Is your math team using the same words—but interpreting them in totally different ways?

In schools and districts across the country, math leaders are working hard—but progress still feels fragile. Despite shared goals and common language, initiatives stall, teachers burn out, and PD efforts don’t translate into classrooms. Why? Because shared language doesn’t mean shared understanding. And without clarity, systems crumble under the weight of well-intentioned effort.

That’s where the Math Coherence Compass comes in—a shared decision-making framework that gives every stakeholder the same lens for math improvement.

Listeners Will Learn:

• Why alignment in language doesn’t equal alignment in practice
• What the Math Coherence Compass is—and why it changes everything
• How to use the compass to evaluate PD, PLCs, curriculum, and classroom moves
• The 4 compass points: long-term objective, student vision, beliefs about learning, and support capacity
• How to co-create the compass with your leadership team
• When and how to use it with coaches, principals, and teacher leaders
• What to do when your flywheel keeps restarting year after year
• Why 49 hours of support is the tipping point for sustainable instructional change

Whether you’re a district coordinator, math coach, or school leader, this episode gives you the clarity and tools to stop throwing spaghetti at the wall—and start building a math system that gains momentum year after year. Download your blank Math Coherence Compass template and start using it today.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how 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

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Have you heard a parent ask, “Why are we making math so complicated?” You're not alone.

Many teachers want to move beyond rote procedures—but hit resistance when families raise concerns about “new math.” From social media posts to parent-teacher conferences, the pressure to revert to traditional instruction is real.
But the issue isn’t just parent perception. Often, teachers aren’t yet confident in conceptual models themselves. And without the right support, it’s easy to retreat back to what feels safe.

Listeners Will Learn:

• Why parents often push back on visual models and multiple strategies
• How teacher confidence impacts the success of math shifts
• What leaders can do to support teachers before inviting parents in
• The importance of teacher epiphanies (and how to create them!)
• How to engage families in the why behind conceptual math
• Ideas for parent communication that build trust, not tension
• What it really means to shift the narrative around math understanding

Whether you're a teacher navigating tough conversations or a coach supporting system-wide change, this episode delivers mindset shifts and practical moves to help you stay the course—even when pushback is loud.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how 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

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.

Are your Tier 3 supports disconnected from Tier 1 math instruction?

You’re not alone. Many schools implement math intervention with the best intentions—yet students continue to miss critical Tier 1 instruction, feel left behind, and fail to make meaningful gains.

The root issue? Most systems treat Tier 3 like a separate math program instead of a coordinated extension of Tier 1. When intervention is disconnected from core instruction, students don’t just struggle—they get further behind.

This episode digs into the real reasons why tiered support often fails in math classrooms—and what leaders, coaches, and teachers can do to change that. It’s not just about pulling the right small group. It’s about building a system where all students get access to high-quality instruction, every day.

Listeners Will Learn:

• Why Tier 3 often functions in isolation—and why that fails students
• What makes math intervention effective (and what doesn’t)
• Why a shared vision for math is non-negotiable across all tiers
• How to ensure coherence in models, language, and instruction
• The importance of building teacher math content knowledge at all levels
• What math leaders can do to align PLCs, pacing, and professional learning
• Why strong MTSS math systems need more than logistics—they need leadership

If your school or district is struggling to serve students who are far behind in math, this episode is packed with real talk, research-backed recommendations, and hard-won lessons from the field.

Not sure what matters most when designing math improvement plans? Take this assessment and get a free customized report: https://makemathmoments.com/grow/

Math coordinators and leaders – Ready to design your math improvement plan with guidance, support and using structure? Learn how 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

Show Notes Page

Love the show? Text us your big takeaway!

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.