13) "Early Childhood Development in Math" (Isis Spann & Coach Toni)

For this special episode, I was blessed to have not one but two phenomenal educators, Isis Spann and Coach Toni, come on the podcast to share their personal math journeys, the importance of early childhood math development, their math advocacy work, and so much more!  To learn more about Isis work, you can visit her website at isisspann.com or follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@fun_oflearning).  To learn more about Coach Toni's work, you can visit her website at playmathgrow.com or follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@playmathgrow). BIO:  ISIS SPANN:  Isis Spann is a mom to Mia(9), Nia(9), Liara(4), Princeton (2) and they reside in Moncks Corner, South Carolina with her amazing husband Terry Spann Jr., she always wants to mention them first because family is the foundation of her work. Her children remind her daily that ALL children are different and they require special nurturing and attention. As a first-generation college student raised by a strong single mother, she knew the value of hard work but also knew it wasn't going to be easy. Homelife at times for her was unstable but her schools and teachers provided that stability that she yearned for. Now as an educator and parent advocate she knows that she also provides that stability for many families, especially those students growing up in low-income communities.  Mrs. Spann sees a reflection of herself in many of the students that she serves and she sees her mother in many of the mothers that come to her wanting better for their children but not knowing where to turn.  Outside of the classroom, Isis is the CEO of FUNdamentals of Learning (FOL), LLC is a company that focuses on narrowing equity, engagement, and instructional practices gaps in Pre-K through 5th-grade learning environments. When the global pandemic first hit schools she would go live every day on Facebook to ensure that children weren't missing valuable instruction. Out of the pandemic FOL birth its first curriculum "Kindergarten Kounts" which trains parents on how to effectively lead the learning in their homes so that their children are proficient in the area of early mathematics. COACH TONI:  Coach Toni is an educational equity warrior from Harlem, New York.  She attended Hunter College where she received her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and master's degree in Adolescent Mathematics Education. Coach Toni joined the teaching ranks after spending 10 years in the hospitality management industry and taught fourth through twelfth grade physical education classes and sixth through twelfth grade math class in New York and New Jersey. Coach Toni is the creator of Trap Tables, a hip-hop album that helps students memorize multiplication facts. She also founded Virtual Senior Trip where she organized live, virtual, math standards based field trips for middle and high school seniors during the pandemic where they were able to 'choose their own adventure' and engage with entrepreneurs and successful career people from the comfort of their homes/classrooms.  Coach Toni hosts a weekly podcast called The Writing On The Board which discusses the issues that we have leading to the teacher shortage exacerbated by the recent global pandemic. Coach Toni is passionate about educational prowess between the 0-3 age and hosts monthly webinars called Teach Them Yesterday to help parents make the most of their infant's and toddler's brain processing power.