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Math Chat

Math Chat

Written by: Mona Iehl
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About this listen

Mona, of Mona Math, reveals the mysteries of how to teach elementary math even if you aren't a math person. Discover how you can develop a buzzing student led math classroom. We cover all things math identity, classroom culture, and student centered instructional practices to help you empower students to love and understanding math deeply.

© 2026 Math Chat
Science
Episodes
  • 198: Why Math Coaches are the Key to Sustainable Change
    Feb 16 2026

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    If sustainable change in math instruction were simply about trying harder, most teachers would already be there. In this episode, Mona names a truth many educators feel but rarely say out loud: lasting instructional change doesn’t come from more effort alone — it comes from meaningful support. This conversation offers clarity, validation, and a path forward for teachers, coaches, and leaders alike.

    💰 When Budgets Are Tight, Support Still Matters

    Not every school has funding for full-time instructional coaches — and this episode names that reality honestly. Still, limited budgets don’t mean educators should be left alone. Mona explains how sustainable change can still be supported through shared learning spaces, ongoing collaboration, and consistent connection over time.

    🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Keep Growing

    If this episode resonated with you, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.

    👉 Listen to the full episode to explore what sustainable change really requires.
    Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help more educators find these conversations.
    📤 Share this episode with a colleague or leader who’s ready to move beyond effort and toward real support.

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    9 mins
  • 197: Math Is a Language of Power an Interview with Stephanie Marrero
    Feb 9 2026

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    In this episode, we explore what happens when math instruction moves beyond answers and procedures and into interpretation, questioning, and meaning-making. This conversation invites educators to rethink how math prepares students not just for tests, but for a world shaped by numbers, data, and decisions.

    At its core, this episode reminds us that teaching math is about more than content. It’s about helping students develop agency, critical awareness, and confidence in how they interpret the world. When students learn that math is a language of power, they begin to see themselves as capable of understanding — and shaping — the systems around them.

    💬 Connect with Stephanie

    • Instagram
    • Email - Stephanie@algebramadesimple.com
    • Workshops

    🎧 Listen, Reflect, and Keep the Conversation Going

    If this episode stretched your thinking or named something you’ve been carrying, take a moment to sit with it.

    👉 Listen to the full episode to explore what it means to teach math as a language of power.
    Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help more educators find these conversations.
    📤 Share this episode with a colleague who’s ready to help students think critically and see math differently.

    Because you’re not just teaching math — you’re teaching students how to see the world. ❤️

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    30 mins
  • 196: A Classroom Moment That Changed How I Teach Problem Solving
    Feb 2 2026

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    When students were asked to solve independently, things quickly unraveled. Behaviors surfaced, lessons derailed, and reliance on the teacher increased. This wasn’t a lack of effort — it was a lack of confidence, a common barrier in developing effective math problem solvers.

    After the lesson ended, one question lingered: Do they actually understand the math? Students had learned how to watch and copy, not how to reason. This realization exposed the disconnect between effort and outcome and highlighted what was missing in math problem solving instruction.

    🎧 Listen, Reflect, and Take the Next Step

    If this classroom moment feels familiar, this episode is for you.

    👉 Listen to Episode 196 to hear how one moment reshaped math problem solving instruction.
    Subscribe to the podcast and leave a review to help other educators find these conversations.
    📣 Share this episode with a colleague who’s working to build confident, capable math problem solvers.

    Because strong math problem solving starts when students are given space to think. 💛

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    14 mins
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