Making Math Moments That Matter

Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr
  • 5.0 (1)
  • How To
  • Updated weekly

Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students. As a teacher are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making?Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have been engaging students, teachers, and district program leaders with effective mathematics pedagogy, accessible resources, and inspiring learning environments in K-12 math classrooms. Now, in this podcast they coach you - K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics  through a 6 step plan that cultivates and fosters your mathematics program like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.If you master the 6 parts of an effective mathematics program, the impact you have on students or teachers will grow and reach far and wide.Every week, you’ll hear insight from practicing classroom teachers and leaders in math education so you’ll get the feedback, guidance, and fresh ideas you need to stop feeling overwhelmed, gain back your confidence, and inspire the students and fellow teachers you serve to enjoy the beauty of mathematics once again. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180

  1. 1 day ago

    How to Build Teacher “Buy-In” for Math Improvement

    Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore teacher buy-in and resistance in math PD, and how the Results Pyramid helps leaders create the experiences that shift beliefs, build trust, and move teams to action. K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman respond to a question they heard three times in a single week: what do you do when your math team pushes back on every new idea? Drawing on Change the Culture, Change the Game by Roger Connors and Tom Smith, they explain why widespread resistance is usually a culture problem rather than a personality problem, and how the Results Pyramid can help leaders design the experiences that shift beliefs and lead to lasting action. They contrast two teams they support: a 6–12 group that built trust through a co-constructed vision and three years of consistent messaging, and a 9–12 team stepping into the work feeling anxious and skeptical. Along the way, they share practical first steps for listening, building relational trust, and helping more people move above the line. In this episode, you'll explore: Why widespread resistance is a culture problem, not a personality problemWhat “above the line” and “below the line” thinking looks like in math PD and PLCsHow the Results Pyramid connects experiences, beliefs, actions, and resultsWhy math improvement plans that jump straight to actions often stallHow one district built trust by co-constructing a shared vision and repeating it for three yearsHow transparency around observations and data collection builds relational trustWhy listening to teachers’ fears is the first step toward buy-inHow trusted informal leaders can help pull a team above the lineHow teams can hold each other accountable without shutting down honest venting Think about the last time your team pushed back on a new math initiative. What past experiences might have shaped that response? Identify one interaction you lead regularly, such as a PLC, department meeting, or PD session, and ask: What experience am I creating here, and what belief is it reinforcing? Then decide on one change you could make next time to help pull people above the line. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  2. 5 days ago

    Dr. Nicki Newton: Rethinking Math Fact Fluency.

    What does fact fluency actually mean in your school? If you asked five teachers, would you get five different answers?  K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Dr. Nicki Newton explore why fact fluency is bigger than a classroom strategy. They unpack what fluency really means, why timing matters, and what changes when schools treat fact fluency as a coherent, long-term system priority.  In this episode, you'll explore: What efficiency, flexibility, and accuracy with understanding really mean for fact fluencyWhy instant recall can be a goal without making timed tests the starting pointWhy fact fluency needs to be approached as a system-wide priorityHow differentiated practice can better meet students where they areWhy public displays of students' math fact performance can do more harm than goodHow data conversations can shift from identifying what's “wrong” with students to examining instructionWhy schools need to interrogate the practices they've inherited around math factsHow leaders, coaches, teachers, students, and families can contribute to a coherent fluency approach Start by uncovering your school's current fluency story. What do you believe about fact fluency? What practices have become routine, and why? Then ask whether those practices are actually producing the outcomes you want for students.  Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  3. 12 Oct

    Is Productive Struggle One Of Your Math Classroom Pillars? Should It Be?

    What do you fundamentally believe about how students learn mathematics? More importantly, do the everyday experiences in your classroom actually reflect those beliefs? K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman revisit four classroom pillars—growth, curiosity, collaboration, and struggle—and ask whether they still hold up years later. They explore what happens when beliefs become more than words and begin shaping assessment, instruction, expectations, and every interaction students experience.  In this episode, you'll explore: Why every math teacher should identify the beliefs they won't waver fromHow classroom pillars connect beliefs to everyday instructional decisionsWhy saying you value growth means your assessment practices should honor growthHow curiosity, collaboration, and productive struggle shape students' mathematical experiencesWhy classroom pillars shouldn't simply become another checklistWhether practice, precision, and mathematical reasoning deserve a place among your core beliefsHow expectations for rigor can communicate a fundamental belief that students are capableHow teachers and teams can co-construct their own classroom pillarsAt your next team meeting, ask one question: What do we truly believe students should experience and get from mathematics? Identify the few ideas you aren't willing to compromise on, then look at whether your everyday practices actually bring those beliefs to life. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  4. 8 Oct

    Graham Fletcher: Are We Making Math More Disjointed Than It Needs to Be?

