191 When My Favorite Math Project Stopped Working

Let’s chat—send me a text!One of my favorite classroom projects completely stopped working—and it ended up becoming one of the most important lessons of my teaching career.In this episode, I share the story of a once-successful cell phone plan project that unexpectedly fell flat and how it completely changed the way I think about designing meaningful mathematics.We'll explore why real and relevant aren't always the same thing, how I adapt lessons from Illustrative Math without reinventing the curriculum, and why sometimes the most meaningful part of a lesson isn't the context at all—it's the mathematical thinking.In this episode, you'll learn:Why authentic lessons lose relevance over timeThe difference between real-world math and relevant mathThe planning question I ask before almost every lessonHow I adapt Illustrative Math to better connect with my studentsWhy mathematical practices can be just as meaningful as real-world contextsA classroom story using Glo Germ that led to rich mathematical discussions🎁 Free ResourceWondering whether a lesson should become a project or stay focused practice?Download my free Project or Practice Guide:👉 https://moorethanjustx.com/guideIf you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to subscribe and share it with another math teacher who's passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences.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 @moorethanjustxJoin the Facebook Community: The Modern Math Teachers MovementMore About the Modern Math Teacher PodcastKristen 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!