The Mindful Math Podcast
The Mindful Math Podcast
Chrissy Allison
How can I find time for myself as a math teacher or math coach? What does equitable instruction entail, and what mindsets, opportunities, strategies, and outcomes are necessary to achieve it? How can I teach in a way that reaches all students, including students who enter my class with a lot of unfinished learning? What are the most effective ways to increase access to grade-level math and help ‘bridge the gap’? Welcome to The Mindful Math Podcast where we will answer ALL of these questions and so much more! Week by week, host Chrissy Allison brings you the mindset tips, instructional strategies, time-saving tricks, and stories of lessons learned that can help you be at YOUR best so you can best serve your students. A big believer in the 80/20 rule, Chrissy wants to help YOU answer this question above all others: Where should I focus my efforts to make the MOST IMPACT on my students’ learning experience and math proficiency? In short, what actions truly move the needle when it comes to math? Drawing from her vast experience as a math educator over the past two decades, Chrissy shares practical advice you can use to create a positive community in your math classroom, reach every learner no matter their starting point, all while finding balance in your own life. For more information, and to access show notes and resource links for each episode, go to www.mindfulmathcoach.com.
71 - Case Study: How One Chicago School Made Dramatic Gains In One Year - with Winnie Stevenson
In this episode, I talk with Winnie Stevenson, Assistant Principal of a small, K-8 elementary school in Chicago. Be a fly on the wall as we discuss our work together over the course of the 22-23 school year to: (a) successfully roll out a new curriculum, and (b) increase math discourse in daily instruction. Walk away with ideas to try in your own school, insights about what moves the needle, and inspiration to keep going! LISTEN TO HEAR: 1. Our strategic planning process + key priorities for ...
Sep 15, 2023
48 min
70 - The Math Ed Book You HAVE To Read - with Tom Redmon
I had to hear about this book from 5 different people before I started reading it… and trust me, it was worth it! Luckily, my friend and fellow math coach, Tom Redmon, was persistent, and *finally* convinced me to pick it up. He wasn’t wrong – Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl is SO GOOD! I can’t say enough positive things about it. Seriously. In this episode, Tom and I share our biggest takeaways and discuss why the book had such an impact on us. If you’re looking for a s...
May 27, 2023
37 min
69 - 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make
This episode is even better with the visuals! Get immediate access to the edited version of this killer video training, 3 Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make by going to: https://www.mindfulmathcoach.com/improvement Or if you're on the go, press play now and listen in to the audio recording of my latest and greatest free webinar: Math Improvement Mistakes You Don't Want to Make where I share 3 math improvement strategies that commonly fail and 3 alternatives to help you succeed....
May 21, 2023
1 hr 27 min
68 - Just *Right* Leadership
In this episode, I’m helping you reflect on the question: Is my leadership style too hot, too cold, or just right? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the characteristics of the most effective school and district leaders I’ve worked with, plus my own leadership style as a math coach. I recognized a trend: that the best leaders have all found a *just right* rhythm, which in turn leads to fast and consistent progress. If you’re a math coach, principal, or district leader who wants better teaching, ...
Apr 29, 2023
24 min
67 - What Math Rigor Is -- And What It's Not
In this episode, Chrissy brings clarity to the elusive idea of Math Rigor, explaining what it is and dispelling common misunderstandings about what it’s NOT. Using non-math examples from our day-to-day lives, such as learning to ride a bike or tie your shoes, Chrissy illustrates how the nature of a skill or task influences our instructional approach as parents – and how that connects to math rigor. Listen to better understand the 3 aspects that comprise mathematical rigor and how they work to...
Apr 1, 2023
29 min
66 - What To Do When You’re Behind On Pacing
When was the last time you looked at your pacing guide? Did your stomach drop when you saw where you were “supposed” to be – and then compared that to where you actually ARE? I know, I know. You’ve been heads down teaching your students, taking it one day at a time, and moving on to the next lesson *only* when your students were ready. But as the end of the year draws closer, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore the fact that you’re running out of time. You’re coming to terms with the re...
Mar 18, 2023
28 min
65 - Balancing It All As A Busy Educator - with Sauda Porter
Sauda Porter is a master of time management. She’s a mom of 3, works full time, runs an online business – and yet she STILL finds time for dates with her husband, daily exercise, and 1-on-1 time with her daughters. (WHAT?!?!? Who IS this time magician?) Knowing how busy our lives are as teachers, coaches, and administrators, I brought Sauda onto the podcast to share her wisdom + systems and time hacks with us. Wish you had more strategies to prioritize personal relationships and carve out tim...
Mar 4, 2023
38 min
64 - Real Life Problems Of Practice (from my mentorship clients)
How do your values influence your coaching style? In this episode, Chrissy shares her biggest values when it comes to supporting math coaches, school leaders, and district specialists – PLUS real-life examples of how they show up in 1-to-1 coaching conversations. Hear 3 problems of practice from Chrissy’s ACTUAL mentorship clients, along with her responses, insights, and suggestions. Curious about the work happening behind-the-scenes of Mindful Math Coach? Click play and start listening now. ...
Feb 18, 2023
32 min
63 - Preventing & Overcoming Math Trauma - with Dr. Kim Melgar
In this episode, Chrissy interviews Dr. Kim Melgar, department chair for mathematics at the Relay Graduate School of Education, to discuss two related topics – math trauma and math identity. Dr. Kim is on a mission to help educators first reflect on their own math experiences and then empower them to replace math trauma with positive math identities. Hear examples of traumatic math events and how they negatively impact students. Plus, gain insight into how you can stop math trauma and create ...
Feb 4, 2023
43 min
62 - The Biggest Barriers To Teacher Growth
Despite our best efforts as leaders, sometimes we don’t see the kind of change in teacher practice that we set out to achieve. Perhaps you’ve been coaching your heart out or spending late nights designing the most epic PDs, yet you STILL walk into classrooms and observe the same instructional practices you’ve been trying to shift. What’s going on? Why the lack of progress? In this episode, I’m sharing 3 common mistakes you may be making that keeps teacher growth stagnant. Episode Show Notes: ...
Aug 7, 2022
31 min
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