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Tier 1 Interventions

Tier 1 Interventions

By: Jonily Zupancic and Cheri Dotterer
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 Math intervention, writing intervention, neurobiology, and cognitive-based learning - Jonily Zupancic and Cheri Dotterer are sharing how to incorporate them into your classroom. Jonily is a secondary math teacher and instructional coach for math K-12. Cheri is an occupational therapist specializing in neurology-based treatment across the lifespan and a Strategy-based Interventionist. Jonily secretly calls Cheri her Lesson Plan Whisperer because Cheri is always in her head, reminding her of the foundations of development before academics begin. They met in 2018 and have been talking ever since. Together, they have discovered the Miracle Math Classroom. This classroom embeds all math standards from Kindergarten to twelfth grade, plus neuro-based interventions that improve proficiency and boost student engagement. Both gifted and learning support students thrive using the interventions they share, plus all students in between. Using cognitive enhancing techniques strategically placed in the lesson plan, students learn more and enjoy school more, and fewer students get removed from critical instruction for Tier Three Interventions. Jonily has discovered how to teach all Kindergarten through algebra math standards using twelve, that’s right, twelve Reference Tasks. They include the Pizza Problem, 120-Chart, Paper Folding, Making Rectangles, Quick Dots, Locker Problem, Jesse and Kay, Geoboard, Candy Problem, Paint Problem, Staircase, and the Function Machine. Cheri uses Body-Brain Anchors to ignite the flame inside everyone’s brain for learning. Whether a person is five or 90, her strategy-based interventions will ignite that flame. These Brain-Body Anchors include the Handstand Flip, Interlaced Bilateral Integration, and the Body Sentence Alphabet. Together, they connect the puzzle behind math instruction and instructional delivery alongside these cognitive-enhancing activities to maximize math education for all students. Join us live on the third Saturday of the month, sans July, for the math behind the Reference Task. Every live event is approximately 2.5 contact hours. The first 30-ish minutes become this podcast. To hear the entire training, join our membership program. Please note: we will not record on holiday weekends. Join our mailing list for updates on dates. To join us live, register at Tier1interventions.com. The 2.5-hour sessions include the PowerPoint slides, additional audio files of Jonily teaching the Reference Task, resources from Cheri, and much more. A subscription to these 2.5-hour Workshops is $97/month or $947/year. Membership includes: *Approximately 27.5 hours of direct training per year *Audio files of Jonily's Hear Me Teach segments - complete *PowerPoint Slides to grab and use in your Magic Math Classroom *Resources from Jonily and Cheri for you and your students *A copy of Math DYSconnected when released. Or, you can listen to the first segment on your favorite podcast app for free; no membership is required. No matter how you listen, you will come away with golden nuggets that will transform your classroom. Reach out to Jonily: jonily@mindsonmath.com Reach out to Cheri: info@cheridotterer.com Tier1Interventions.com2024 Minds on Math, LLC and Dotterer Educational Consulting Language Learning Mathematics Science
Episodes
  • How to Teach Students to Ask Better Questions in Math

    How to Teach Students to Ask Better Questions in Math
    Apr 21 2026
    Many students say the same thing when they are stuck in math:"I need help."But they often cannot explain what they need help with.In this episode of Tier 1 Interventions, we explore how teachers can help students develop the ability to ask better questions, identify where they are stuck, and become more independent learners.Instead of relying on whole-class lectures, this session shows how small group facilitation, mini lessons, and responsive teaching can help students learn how to articulate their thinking.In this session we discuss:• Why students often struggle to explain what they don’t understand • How teachers can train students to ask clearer questions • The role of mini lessons in responsive teaching • How classroom structure supports independence and problem solving • Why facilitation often looks different from traditional teachingWhen students learn how to identify their confusion and ask specific questions, they begin to take ownership of their learning.This video is Session 7 of a 10-part October Workshop Series exploring how math instruction can support deeper thinking and stronger student independence.👍 Subscribe to Tier 1 Interventions for more strategies that improve math learning and student success.🔗 Get involved with Tier 1 Interventions coaching: Check the link in the show notes to join live sessions or access the full year of professional learning. Join one Mastery Math Method Workshop for just $47.Contact jonily@mindsonmath.com👇 Comment below: Where do you see kids getting stuck most often in math?⏱ Timestamps0:30 Why students often say “I need help”1:20 Helping students identify what they don’t understand2:15 Teaching students to ask better questions3:20 Mini lessons vs. whole-class instruction4:15 How small group facilitation supports learning5:10 Training students to think about their thinking6:00 Helping students articulate their confusion7:00 Classroom structures that support independence8:10 Why responsive teaching builds stronger learners🎯 Ready to Change Math Outcomes in 10 Days?👉 Join our FREE Masterclass for school leaders, teachers, and OTs: https://disabilitylabs.com/calendar🎧 Prefer to Listen On the Go?SpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon/Audible🔗 Stay Connected🌐 Website: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundle 📧 Disability Labs Community: https://disabilitylabs.com/community/3d-learning-lounge-1🎙️ Credits: Host: Cheri Dotterer Co-Host: Jonily Zupancic Production: Disability Labs Podcast Network🧠 Resources Mentioned:Mastery Math Method Level One (Lifetime Access): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundleMastery Math Method Live sessions (Annual Subscription): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-method-group-coaching⚠️ Disclaimer: The content shared in this video is for educational purposes only and does not replace your district’s policies or individualized education plans. Always consult with your instructional team before implementing new strategies.KeywordsTier 1 math instruction, math achievement, math intervention, Algebra 1 instruction, brain-based math, math pacing guide, math scope and sequence, Novel Model, Mastery Math Method, math structure, K-12 math, math education reform, Tier 1 interventions, number sense, math retention
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    17 mins
  • The Math Education Shift Teachers Need

    The Math Education Shift Teachers Need
    Apr 16 2026

    Why do students struggle with math — even when they get the answer right?

