The Mindful Math Podcast
How can I find time for myself as a math teacher or math coach? What does equitable instruction entail, and what mindsets, opportunities, strategies, and outcomes are necessary to achieve it? How can I teach in a way that reaches all students, including students who enter my class with a lot of unfinished learning? What are the most effective ways to increase access to grade-level math and help ‘bridge the gap’? Welcome to The Mindful Math Podcast where we will answer ALL of these questions and so much more! Week by week, host Chrissy Allison brings you the mindset tips, instructional strategies, time-saving tricks, and stories of lessons learned that can help you be at YOUR best so you can best serve your students. A big believer in the 80/20 rule, Chrissy wants to help YOU answer this question above all others: Where should I focus my efforts to make the MOST IMPACT on my students’ learning experience and math proficiency? In short, what actions truly move the needle when it comes to math? Drawing from her vast experience as a math educator over the past two decades, Chrissy shares practical advice you can use to create a positive community in your math classroom, reach every learner no matter their starting point, all while finding balance in your own life. For more information, and to access show notes and resource links for each episode, go to www.mindfulmathcoach.com.
Episodes
78 episodes
71 - Case Study: How One Chicago School Made Dramatic Gains In One Year - with Winnie Stevenson
In this episode, I talk with Winnie Stevenson, Assistant Principal of a small, K-8 elementary school in Chicago. Be a fly on the wall as we discuss our work together over the course of the 22-23 school year to: (a) successfully roll out a new c...
70 - The Math Ed Book You HAVE To Read - with Tom Redmon
I had to hear about this book from 5 different people before I started reading it… and trust me, it was worth it! Luckily, my friend and fellow math coach, Tom Redmon, was persistent, and *finally* convinced me to pick it up. He wasn’t wrong –&...
69 - 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make
This episode is even better with the visuals! Get immediate access to the edited version of this killer video training, 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make by going to: https...
68 - Just *Right* Leadership
In this episode, I’m helping you reflect on the question: Is my leadership style too hot, too cold, or just right? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the characteristics of the most effective school and district leaders I’ve worked with, plus my o...
67 - What Math Rigor Is -- And What It's Not
In this episode, Chrissy brings clarity to the elusive idea of Math Rigor, explaining what it is and dispelling common misunderstandings about what it’s NOT. Using non-math examples from our day-to-day lives, such as learning to ride a bike or ...
66 - What To Do When You’re Behind On Pacing
When was the last time you looked at your pacing guide? Did your stomach drop when you saw where you were “supposed” to be – and then compared that to where you actually ARE? I know, I know. You’ve been heads down teaching your students, taking...
65 - Balancing It All As A Busy Educator - with Sauda Porter
Sauda Porter is a master of time management. She’s a mom of 3, works full time, runs an online business – and yet she STILL finds time for dates with her husband, daily exercise, and 1-on-1 time with her daughters. (WHAT?!?!? Who IS this time m...
64 - Real Life Problems Of Practice (from my mentorship clients)
How do your values influence your coaching style? In this episode, Chrissy shares her biggest values when it comes to supporting math coaches, school leaders, and district specialists – PLUS real-life examples of how they show up in 1-to-1 coac...
63 - Preventing & Overcoming Math Trauma - with Dr. Kim Melgar
In this episode, Chrissy interviews Dr. Kim Melgar, department chair for mathematics at the Relay Graduate School of Education, to discuss two related topics – math trauma and math identity. Dr. Kim is on a mission to help educators first re...
62 - The Biggest Barriers To Teacher Growth
Despite our best efforts as leaders, sometimes we don’t see the kind of change in teacher practice that we set out to achieve. Perhaps you’ve been coaching your heart out or spending late nights designing the most epic PDs, yet you STILL walk i...
61 - New In Your Role? Two Things You Need
You deserve support. It’s as simple as that. Whether you’re a teacher or leader, new to your role or not, you should not have to go it alone! Listen in to this episode and hear two game-changing relationships you’ll want to get lined up for nex...
