Pre-Teaching: Zooming Out to Zoom In

Before you ever step into a lesson, your planning determines how far students can go. In this episode, Laneshia breaks down what it means to zoom out to zoom in—strategically mapping upcoming units, identifying potential roadblocks, and pre-teaching (or accelerating) just enough to keep every learner in the fast lane.You’ll hear how Suzy Pepper Rollins’ concept of acceleration aligns with research by Burns (2004), Nelson (2022), and the What Works Clearinghouse (2021)—all pointing to one truth: when we plan ahead, students don’t just catch up; they keep up.Learn how to use your calendar, intervention blocks, and bell work to make pre-teaching part of your rhythm, not an extra task.💡 What You’ll LearnThe difference between pre-teaching and acceleration—and why the mindset matters.How to identify upcoming “friction points” using your calendar and data.Simple, low-lift ways to fit acceleration into existing class time.How research validates the impact of front-loading and readiness-building.📎 Resources Mentioned🧩 Download the Pre-Teaching / Acceleration Planner – Click here to join the math collective and get the free PDF. Use this doc map upcoming lessons, identify pre-teach opportunities, and reflect on impact. Perfect for PLCs or individual planning.📚 Research Articles Shared in This Episode:Burns (2004): Pre-Teaching Unknown Key Words with Incremental RehearsalNelson (2022): Early Mathematics Interventions and Readiness for Grade-Level WorkWhat Works Clearinghouse (2021): Assisting Students Struggling with MathematicsRollins (2014): Learning in the Fast Lane: 8 Ways to Put All Students on the Road to SuccessSend a textBuild multiplication fluency through understanding with the Seeing Patterns, Building Power series. Two books now available on Amazon—plus check out my son’s new adventure novel, Anansi: Shadows of Myth and Mystery!Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Make Math Happen podcast! If you enjoyed today’s conversation, subscribe on your favorite listening platform, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow educators. You can also join the discussion and connect with me directly by clicking the link to join the Math Collective. Together, we’ll keep exploring practical strategies to transform classrooms and inspire students. Remember, new episodes drop every Sunday at 9:00 am, so mark your calendars! Until next time, keep making math happen, and I’ll catch you in the next episode.If you like math videos, let's connect: YouTube TikTok