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
Teaching from Within: The Power of Identity-Aligned Practice feat. Dr. Tami Dean
Dear Educator,
What if the most powerful tool you have in your teaching practice… is you?
In this episode of PD for the Soul, we’re joined by Dr. Tami Dean of Dragonfly Rising to explore the deep and transformative power of identity-aligned practice. Teaching from within isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity for sustaining joy, equity, and authenticity in your work.
Dr. Dean shares her journey as a liberatory educator, inviting us to consider how our personal experiences, core values, and lived identities shape the way we show up for students. Together, we talk about how alignment between who we are and how we teach creates more meaningful connections, especially for students who’ve been historically marginalized or misunderstood.
If you’ve ever felt out of sync with your role, your school, or even yourself—this conversation offers grounding questions and practical ways to reconnect with your purpose.
Whether you’re in the classroom, coaching others, or leading change, this episode reminds you:
- Your identity is not a side note. It’s your compass.
Let this be your permission to reflect, reclaim, and realign.
With you in the work,
Laneshia
P.S. Download the companion podcast journal to dive deeper—and give yourself space to process the parts that hit home. The link’s in the show notes.
Learn from and connect with Dr. Dean:
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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