60 - 3 Things You (Probably) Don't Need To Improve Math Instruction At Your School
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to witness school improvement efforts in schools and districts across our country. Some have led to improved instructional practices and student growth, while others have made little (or no) impact. In t...
59 - A Conversation Around High School Math - with Barbara Beske
I’ve scoured the internet, and I know for a fact that there are WAY more resources for K-8 math teachers than for secondary. So, high school teachers – this one’s for you! If you’ve ever wondered what strong math instruction at the high school ...
58 - Pushing Past Perfectionism - with Lisa Westholder
Embracing mistakes isn’t just for students; we must adopt a growth mindset (ourselves!) in order to model mathematical mindsets for students. That’s the focus of this conversation between two recovering perfectionists, myself and experienced mi...
57 - Behind The Scenes Of My Bridge To Grade-Level Math Series
Want to know a secret? I recorded this episode way back in November 2020 when I first decided to package my biggest tips and best tools on the topic of Unfinished Learning and share them with secondary math educators. I’d just overcome a challe...
56 - Preventing Teacher Burnout - with Tim Schwarz
Did you know that between 40% and 50% of teachers leave the classroom within their first 5 years? Is this inevitable, or is there a way to prevent teacher burnout? Tim Schwarz, founder of Sustain Teachers, helps both teachers and leaders find t...
55 - Designing Curriculum That Supports Culturally Responsive Pedagogy - with Dionne Aminata
Culturally responsive teaching is a hot topic in education these days… but maybe the concept is still a little fuzzy to you. (Raising my hand over here!) That’s exactly the reason I invited Dionne Aminata, Director of Strategic Initiatives at I...
54 - Teaching With Humanity & Dignifying Students - with Jessica Marshall
If you are a white educator working with students of color, this episode is a must-listen. I only WISH it existed 20 years ago when I entered the classroom! In the episode, Jessica Marshall, a Ph.D. student at Northwestern University makes a co...
53 - Sparking Curiosity & Fueling Sense-Making - with Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce
Ever wish your students were better problem solvers? My guests on this episode of podcast, Jon Orr and Kyle Pearce, wanted the same thing for their own math students. They realized their current instructional practices were preventing ...
52 - Embracing a Pedagogy of Love - with Dr. Kimya Barden
Ever feel like the parents of your students don’t like math? Or had a negative experience as a student in math class? If so, they may be unintentionally passing their OWN math anxiety along to their KIDS. That was the case with podcast guest, D...
51 - Navigating Your Way Out Of The Drama Triangle - with Maggie Riley
In this episode, Maggie Riley explains the meaning of “drama consciousness,” how it commonly shows up in schools, and what we can do to navigate our way out of it. If your thoughts ever spiral downward, or if you work in a culture of complainin...
50 - Switching Math Curricula: When, Why, & How - with Leanna Lantz
Is your school or district thinking about rolling out a new math curriculum? Or perhaps you adopted one this year, and it’s not going as smoothly as you had hoped? You’re in good company because today’s guest, Leanna Lantz, has been there. She ...
49 - Let’s Make Math Minimalism A Thing
There’s a reason that our society has embraced “minimalism” more and more in recent years. It’s a simple and appealing idea, and it yields greater clarity and joy for people who have adopted it in their lives. In this episode, I’m applying this...
Bonus New Years Episode - My 2021 Takeaways
In this bonus New Year’s Episode, I'm sharing three of my biggest reflections from the past twelve months. 2021 was our second year of the pandemic – AND my second year building Mindful Math Coach. Both experiences taught me a lot! Listen in to...
2022 Support for Math Educators, Coaches & Leaders
Listen in to hear an overview of the Mindful Math Coach programs, services, and professional development opportunities available to math educators, coaches, and leaders in 2022. From low-priced, on-demand workshops to ongoing, high-touch coachi...