    In this full math professional development training, Jonily — founder of Minds on Math and host of Saturday Math — challenges one of the biggest misconceptions in math education:

    Solving is not learning.

    For decades, math instruction has prioritized procedures, algorithms, and finishing problems. But true math achievement comes from something deeper: number sense, reasoning, and conceptual understanding.

    If you're a math teacher, instructional coach, intervention specialist, or school leader working to improve math achievement and raise math test scores, this training will show you what most curriculum models get wrong — and how to fix it.

    In This Math Instruction Training, You’ll Learn:

    ✔ The critical difference between number sense and notation
    ✔ Conceptual vs procedural math instruction — and why balance matters
    ✔ Why solving problems doesn’t guarantee understanding
    ✔ How to improve math test scores without teaching more procedures
    ✔ How the brain actually learns mathematics
    ✔ Instructional strategies that scale math achievement across K–12 classrooms

    Whether you're preparing for state testing, redesigning your math curriculum, implementing Tier 1 math instruction, or seeking effective math intervention strategies, this session provides practical, research-informed insights grounded in real classroom results.

    Who This Is For

    This training is designed for:
    • K–12 math teachers
    • Intervention specialists
    • Instructional coaches
    • School administrators
    • District leaders focused on math achievement

    If you're serious about improving math instruction and reducing math anxiety while increasing student confidence, this session will challenge your thinking — and give you a clear instructional shift to implement.

    About Jonily
    Jonily is the host of Saturday Math and founder of Minds on Math. She specializes in helping educators improve math achievement through instructional shifts that prioritize thinking, reasoning, sense-making, and number sense — without sacrificing performance.


    Ready to Go Deeper?
    Join our next free math professional development training:
    https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tcMBm3kYSe29Uk2gXlRwPw

    Because improving math instruction starts with one powerful truth:

    Solving is not learning.

    🎧 Prefer to Listen On the Go?

    Spotify
    Apple Podcasts
    Amazon/Audible

    🎙️ Credits:
    Host: Jonily Zupancic
    Production: Disability Labs Podcast Network


    ⚠️ Disclaimer: The content shared in this video is for educational purposes only and does not replace your district’s policies or individualized education plans. Always consult with your instructional team before implementing new strategies.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 30 mins
  • Why Productive Struggle Matters in Math

    Why Productive Struggle Matters in Math
    Apr 14 2026
    Why do so many students stop trying after just one mistake?In this episode of Tier 1 Interventions, we explore why mistakes are an essential part of learning mathematics—and why many classrooms unintentionally train students to quit when they encounter difficulty.Think about how humans naturally learn. When babies learn to walk, they fall hundreds—sometimes thousands—of times before they succeed. Yet in school, mistakes are often treated as failure instead of a necessary part of learning.In this session we discuss:• Why students often stop after making a single mistake • How adult reactions can unintentionally teach students to quit • Why perseverance is essential for deep mathematical understanding • How teachers can guide students through mistakes instead of rescuing them • The role of questioning strategies like “Tell me about…” in helping students thinkWhen classrooms embrace productive struggle, students develop resilience, deeper understanding, and confidence in their mathematical thinking.This video is Session 6 of a 10-part October Workshop Series exploring how math instruction can support deeper thinking and stronger student independence.👍 Subscribe to Tier 1 Interventions for more strategies that improve math learning and student success.🔗 Get involved with Tier 1 Interventions coaching: Check the link in the show notes to join live sessions or access the full year of professional learning. Join one Mastery Math Method Workshop for just $47.Contact jonily@mindsonmath.com👇 Comment below: Where do you see kids getting stuck most often in math?⏱ Timestamps0:30 Why students often quit after one mistake1:10 How adult responses influence perseverance2:00 The walking analogy: how humans actually learn3:00 Why school sometimes discourages struggle4:00 Breaking the cycle of perfectionism in learning5:00 Why meaningful change in classrooms takes time6:10 Retrieval practice and why forgetting is necessary7:20 “Tell me about…” – a questioning strategy for teachers8:20 Moving from telling to guiding student thinking9:30 Closing thoughts🎯 Ready to Change Math Outcomes in 10 Days?👉 Join our FREE Masterclass for school leaders, teachers, and OTs: https://disabilitylabs.com/calendar🎧 Prefer to Listen On the Go?SpotifyApple PodcastsAmazon/Audible🔗 Stay Connected🌐 Website: https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundle 📧 Disability Labs Community: https://disabilitylabs.com/community/3d-learning-lounge-1🎙️ Credits: Host: Cheri Dotterer Co-Host: Jonily Zupancic Production: Disability Labs Podcast Network🧠 Resources Mentioned:Mastery Math Method Level One (Lifetime Access): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-bundleMastery Math Method Live sessions (Annual Subscription): https://disabilitylabs.com/courses/mastery-math-method-group-coaching⚠️ Disclaimer: The content shared in this video is for educational purposes only and does not replace your district’s policies or individualized education plans. Always consult with your instructional team before implementing new strategies.KeywordsTier 1 math instruction, math achievement, math intervention, Algebra 1 instruction, brain-based math, math pacing guide, math scope and sequence, Novel Model, Mastery Math Method, math structure, K-12 math, math education reform, Tier 1 interventions, number sense, math retention
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
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