    Monday is make a ten. Tuesday is doubles. Wednesday is doubles plus one. Add a completely different context each day, and we may be making it harder for students to see how the mathematics connects.  K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Graham Fletcher explore the idea of finding a through line in mathematics. They unpack how greater coherence in both context and content can help students make connections, build conceptual understanding, and access the mathematics more deeply.  In this episode, you'll explore: What a “through line” looks like in mathematicsWhy constantly changing contexts can create unnecessary barriers for studentsHow a familiar context can give students more space to focus on the mathematicsWhy variety in problem types doesn't require a new context every timeHow mathematical properties can connect strategies that often appear unrelatedWhy unitizing provides a through line from whole numbers to fractions and ratesHow understanding mathematical progressions helps teachers respond to the range of thinking in their classroomsWhat it means to become a wiser consumer of curriculum resources Look back at the last couple of weeks of your math instruction. How often did the strategy, context, and mathematical idea change? Consider where a stronger through line could help students see connections that may currently be hidden.  Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  5. 5 Oct

    From Classroom Observations to a Focused Math Improvement Plan

    Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a three-day school visit and share how a K–12 team used a Math Coherence Compass, classroom observations, focused instructional moves, and short-term key results to build a sustainable math improvement plan. K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman unpack a recent three-day visit with a K–12 school working to strengthen its math improvement plan. They share how the team moved from a broad vision to classroom evidence, one focused instructional move, and short-term key results designed to build momentum.  In this episode, you'll explore: Why a shared vision needs to describe what students and teachers will actually be doingHow a Math Coherence Compass can create alignment across multiple campusesThe difference between student participation and independent mathematical thinkingHow classroom observations can reveal strengths and opportunities without becoming evaluativeWhy the team focused on student confidence, risk taking, perseverance, and curiosityHow one existing part of the curriculum became a high-leverage instructional moveWhy short-term key results can help turn a long-term goal into immediate actionHow accountability and follow-up help new practices become part of the system Look at your current math improvement goal and ask: What is one observable change we could realistically make this quarter? Get specific about the action, how you'll support it, what evidence you'll collect, and when you'll come back together to see what you're learning. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  6. 1 Oct

    Zak Champagne: Creating Curious Kids in the Math Classroom

    Jon Orr interviews Zak Champagne, author of Curious Kids in the Math Classroom, about practical ways to foster student curiosity through classroom community, authentic questioning, task design, and small shifts to existing math lessons. Register for free for the 2026 Make Math Moments Virtual Summit.  K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Zak Champagne, author of Curious Kids in the Math Classroom, explore how small shifts in classroom practice can foster authentic curiosity. They discuss creating safe spaces, modeling genuine curiosity, using cliffhangers, and adapting the curriculum you already have.  In this episode, you'll explore: Why curiosity is something we can foster rather than forceHow repeated moments of curiosity can shape students' relationship with mathematicsWhy authentic teacher curiosity matters more than manufactured “wonder”How classroom community creates the safety students need to share unfinished ideasHow cliffhangers and uncertainty can invite students into mathematical thinkingSimple ways to adapt existing math tasks without replacing your curriculumWhy fostering curiosity is a long game, not a checklist of strategiesHow small, sustainable changes can transform classroom experiences over time Don't try to overhaul every lesson. Choose one small move that creates a little more room for students to wonder, ask questions, or explore an unfinished idea—and keep building from there. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  7. 28 Sept

    Math Wars: Why Conceptual vs. Procedural Is the Wrong Math Debate

    The math wars often focus on conceptual understanding versus traditional algorithms. Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore a deeper challenge: understanding the prerequisite mathematical ideas students need to access new learning. K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Yvette Lehman explore what changes when we stop debating how math should be taught and start examining the knowledge students need to access today’s learning. Mathematics is cumulative, and those prerequisite ideas may be far more complex than the curriculum progression suggests.  In this episode, you'll explore: Why the conceptual-versus-procedural debate may be missing the bigger issueWhat it means for mathematics to be “ruthlessly cumulative”Why grade-level curriculum progressions don't always reveal true prerequisite knowledgeHow specialized content knowledge helps teachers respond to student misconceptionsWhat multiplying fractions reveals about factoring, scaling, ratios, and proportional reasoningWhy high-leverage visual models can help uncover the mathematics beneath an algorithmHow teachers can build their mathematical knowledge one concept at a timeWhy strengthening teacher capacity needs to be a long-term system priority Choose one concept you're teaching and look beneath the expectation: What does a student actually need to understand to access this idea? Try representing it with an area model, ratio table, or double number line and see what prerequisite ideas become visible. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

