Send us a text

Is your math block filled with silence so thick you can hear pencils stretching? This episode is for you. Host Mona Lehl is flipping the script on what a “focused” math class sounds like—and spoiler alert: it’s not silent. Real math thinking creates a buzz, and Mona is here to help you lean into the noise.

🔧 3 Ways to Keep the Math Talk Productive

Worried the noise will spiral into chaos? Mona shares three practical strategies that turn chatter into meaningful collaboration:
1️⃣ Build a Routine for Collaboration – When talk time is expected and structured, students step up.
2️⃣ Set Clear Expectations – Model what great math talk sounds like, and practice it together.
3️⃣ Give Kids Time – Confidence takes time. Celebrate effort, not just polished answers.

🧠 You’ll walk away with ready-to-implement ideas you can try tomorrow.

🎧 Subscribe, Review & Let the Buzz Begin

If today’s episode gave you that little nudge to embrace the productive hum of math talk:
✅ Follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes
✅ Leave a review to help more teachers discover Math Chat

🎙️ Thanks for being the kind of teacher who gives students the space to speak—and the confidence to believe they belong in math.

Until next time, embrace the buzz. Your classroom isn’t too loud—it’s alive.

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

If you've ever scrolled past a flawless math lesson on Instagram and thought, “That could never be me,” this episode is for you. Host Mona—former teacher, math coach, and author of the upcoming Word Problem Workshop—gets real about what it actually takes to be a great math teacher. Spoiler: it’s not perfection or having all the answers. It’s creating the space for your students to think.

🎧 Ready to change the way you think about teaching math? You’ll want to hear this one.

📥 Enroll now at monamath.com/wpwteacher

🎧 Tune In, Subscribe, and Grow With Us

If today’s episode helped shift your thinking about great math teaching, we’d love for you to:
✅ Listen to the full episode
✅ Subscribe so you never miss a conversation
✅ Leave a review to help other educators find support

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Hey teacher friend! Have you ever stared at your math curriculum thinking, “This is... fine, I guess?” You don’t hate it—but it’s definitely not lighting a fire for student thinking. In this episode, Mona, a math coach and author, shares why the curriculum you already have might just be your biggest asset—if you know how to use it differently.

🛠️ The How: 3 Shifts You Can Make Right Away

1. Start with One Word Problem
Instead of overwhelming students with a page full of problems, choose one rich task and let them grapple. This builds stamina and confidence.

2. Change the Order, Not the Content
If your materials start with a formal algorithm, flip it! Let students explore their own strategies first, then connect to the textbook method.

3. Use Your Curriculum as a Launchpad, Not a Script
Highlight one problem and ask, “What thinking could this spark?” Rethink it as a conversation starter, not just a checkbox.

These small but powerful shifts will help you transform your existing materials into meaningful, student-centered lessons—without needing a single new purchase.

🎧 Final CTA: Learn to Use What You Have—Starting This Summer

Ready to make this vision a reality? Join me in the Word Problem Workshop Teacher Training. For just $77 (until tomorrow!), you’ll learn how to transform your current curriculum into a student-centered routine you’ll use all year long.

You’ll get:
🎥 On-demand video training
📁 Done-for-you templates
📚 A full year of word problems
💬 Ongoing support all summer long

👉 Grab your spot HERE before the price increases.
Still not sure? DM me on Instagram @hellomonamath and we’ll figure it out together.

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

In this episode, we unpack a big question: What’s your vision for math classrooms? From years of visiting classrooms and leading professional development, our guest shares a powerful answer rooted in three values: joy, curiosity, and teacher sustainability. This isn’t just an ideal—it’s a framework leaders and teachers can work toward right now.

🛠️ Try These 3 Professional Learning Moves That Actually Work

Ready to lead transformative PD in your building? Here are three things you can try right away:

1. Attend PD yourself—model what it looks like to learn and grow.
2. Embrace curiosity—read, ask questions, and lead with an asset-based mindset.
3. Share what’s working—create in-house PD by spotlighting great teaching and inviting others to observe.

These strategies don’t cost much—but they make a big difference in staff morale, classroom quality, and student outcomes.

🎧 Ready to Reimagine Your Vision for Math Classrooms?

If this episode sparked a fresh perspective on what’s possible in your school or district, don’t stop here.
👉 Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts
👉 Subscribe so you never miss a conversation that moves you forward
👉 Leave a review to help more educators find us

Let’s keep building classrooms where everyone wants to stay.

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Ever poured your heart into a math lesson only to hear a groan or a “Can’t you just tell us how to do it?” from your students? You’re not alone. In this episode, Mona—a former teacher turned math coach—dives into what’s really behind those reactions and how to shift them.

