Productive Math Struggle Series — Action 2: Foster an Identity for Productive Struggle

In Part 2 of our Productive Math Struggle series, we dive into one of the most powerful — and overlooked — components of rigorous math learning: math identity.

This episode explores the roots of math identity, how trauma and early experiences shape student beliefs, and the practical tools teachers can use to help every student believe, “I am a math person.”

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Math identity = beliefs + emotions + experiences + messages.
• Students’ math identities are shaped long before they enter our classrooms.
• Family beliefs, media messaging (“math is tough”), stereotypes, and past classroom experiences all contribute.
• Math trauma plays a major role in identity formation (Vanessa Vakharia).
• Teachers’ OWN math identities influence how they respond to struggle, mistakes, and student thinking.
• Identity predicts whether students will lean into struggle or run from it.
• Building identity requires intentional reflection, celebration, and countering negative beliefs.
• Self-efficacy (Hattie, 2019) is one of the highest-impact influences on achievement.
• Productive struggle cannot happen without a strong and positive math identity.

✏️ Mini Move of the Week

👉 Have students complete a mini math autobiography.
Just six simple prompts can give you BIG insights into how they see themselves.

📚Read along with Us

• Productive Struggle in Math: A 6 Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance

🔗 Listen & Connect

🎧 Listen here: https://modernmathteacher.buzzsprout.com/share
📸 Instagram: @moorethanjustx
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Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Part 1 of 6 in the Productive Math Struggle Series

Today we kick off our 6-part series inspired by Productive Math Struggle by John SanGiovanni, Susie Katt, and Kevin Dykema.

In this episode, we unpack Action 1: VALUE the Productive Struggle — and explore why getting stuck is one of the most powerful things that can happen in your math classroom. If you’re ready to shift from “right answer math” to “thinking-first math,” this is your episode. 🧠✨

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Productive struggle is one of NCTM’s eight essential mathematics teaching practices.
• You cannot value productive struggle if you only value right answers
• Giving students the first crack at making meaning (before explicit instruction) is an equity move.
• High expectations are a prerequisite for meaningful struggle — students rise (or fall) to the bar we set.
• Productive struggle builds confidence, identity, perseverance, and agency.
• Unproductive struggle can signal math trauma, shutdown, or avoidance behaviors.
• Behavior is communication — and often a signal that students need support, not rescue.
• A real growth mindset must be lived, not laminated.

✏️ Mini Move of the Week

👉 Name productive struggle out loud every time you see it.
Students need to know when they’re doing something powerful.

📚Read along with Us

• Productive Struggle in Math: A 6 Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance

🔗 Listen & Connect
🎧 Listen here: https://modernmathteacher.buzzsprout.com/share
📸 Insta

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!

Ready to jump start classroom discourse in your math class in 2026? Get your students eagerly discussing math with these active teaching strategies!

Enjoy this replay of: Episode #133 Active Teaching Strategies That Actually Spark Student Discussion to find out the best teaching strategies to engage your students in mathematical discourse!

Inside you'll learn:
✅ Why passive instruction is killing engagement
✅ 3 go-to talk strategies you can use tomorrow
✅ Cooperative teaching strategies that build confidence and collaboration
✅ What NOT to do if you want students to participate

Let’s talk. Send me a message with your email and I’ll get back to you!

This podcast is a member of the Teach Better Podcast Network. Better Today. Better Tomorrow. And the Podcasts to Help You Get There.

Connect with Kristen:

• Follow on Instagram @moorethanjustx
• Join the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers Movement

More About the Modern Math Teacher Podcast

Kristen Moore, classroom teacher and instructional coach at Moore Than Just X, empowers modern secondary math teachers to transform the student experience with the strategies and the confidence to implement project-based learning, mastery-based assessment, and student engagement strategies in their classrooms.

Whether you're a math education newbie or a seasoned veteran, you'll find something new and inspiring in every episode. You’re already a listener, why not join the Movement inside ✨The Modern Math Teachers Movement Facebook group. Join the community of math teachers who are not afraid to shake things up and make math class the best part of the day for our students. So tune in each Tuesday, have some fun, and let's elevate our math teaching game together!

*Amazon orders may provide a small affiliate payout at no extra cost to you. These payouts help keep the podcast free for all!