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
The Recipe for Instruction: Tasks, Facilitation, and Engagement That Stick
Every strong math lesson has a recipe — the right balance of tasks, facilitation, and engagement that brings learning to life.
In this episode, Laneshia walks you through the Instruct portion of the lesson cycle like a master chef planning a meal. You’ll learn how to:
- Choose and sequence tasks that align with standards and build coherence across lessons.
- Facilitate learning through intentional routines that get students talking, reasoning, and doing the math — not just filling in boxes.
- Keep engagement high with movement, discussion, and student voice.
You’ll also hear strategies for classes where everyone needs acceleration — how to use conceptual connections to move the whole group forward without lowering the bar.
🎧 Listen in to learn how to:
- Turn “fill-in-the-box” tasks into invitations for thinking.
- Use routines like Notice & Wonder, Which One Doesn’t Belong, and Stronger and Clearer Each Time to build deeper reasoning.
- Reclaim your curriculum as a recipe for engagement, not compliance.
📎 Resources Mentioned
- Stronger and Clearer Each Time Routine – Understanding Language, pg 9
- Notice & Wonder Explained – YouCubed Video
- Which One Doesn’t Belong? – Article by Juliana Tapper
- Five Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions – Smith & Stein (NCTM)
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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