plan. In the past, ...

Building a Math Culture with Board Games: Standards for Mathematical Practice in Action

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Looking to build a positive math culture at the start of the school year? In this episode, we dive into why board games are more than just fun—they’...

Building Coherence Between Math Coaches, Principals, and Teachers

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a debrief of the article Coaching for Coherence: How Instructional Coaches Lead Change in the Evaluation Era by Woulfin & Rigby (2...

Teaching Math with the Brain in Mind: Insights from Liesl McConchie

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are your students' math struggles rooted in what they know—or how they feel about math?If your math learners seem disengaged, anxious, or convi...

7 Math Coaching Questions That Transform Teacher Conversations

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever walked out of a math coaching session wondering whether you made an impact, you’re not alone. Many instructional coaches step into ...

Visual Patterns That Lead to Algebra: Designing Math Tasks That Surface Student Thinking

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we underestimating what young math learners can do with algebra — just because they’re young?If you've ever watched a student skip the re...

How to Define The Right Milestones That Drive Math Improvement

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack the difference between long-term objectives and short-term key results. Through a real coaching conv...

What If the Report Card Doesn’t Match the Math You’re Seeing?

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s early in the school year. You’re reviewing student math work and noticing some red flags—math concepts that should be solid just aren’t t...

Turn Your Next Book Talk into a Book Do: The Shift That Changes Everything

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Book talks have become a popular way to spark professional learning, but in many cases, they don’t go far enough to create real change—especially ...

How To Help Students Choose the Right Math Operation

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a familiar challenge— when it comes to deciding which math operation to use, students get stuck. In this episode, we explore one of the often...

How Impactful Is Math Coaching?

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is your math coaching program truly transforming classroom practice—or just treading water?Many districts wrestle with whether coaching is worth the...

When Math Curriculum Alignment Feels Like a Threat to Your Autonomy

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible for teachers to have both autonomy in their math classroom and alignment with district goals? In this episode, we challenge the idea th...

How to Lead Math PD Without False Authority

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we reflect on a challenge many math leaders face: the risk of presenting ourselves with false authority. Whether we’re facilitating...

The Math Screener Struggle Is Real | Why & How To Use Math Screeners With Impact

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Math Screeners… Diagnostics… Assessments… It’s easy to get lost in the language of math data. In this episode, we unpack the similarities and ...

Leading Without Authority: How Coaches Can Activate Math Leadership in Schools

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know school administrators play a crucial role in driving long-term math improvement—but what happens when you're a coach or teacher leader ...

Boost Math Participation & Discourse with These Simple Math Routines

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh from the 2025 NCTE-NCTM conference in Chicago, our team reflects on one powerful math instructional routine that stood out—an approach that sp...

From Passive to Powerful: Transforming the Principal's Role in Math Leadership

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know principals are busy—constantly managing urgent issues and putting out fires. But we also know this: school-level change is the most powerful...

Small Summer Shifts That Set You Up for a Better Math Focused School Year

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The end of the school year can feel like a whirlwind—agitated students, hot classrooms, and a growing list of to-dos. But before rushing into summer...

Why Principals Must Lead School-Level Change In Mathematics

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We know principals are busy—constantly managing urgent issues and putting out fires. But we also know this: school-level change is the most powerful...

3 Ways to Set Students Up for Summer Math Success | Your Summer Math Program

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Summer learning loss in math is real—and it doesn’t affect all students equally. In this episode, we explore how the summer slide disproportionate...

How To Unpack Math Standards with Teachers: The Strategy Every Math Team Needs

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Math curriculums and standards are more ambitious than ever—often asking teachers to cover more than a year's worth of learning in less than 10...

Why Your Fact Fluency Fix May Have Failed (So far) & What To Do Next

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We were told to move away from flashcards, multiplication drills, and timed tests in math class—and for good reason. These practices didn’t suppor...

Create End of Year Impact | Adopt, Adapt, Abandon For Your Math Program

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the school year winds down, it’s time to reflect—not react on your math impact. In this episode, we dive into one of the most important (and of...

When High Scores Lie: Rethinking How We Assess in Math Class

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On a recent coaching call, we spoke with a new teacher who was feeling great about a math quiz her students had just aced—until she wasn’t. The qu...

What We Got Wrong (and Right) in Our Last Full-Day Math PD

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Planning a full-day professional development session for math can feel like a golden opportunity—and a daunting challenge. How do you make the most ...

19 Years of Advice on Teaching Through Math Tasks in 25 Minutes

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this reflective and candid episode, we dive into the lessons we’ve learned since shifting to a task-based approach to teaching math. With over 19...

Your School or District Math Improvement Plan Dashboard: A Walkthrough Guide

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you know if your district’s math improvement plan is truly making an impact—and can you prove it before the test scores roll in?If you&apos...