Ready to turn things around? Mona shares three actionable routines straight from her Word Problem Workshop that help kids engage, take risks, and actually enjoy thinking in math:

1. Start with the Grapple – Let kids wrestle with one rich word problem—no hints, just space to think.
2. Show Your Thinking – Use visuals and whiteboards to highlight the process, not just the final answer.
3. Celebrate Multiple Strategies – Use student sharing time to explore the diversity of ideas, not just the “correct” one.

👉 Explore the course at monamath.com/wpw

👋 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

If this episode gave you a new perspective on what to do when kids don’t want to think in math class, share it with a friend, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a review—it helps more teachers find actionable support.
And don’t forget to DM Mona on Instagram @hellomonamath—she’d love to hear how your students are showing up in math right now!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Ever looked at your stack of printed math worksheets and thought, “There’s got to be a better way”? You're not alone. In today’s episode, we’re flipping the script on word problems—and showing you how just a few small tweaks can stretch your students' thinking without stretching your copy limit.

In this episode, I dive into how to extend student thinking using the problems you already have—no extra pages required. You’ll learn what actually makes a word problem “good,” why how you use a task matters more than what the task is, and three easy ways to tweak your current word problems for deeper student reasoning.

Whether you're a new teacher looking to build problem-solving confidence or a seasoned educator tired of one-size-fits-all worksheets, this conversation will leave you encouraged, inspired, and ready to transform your math block into a space for real thinking.

✨ Resources and Links Mentioned:
🔗 Register for the Mini Workshop – June 20th

🔗 Episode 150: 35 Questions to Get Students Thinking in Math Class

🔗 Download the Free 35 Questions Printable

📲 Stay Connected:
Follow Mona on Instagram → @hellomonamath
Visit the website → monamath.com

✨ Subscribe and leave a quick review to help more teachers find the show—and keep the math buzz going strong!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

Is your math classroom a space of empowerment—or quiet struggle? In this episode, we’re unpacking what it really means to teach math equitably, with the brilliant Dr. Pamela Seda. Whether you're new to equity work or already deep in the journey, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

In this episode, Jenn chats with Dr. Pamela Seda, math equity leader and creator of the ICUCARE® Equity Framework. You’ll learn how math can become a space of empowerment, why releasing control as a teacher can be the most powerful shift you make, and how to move from just “following the curriculum” to intentionally designing for equity.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, math coach, or education leader, this conversation will leave you thoughtful, energized, and ready to take one step toward deeper equity in your own space.

✨ Resources and Links Mentioned:

• 💻 Pamela's Website - https://www.sedaeducationalconsulting.com/
• 📧 Email - pamseda@sedaeducationalconsulting.com
• 📘 Choosing to See
• 💻 FB Group - Choosing to See Math Equity

📲 Stay Connected

👉 Follow me on Instagram: @monamath
🌐 Visit my website: monamath.com

❤️ Like What You Heard?

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Math Chat Podcast so you never miss an episode.
If this episode helped you, leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review—it means the world and helps more teachers find us!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!

Send us a text

What if the questions you ask in math class could be the key to unlocking deeper thinking and real understanding? Today, we’re diving into the one question teachers ask me all the time: “What do I ask to get my students to explain their thinking?”

Let’s turn those blank stares into lightbulb moments.

🎧 Episode Summary

In this episode, Mona breaks down the 7 types of questions that spark rich math talk and deeper understanding during Word Problem Workshop. You’ll learn:

• Why the right questions matter more than the right answers
• How to stop students from grabbing numbers and start thinking critically
• Go-to examples you can use in your next lesson

Whether you're a classroom teacher, coach, or math specialist, this episode will leave you feeling energized and ready to shift the way your students think, solve, and reflect.

✨ Resources and Links Mentioned:

🎯 Main Freebie: 35 Questions
📅 Mini Workshop: Word Problem Workshop

📲 Stay Connected

👉 Follow me on Instagram: @monamath
🌐 Visit my website: monamath.com

❤️ Like What You Heard?

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Math Chat Podcast so you never miss an episode.
If this episode helped you, leave a quick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review—it means the world and helps more teachers find us!

📒 Word Problem Workshop BOOK coming later this year!

Create a classroom of problem solvers with this 5 step daily routine. Through diving deeply into one problem each day you can increase student engagement, problem solving, & math proficiency!

You don't have to wait for the book...

Word Problem Workshop Online Course is avaliable now!

I'll show you how to...

• engage every student in daily problem solving
• utilize a proven routine that allows students to collaborate, reflect, take risks, and use mistakes as opportunities.
• confidently facilitate a students lead problem solving workshop

Join today right HERE!