The Build Math Minds Podcast

Christina Tondevold

The Build Math Minds podcast is for my fellow Recovering Traditionalists out there. If you don't know whether or not you are a Recovering Traditionalist, here's how I define us. We are math educators who used to teach math the traditional way. Flip lesson by lesson in the textbook, directly teaching step-by-step how to solve math problems. But now, we are working to change that to a style of teaching math that is fun and meets our students where they are at, not just teaching what comes next in the textbook. We want to encourage our students to be thinkers, problem solvers, and lovers of mathematics..we are wanting to build our students math minds and not just create calculators. If that is you, then this podcast is for you.

  1. 3D AGO

    Building Thinking Classrooms: The ONE Thing Math Coaches Need to Focus On

    Building Thinking Classrooms is powerful—but when teachers try to implement all 14 practices at once, it falls apart. In this episode, I share a better approach for math coaches: focus on ONE practice based on what your teachers actually want to improve. I walk through why the "all at once" approach backfires, how to choose which practice to start with, and how to build incrementally so changes actually stick. Plus, I'm sharing three sessions at our free Virtual Math Summit that dig deeper into BTC—including a session from Peter Liljedahl himself specifically for math coaches on navigating the messy middle of implementation, Maegan Giroux on what kindergartners taught her about thinking classrooms, and Tammy McMorrow on building math identity and belonging. Register for free at VirtualMathSummit.com

    12 min

  2. FEB 1

    The Math Fluency Trap: Why Flexibility Isn't Enough

    In this episode I'm saying something that might surprise you: Flexibility alone isn't enough for math fluency. I know, I know. I literally have courses called The Flexibility Formula. I talk about flexibility ALL THE TIME. But here's the thing: We've swung the pendulum too far. The problem: For years, we taught fluency through drill type worksheets, timed tests, and memorization. That had major downsides (anxiety, math avoidance, kids forgetting everything over summer). So the pendulum swung the other way. Now we're ONLY focusing on flexibility by building number sense, using strategies, and seeing relationships. And that's not working either. The solution: True math fluency has THREE components—Accuracy, Efficiency, AND Flexibility. Students need all three. In this episode, I break down: The Fluency Framework: Accuracy - Getting the right answer Efficiency - Getting there in a reasonable time (not 1 second, but not 5 minutes) Flexibility - Having multiple strategies and seeing number relationships Here's the key insight: When kids have flexibility with numbers—when they see relationships and can use strategies—they can figure out problems without shutting down. However, for facts to eventually become automatic, students do need repetition and practice. Fluency isn't just Flexibility and it isn't just Efficiency. Students need all 3. 3 ways to help teachers stop the pendulum swing: 1. Get on the same page about what fluency means.  2. Introduce purposeful practice structures.  3. Help them understand the progression. Resources mentioned: The Flexibility Formula courses: BuildMathMinds.com/enroll 2026 Virtual Math Summit sessions from Pam Harris, Dan Finkel, and Becky Lord Register free at VirtualMathSummit.com The pendulum needs to stop in the middle. Flexibility is necessary but not sufficient. Students need all three: Accuracy, Efficiency, and Flexibility.

    16 min

  3. JAN 25

    What 13 AI Lessons Taught Me About Teaching Math

    Over the past few weeks, I've had AI generate 13 math lessons.  Teachers ARE using AI to generate lessons—whether we like it or not. So instead of pretending that's not happening, I decided to put AI to the test. Can it actually create good math lessons? The short answer? Not really. But the insights I gained from evaluating those 13 AI-generated lessons? Those apply to ANY math lesson—AI-generated or straight from your textbook. In this episode, I share the 3 biggest things I learned: Lesson #1: AI needs tons of detail in your prompt. I started with simple prompts like "Create a lesson for this standard" and got surface-level, procedural lessons. Even when I added more detail, AI still missed the mark. To get a truly good lesson, you'd need to give AI so much detail that you might as well write the lesson yourself. Lesson #2: AI doesn't know learning progressions. This is the biggest problem. AI assumes the standard you give it is exactly what students are ready for RIGHT NOW. But standards are where students need to be at the END of the year. AI doesn't understand where students typically are at the beginning, what foundational concepts need to be in place first, or where YOUR specific students are in their learning journey. Lesson #3: AI lessons are a starting point, not a finished product. Bottom line: I don't recommend using AI for lesson plans. But if you do, evaluate it with a critical eye and modify based on what you know about your students and the learning progression. So what IS AI good for? Analyzing data to find patterns in coaching cycles or assessment data Generating differentiated materials as a starting point Drafting communication and handouts (that you then edit) AI can handle mundane tasks so you have more time for the human work—coaching conversations, relationship-building, and instructional decision-making. My YouTube Shorts series: I'm doing a series called "AI Made This Lesson, Let's Make It Better" where I show you—in under 2 minutes—how to improve AI-generated lessons. But here's the thing: those same modifications apply to textbook lessons too. Watch them all (even if they're not your grade level) because the advice applies everywhere. Resources mentioned: YouTube Shorts playlist: "AI Made This Lesson" 2026 Virtual Math Summit sessions from Dr. Kristopher Childs and Dr. Nicki Newton Register free at VirtualMathSummit.com AI isn't going away. So let's learn how to use it wisely. Register at VirtualMathSummit.com to learn from experts about how to use AI in Education in the best ways.

