More Math for More People

An AI voice answers the phone, sounds friendly, and almost passes as human. For a moment it feels convenient, even a little magical, and then something shifts and you realize you’re craving a real person. That tension, between efficiency and human connection, drives our conversation as we explore what AI tools can do well, what they cannot do at all, and why “human review” is quickly becoming a non-negotiable habit. What’s your personal “tell” that you’re talking to AI and not a human? Also, it's Take a Monkey to Lunch Day!!! What in the world? We're very curious. If you imagine taking a monkey to lunch... Do it now... What do you imagine it would look like? Let us know!Subscribe for more conversations about math learning, teaching, and thoughtful technology, and if this one sparked a reaction, share it with a colleague and leave us a review. Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

“My students can’t” sounds like a fact, but it usually hides something else: we don’t yet have a clear way to see what students can do, name it, and build on it. We dig into that problem with two of our favorite educators, John Hayes and Victoria Holt, who bring their conference session “CYA: Cover Your Assets” to the mic and make it immediately usable for teachers, coaches, and administrators.Link to the article that John mentions in the conversation.If you want practical inclusive math classroom ideas that respect students’ abilities and raise the level of mathematical practice, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more teachers can find it.Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

Pink Flamingo Day kicks things off with a surprising bit of natural history, then we make a sharp turn into the question that matters for every math teacher: what actually gets students thinking. We sit down with Peter Liljedahl, author of Building Thinking Classrooms, for a practical conversation that goes past the headlines and into the moves that make the work real in K-12 classrooms. If you want better math tasks, stronger lesson launches, clearer closings, and a more realistic picture of how Building Thinking Classrooms lives day to day, press play. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review so more teachers can find the conversation.Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

Donald Duck ... Love him? Find him annoying? Or do you want him banned? (That story is fake, by the way....)Then we pick up part two of our conversation with Peter Carpenter to get clear about something schools confuse constantly: adult learning is not one thing. Peter breaks it down into three practical buckets: training, professional development, and professional learning. Listen to find out the difference for yourself!Then our final installment of Join Them on Their Journey from Chi Lo in Alameda, California with a candid end-of-year reflection on classroom management, planning, and what changed when his team added weekly quizzes for more timely feedback and family engagement. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review so more educators can find the show.Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

Spelling “tuberculosis” on the spot is one thing, but designing learning that actually changes what adults do is a whole different challenge. We start season six on Scripps Spelling Bee Day with a fast, funny spelling run and then we’re joined by Peter Carpenter, a longtime public educator turned coach, principal, and district leader, to talk about adult learning theory and what strong professional development design really requires.  We also hear our final post from Jessie in Astoria, Oregon, reflecting on end-of-year realities and the practical Building Thinking Classroom “micro changes” that made a difference: random daily groups, more whiteboard thinking, bell ringers instead of homework, better note-taking routines, and more intentional assessment design. Subscribe for part two with Peter, share this with a colleague who plans PD, and leave a review with the one adult-learning move you wish every workshop leader would use.Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

National Odometer Day sounds like a joke until you follow the math hiding in plain sight. We kick things off by unpacking what an odometer actually measures, why it can help prevent mileage fraud, and how it connects to geometry you can feel in your hands.From there, our conversation opens up with Rafael del Castillo, CPM's Executive Director, as we reflect on five years of the More Math for More People podcast, the guests who’ve shaped our thinking, and the kind of math education community that forms when people show up ready to share. We also get real about remote work versus in person time: some work can happen virtually, but values clarity, strategy, and deep listening often need space, presence, and patience. The heart of the episode is leadership and strategic planning through the lens of healthy tension. We talk about values that pull in different directions, why “both-and” thinking matters, and how leaders can listen to learn rather than listening to respond. If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share it with a colleague, leave a review, and tell us: what tension are you trying to navigate in your work right now?Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]

We start by honoring school bus drivers and sharing our memories of riding the school bus on School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Then we all know that math class gets quieter when students are confused and louder when they’re thinking together. That’s why we invited Marjorie Kucich and Sarah McKittrick to talk about station rotation in middle school math and how a smart rotation can turn a lesson into a room full of visible problem solving.We dig into what “stations” really means in this context, we talk through concrete classroom logistics, and how a small amount of movement can act like a reset button for attention and engagement. We also get specific about consolidation. If you’re looking for practical station rotation ideas, middle school math engagement strategies, and routines that strengthen math discourse and classroom culture, you’ll leave with steps you can try right away. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review telling us what station routine you want to test next.Send Joel and Misty a message!The More Math for More People Podcast is produced by CPM Educational Program. Learn more at CPM.orgX: @cpmmathFacebook: CPMEducationalProgramEmail: [email protected]