  8. 24 Sept

    Peter Liljedahl: Can We Teach Students to Be Resilient?

    We want students to be curious, persistent, and resilient problem solvers. But what if those aren't qualities students simply bring into our classrooms? What if we can actually create the conditions for them to emerge?  K-12 Math Leaders: Download our free Math Coherence Compass to help your teammates, system leaders, and educators create aligned instructional practices—without adding another initiative. https://makemathmoments.com/coherence-compass/ Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/  K-12 Math Leaders: Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Partner with us to follow our 4 stage process. https://growyourmathprogram.com  Looking to supplement your curriculum with problem-based lessons and units? Make Math Moments Problem Based Lessons & Units  In this episode, Jon Orr and Peter Liljedahl – author of Building Thinking Classrooms explore the difference between states and traits and what that distinction means for teaching mathematics. Peter shares how thoughtfully designed experiences can create moments of confidence, productive struggle, and resilience—and how repeated experiences can eventually shape who students become as mathematical thinkers.  In this episode, you'll explore: The difference between a state and a traitWhy resilience isn't something students either “have” or “don't have”How repeated states can eventually develop into traitsWhy productive struggle is more likely when challenge follows successHow task sequencing can build confidence before students encounter greater challengeWhy showing students how to solve problems isn't the same as helping them become problem solversHow Building Thinking Classrooms practices can create conditions for resilienceWhy teachers have an important role in designing environments that invite different student behavioursInstead of asking, “Why aren't my students more resilient?” consider asking, “What conditions could I create that give them an opportunity to step into resilience?” We can't expect different student behaviours without creating environments that invite those behaviours. Show Notes Page Love the show? Text us your big takeaway! We’ve partnered with them to help bring more collaborative learning into classrooms. Whether you’re supporting one class or math instruction across multiple schools, find the right way to get started at wipebook.com/mathmoments. Are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans that leave students so engaged they don’t want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? In their podcast, Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr—founders of MakeMathMoments.com—share over 19 years of experience inspiring K-12 math students, teachers, and district leaders with effective math activities, engaging resources, and innovative math leadership strategies. Through a 6-step framework, they guide K-12 classroom teachers and district math coordinators on building a strong, balanced math program that grows student and teacher impact. Each week, gain fresh ideas, feedback, and practical strategies to feel more confident and motivate students to see the beauty in math. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: "Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180.

See All (503)

About

Helping you transform your K-12 math lesson plans by building confidence in effective teaching practices, guiding you to transform your math curriculum, and inspiring classroom strategies to engage all students. As a teacher are you wondering how to create K-12 math lesson plans where students don't want to stop exploring your math curriculum when the bell rings? As a mathematics coordinator or leader are you wondering how to support teachers when implementing engaging math lessons that fuel student sense making?Over the last 19 years, Kyle and Jon, the founders of MakeMathMoments.com have been engaging students, teachers, and district program leaders with effective mathematics pedagogy, accessible resources, and inspiring learning environments in K-12 math classrooms. Now, in this podcast they coach you - K-12 classroom teachers and district leaders of mathematics  through a 6 step plan that cultivates and fosters your mathematics program like a strong, healthy and balanced tree.If you master the 6 parts of an effective mathematics program, the impact you have on students or teachers will grow and reach far and wide.Every week, you’ll hear insight from practicing classroom teachers and leaders in math education so you’ll get the feedback, guidance, and fresh ideas you need to stop feeling overwhelmed, gain back your confidence, and inspire the students and fellow teachers you serve to enjoy the beauty of mathematics once again. Start making math moments today by listening to Episode #139: Making Math Moments From Day 1 to 180

Information

  • Creator
    Kyle Pearce & Jon Orr
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    503
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Making Math Moments That Matter
  • Show Website
    Making Math Moments That Matter

You Might Also Like