Make Math Happen
Make Math Happen (formerly known as PD for the SOUL) is the podcast for educators ready to move with intention and teach with impact. Hosted by math coach and equity-focused educator Laneshia Boone, each episode bridges practice and purpose to help you design instruction that centers students, builds capacity, and makes learning stick—especially for those pushed to the margins.
Every week, you’ll get strategies that work in real classrooms, grounded reflections that challenge the status quo, and conversations with educators who are making bold moves in math education. From planning with purpose to using charts that anchor learning, from building strong routines to disrupting expired rules, this podcast is where meaningful math instruction comes to life.
You’ll walk away with ready-to-use tools, fresh insight, and the confidence to make every lesson count.
Because when we move with care, plan with clarity, and teach with courage, we make math happen.
Make Math Happen
Closing Strong: Data-Driven Teaching for Maximum Impact
Dear Educator,
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, this episode of PD for the Soul invites you to shift from information to transformation.
You’ve gathered benchmark data, you've seen your students grow—and now it’s time to make every instructional moment count. In this episode, we explore how to finish strong by using data to drive targeted instruction, balance pacing with purposeful reteaching, and build student confidence as they approach end-of-year assessments.
We also introduce a powerful, practical routine to support your math block: the Three Reads Strategy. This routine helps students develop deeper understanding and problem-solving stamina when approaching word problems. Here's a quick overview:
- Read 1: What is the situation about?
Guide students to identify context and relationships—not just race to the numbers. - Read 2: What is countable or measurable?
Encourage them to annotate, discuss quantities, and clarify units and values. - Read 3: What strategy should I use to solve?
Listen for their reasoning and references to strategies learned in class.
As you implement this in your classroom, observe how your students annotate and explain their thinking. For those who’ve struggled with problem-solving, encourage them to lean into one strategy and really master it. Depth over breadth builds the kind of confidence that lasts.
Whether you're reteaching, remediating, or ramping things up for rigor, this episode is here to support you in closing the year with clarity, impact, and purpose.
You’ve done so much this year—let’s finish strong, together.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators.
You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students.
Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.
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