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Is your school choosing a new math curriculum? Before you dive into samples, demos, and committee meetings, listen in! I’m sharing the top three mistakes schools often make—and how you can avoid them to select a curriculum that truly supports students and teachers.

🎧 Episode Summary:
In this episode, I (Mona!) dive into the nitty-gritty of math curriculum selection. You’ll learn:
✅ The #1 step most schools skip (and why it matters)
✅ How to balance content quality with usability features
✅ Why curriculum alone isn’t the magic fix—and what to focus on instead

Whether you're a school leader, instructional coach, or classroom teacher, this episode will leave you empowered and ready to choose a math curriculum that aligns with your vision and sets your school up for success.

✨ Resources and Links Mentioned:
🔗 Main CTA: Book a call or learn about PD & coaching packages for 2025–2026: monamath.com/services
📥 Sign up for Mona Mail & grab tomorrow’s full Curriculum Selection Criteria List: monamath.com/newsletter
🎧 Related Episode: 33 - Math Culture Starts with a Strong Math Vision

💻 Learn more about my work with schools and coaching support: monamath.com

📲 Stay Connected:
Follow me on Instagram → @monamath
Explore resources and more → monamath.com

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply HERE!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Ever feel like your students don't have number sense? In this episode, we’re unpacking number sense with our guest, Christina Tondevold. Let’s dig in—it’s about to get good.

🎙️ Episode Overview

In this episode, Christina dives into Number Sense. You’ll learn:

• 🔑 Tips on Teaching Number Sense
• 🔑 Defining Number Sense
• 🔑 8 Ways to Add Number Sense to Your Classroom

…so you can feel confident in teaching number sense to your students.

Whether you’re a brand new teacher or a seasoned teacher, this conversation will leave you feeling confident and ready to build math minds.

✨ Resources and Links Mentioned

• 2️⃣ Number Sense Concepts in Prek-2nd Grade
• 1️⃣ Number Sense Concepts in 3rd-5th Grade
• 💻 Build Math Minds Website
• 💻 LearningTrajectories.org

📲 Stay Connected

• Follow on Instagram → @buildmathminds
• Check out the website → https://buildmathminds.com/
• Reach out anytime → info@buildmathminds.com

⭐ Enjoying the Show?

Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! And if this resonated with you, leaving a quick review helps others discover the show—and it seriously makes my day. 💛

Thanks for tuning in to Math Chat Podcast!

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply HERE!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

The Problem with “Yet”

We’ve all said it: “They just can’t do it… yet.”
But what if that tiny word is quietly lowering the bar?

In this episode, Mona shares her 🔥hot take and breaks down why “yet” isn’t always as empowering as we think and how it can unintentionally mask low expectations. You’ll hear stories from Mona’s own classroom, what a visiting teacher helped her realize, and what to say (and do!) instead of leaning on “yet.”

💡 Perfect for teachers who believe in growth mindset, but want to put it into real, actionable practice.

📲 Let's Stay Connected:

• Follow on Socials @hellomonamath
• Visit www.monamath.com

🎷 Love this episode? Please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Your support helps more elementary teachers find the show and helps me keep bringing you the best tips and inspiration for teachers like us!

Thanks for tuning in to Math Chat Podcast!

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply HERE!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Today’s episode is all about counting—but not just any kind of counting. We’re diving deep into how kids think about numbers, quantity, and patterns… and we’ve got the perfect guest to guide us.

I’m thrilled to welcome Christopher Danielson to the show. If you’ve ever stumbled across Which One Doesn’t Belong or How Many?, you already know Christopher’s work gets students—and adults—thinking more deeply about math in ways that feel playful, thoughtful, and refreshingly human.

We are chatting about:

• What is counting
• Why does counting matter
• How to support students through counting

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 📘 Which One Doesn't Belong?
• 📘 How Many? A Counting Book
• 📘 How Did You Count?
• Christopher's Website
• Math on a Stick
• Visual Patterns

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply HERE!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Today, we’re diving into a tough but important topic: Why are we so afraid to give kids hard math problems? If we’re being honest, it can feel uncomfortable to watch students struggle. We want them to feel successful, and sometimes it's tempting to step in and help too soon. But when we rescue students from struggle, we rob them of the chance to build resilience and problem-solving skills.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why hard problems are essential for deep learning, what holds us back from giving students these challenges, and how we can create a classroom where students see struggle not as something to avoid but as part of the learning process. I'll also share strategies you can use tomorrow to help your students grapple with tough problems while feeling supported. Let’s get started!

We are chatting about:

• Why do we avoid giving hard problems
• Why hard problems are essential
• How to support students through hard problems

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 📘 Principles to Actions

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply now! Just make sure to send in your request at least 2 weeks before
your event!

👉🏼 Apply

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Today, we're talking about 5 quick math talk strategies that will spark math conversations and increase engagement!

As math teachers, we often feel like we're talking at our students. As you know it is easy to fall into the cycle of telling students what to do and how to do it in math. But, deep down what we really want is more engagement. If we’re being honest with ourselves talking and telling our students doesn’t lead to more engagement. What we really want is to get our students talking with each other about math?

In this episode, I’ll share a few simple strategies you can use tomorrow to get your students talking, thinking, and collaborating on math problems.

We are chatting about:

• What are Quick Math Talk Strategies
• Why Spark Math Conversations
• How to Spark Math Conversations

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 📘 Principles to Actions

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply now! Just make sure to send in your request at least 2 weeks before
your event!

👉🏼 Apply

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

In today’s episode, we’re talking about comparison problems: what they are, why they’re tricky, and how we can help students build strategies to solve them.

We’re gonna start today’s episode with a problem. Omar made 22 baskets during practice. He made 9 more baskets than Eli. How many baskets did Eli make?

This is a comparison problem and there are 3 types of comparison problems we can use with students. And they are all hard!

We are chatting about:

• Different types of comparison problems
• Student strategies
• Tips for planning and facilitating this work in your classroom

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 📘 Waitlist for Word Problem Workshop Book

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply now! Just make sure to send in your request at least 2 weeks before
your event!

👉🏼 Apply

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Imagine a student looking at you, frustrated, saying, 'I don’t get it.' It’s tempting to step in and rescue them, right?

Today, we’re talking about productive struggle—why it’s a game-changer for math classrooms and how to make it happen without letting kids flounder.

We are chatting about:

• What productive struggle is
• Why it's important to let students struggle in the math classroom
• How to foster productive struggle

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 📘 Principles to Actions

⭐️ Coaches and Presenters!!

Request your free set of Wipebooks NOW at wipebook.com/mathchat.
If approved, you’ll receive a 5-sheet flipchart pack to use during your event, plus a raffle
giveaway for one of your participants to win a pack too!

Don't miss out—apply now! Just make sure to send in your request at least 2 weeks before
your event!

👉🏼 Apply

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!