    18 min

  4. JAN 18

    3 Coaching Strategies That Actually Work

    Teachers are overwhelmed, students are struggling, and the strategies that worked pre-pandemic aren't working anymore. In this episode, I tackle one of the biggest mindset barriers happening right now: "They should already know this." Yeah, they should. But they don't. So now what? I'm giving you three practical coaching strategies to help teachers shift from "they should know this" (which leads to frustration and blame) to "here's where they are and here's how we move them forward" (which leads to action and hope). You'll learn: How to help teachers identify the actual gap so it feels manageable, not overwhelming How to reframe "catching up" as "building forward"—addressing foundational gaps within current instruction How to normalize where students are and reset expectations around the timeline Math recovery is taking longer than reading recovery since the pandemic. Your teachers aren't failing—they're working with a different reality. Resources mentioned: 2026 Virtual Math Summit sessions from Jen Hunt, Graham Fletcher, Ann Elise Record, and Dr. Sue Looney Register free at VirtualMathSummit.com Whether you're a math coach, instructional coach, or administrator supporting math teachers, this episode will help you address one of the most common (and most damaging) mindsets holding us all back right now. Register at VirtualMathSummit.com to learn from experts to help your staff Build Forward.

    16 min

  5. JAN 11

    The Science of Math

    In this episode, we tackle a hot topic in education: the Science of Math. Inspired by a podcast about women's health and a meeting with state math supervisors, I'm exploring two critical questions educators need to ask when applying research to their math instruction. First, is a powerful parallel I had when I heard: "Women are not small men" and that helped me think that math is not reading.  Let's challenge the common practice of taking research from reading instruction and automatically applying it to mathematics without questioning whether it actually fits. Just because something works for teaching reading doesn't mean it will work for teaching math—our brains process these subjects differently. Second, I challenge you to really take a look at the good and bad of what research suggests we do through the lens of timed tests. While research shows timed tests can increase fact retention, I ask the important follow-up questions: What about student anxiety? What about their enjoyment of math? I break down the actual benefits of timed tests (goal-setting, measuring progress, feeling achievement) and challenge listeners to find ways to get those benefits without the negative side effects. I'll leave you with two key questions to ask whenever you hear about "what the science says": Was this research actually done with mathematics, or are we borrowing from another field? If the research looks good but feels wrong, can you get the benefits without the downsides? Resources mentioned: Christina's previous video on timed activities 2026 Virtual Math Summit featuring Douglas Clements' session on The Science of Math - Register free at VirtualMathSummit.com Whether you're a teacher, math coach, or administrator, this episode will help you think more critically about the research you're applying in your math instruction. Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/217

    10 min

  6. 12/14/2025

    Why Math Practice Fails (And the Simple Fix)

    Do your students complete their math practice but forget everything by next week? There's a reason this happens—and a simple fix. Australian educator Michaela Epstein reveals why most practice only goes one direction (question → answer) and shares sorting & matching tasks that build real understanding. Learn how to add one metacognitive step that transforms mindless practice into flexible thinking. Plus, get details on the upcoming 10th Virtual Math Summit (Feb 28-March 1, 2026) with 34 sessions designed specifically for PreK-5 teachers and math coaches. Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/216

    28 min

  7. 12/07/2025

    Why Balance in Teaching Isn't What You Think

    Are you exhausting yourself trying to make everything "equal" in your math instruction or math coaching? In this video, I'm sharing why balance in teaching isn't about equality - it's about creating a beautiful structure that meets the needs of those you are working with. Let's rethink what balance really means for elementary math teachers and coaches. Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/215

    8 min

  8. 11/23/2025

    The REAL Purpose of Teaching Math (And Why It Matters More Than Ever)

    When your students ask "When will I ever use this?"—especially with AI doing calculations faster than any of us—how do you answer? In this episode, I share a conversation that just validated how I think about the purpose of teaching math.    Spoiler: It's not about long division. It's about building thinkers, not calculators.    You'll hear the difference between students who DO math versus students who THINK about math, why building flexible thinkers actually speeds up your teaching (not slows it down), and how to shift your instruction to focus on what really matters. If you've ever questioned why we teach certain math skills, this episode will give you a whole new perspective.   Get any resources/links mentioned in this episode at BuildMathMinds.com/214

    8 min
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About

The Build Math Minds podcast is for my fellow Recovering Traditionalists out there. If you don't know whether or not you are a Recovering Traditionalist, here's how I define us. We are math educators who used to teach math the traditional way. Flip lesson by lesson in the textbook, directly teaching step-by-step how to solve math problems. But now, we are working to change that to a style of teaching math that is fun and meets our students where they are at, not just teaching what comes next in the textbook. We want to encourage our students to be thinkers, problem solvers, and lovers of mathematics..we are wanting to build our students math minds and not just create calculators. If that is you, then this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Christina Tondevold
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © Build Math Minds
  • Show Website
    The Build Math Minds Podcast

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