Mix and Math

Book: https://www.sedaeducationalconsulting.com/product-page/choosing-to-see-book

A Framework for Equitable Math Instruction with Dr. Pamela Seda

Brittany Hege — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 20:31:00 -0400

If we want every student to see themselves as capable math learners, we have to think critically about the way we teach, the tasks we choose, and the messages we send—both spoken and unspoken.

I recently had a chance to talk to Dr. Pamela Seda who is a leader in math education and co-author of Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom. She is committed to changing how students experience math so that all students develop into mathematical thinkers and problem-solvers.

We had a very actionable and down to earth discussion about what equity in math really is and how small shifts in our practice can help all students get what they need in math. We also talked about empowering students to take control of their learning and how to modify tasks in a way that helps every student see math as a tool for creating change.

Connect with Pam

Website: https://www.sedaeducationalconsulting.com/

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Moving Student Thinking Forward with Graham Fletcher

Brittany Hege — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 10:52:00 -0400

How do we move student thinking forward in a way that’s meaningful, inclusive, and still hits all the demands of teaching math? I had an opportunity to chat about all of this and so much more with today's guest, Graham Fletcher. Graham is a former classroom teacher and instructional lead and is currently a math specialist. He is the coauthor of Building Fact Fluency and shares so many fantastic resources on his website.

In this episode, we dive into everything from choosing rich tasks that provide multiple entry points, to the art of assessing where students are within a learning progression. We also talk about balancing conceptual understanding with the pressure put on us by pacing guides. This conversation is full of actionable ideas to move students' thinking forward.

Connect with Graham

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gfletchy

Website: https://gfletchy.com/

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Healing Students' Relationships with Math with Vanessa Vakharia

Brittany Hege — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:48:00 -0400

In this conversation with Vanessa Vakharia, author of Math Therapy and host of the Math Therapy podcast, we had a great discussion about how math anxiety impacts students' relationships with math and how our own experiences in math play a role in our work with students. We talked about teaching practices we need to think more critically about and Vanessa shared some wonderful ideas for how we can help students become more aware of and navigate their feelings around learning math.

Connect with Vanessa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themathguru/

Website: https://www.maththerapypodcast.com/

Math Therapy: https://us.corwin.com/books/math-therapy-288168

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Supporting Multilingual Learners with Georgina Rivera

Brittany Hege — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 16:51:00 -0400

I had the chance to talk to Georgina Rivera about ways that we can support multilingual learners in math and how we can shed light on the brilliance that every single child in the classroom has within them. Georgina is currently the principal of a school in Connecticut but before that, she was a math teacher, coach, and STEM supervisor. She is active in many professional organizations including NCSM where she served as the Vice President. One of the things I love about talking to Georgina is just how practical the tips and strategies she provides are. I think you'll find yourself reaching for a pen and paper to jot down all the ideas she shares in this episode!

Connect with Georgina

Twitter: https://x.com/Mathcoachrivera/

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Getting Students to Think in Math Class with Peter Liljedahl

Brittany Hege — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:59:00 -0400

If you joined us for last summer's book study, then you're in for a treat because I had the opportunity to interview Peter Liljedahl, author of Building Thinking Classrooms. We had a fantastic discussion about overcoming the roadblocks that keep us stuck when creating a thinking classroom, as well as why we should shift the lens through which we read and implement the book. He also shared some new insights he's had since releasing the book and seeing it implemented in thousands of classrooms.

Connect with Peter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkingclassrooms/

Twitter: https://x.com/pgliljedahl

Website: https://buildingthinkingclassrooms.com/

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Building Strong Math Communities with Chase Orton

Brittany Hege — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:03:00 -0400

We know as math educators that the beliefs students have about math and the past experiences they bring with them impact how they approach and engage in math lessons. Even our own experiences play a part in what teaching and learning look like in the classroom.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Chase Orton, author of The Imperfect and Unfinished Math Teacher, to talk about how we can develop stronger classroom communities for students that change their math stories. We also talked about creating more collaborative professional communities for ourselves so that our own math stories continue to evolve.

Connect with Chase

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imperfectunfinished/

Twitter: https://x.com/mathgeek76

Website: https://www.chaseorton.com

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Supporting Learners Who Struggle with Juli Dixon

Brittany Hege — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:09:00 -0400

As educators, it's often our learners who struggle the most that keep us up at night. We believe they can thrive in math, but we aren’t always sure how best to support them. I had the pleasure of talking to Juli Dixon who is a professor at the University of Central Florida and co-author of the Making Sense of Teaching Mathematics series. Her work with students and teachers has led to numerous publications, including textbooks, articles, and her new Fact Tactics Fluency Program.

In this interview, Juli talks about everything from the types of lessons we should be focusing on when working with learners who struggle to ideas for developing fact fluency even when it feels like there just isn't enough instructional time.

Connect with Juli

Twitter: https://www.x.com/thestrokeofluck

Website: http://www.dnamath.com/

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Brain-Based Learning in Math with Christy Harper

Brittany Hege — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:18:00 -0400

Brain-based learning is somewhat of a hot topic in many schools. If you're new to what the research says and how it applies to teaching math, you'll want to tune into this incredibly actionable interview. I had the pleasure of talking to Christy Harper who is currently a math specialist but has been an upper elementary math teacher for over 15 years in Sonoma County, California. Christy started as a teacher in our professional development program and then became a member of our team in the last couple of years in addition to her work in the classroom.

In this interview, Christy shares what she has learned about the structure of the brain and how learning is impacted when students are under stress. We chat about simple ways we can create a safe learning environment so that our students' math brains can truly thrive.

Connect with Christy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathwithmsharper/

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From Reluctant to Engaged Problem Solvers with Robert Kaplinsky

Brittany Hege — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:26:00 -0400

Problem-solving is one of the most important skills we teach in math classrooms. But even though we know just how valuable it is, developing students' problem-solving skills can be challenging! I sat down with Robert Kaplinsky, co-founder of the Open Middle website and author of Open Middle Math: Problems That Unlock Student Thinking. He's also the founder and president of Grassroots Workshops and an incredible keynote speaker to educators around the world.

In this interview, we talk about everything from getting started with problem-based lessons to supporting students who appear unengaged or unwilling to give problems a try. We also talk about how to approach our professional growth in a way that is achievable rather than overwhelming.

Connect with Robert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert_kaplinsky/

Website: https://robertkaplinsky.com

Connect with Brittany