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You Don’t Need Three Weeks for PBL

“I’d love to do more projects…but I just don’t have time.”

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

Because somewhere along the way, we started assuming that good project-based learning has to mean a massive, multi-week project complete with research, presentations, fancy final products, and approximately 47 ...

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Two hundred episodes ago, I thought I had a much clearer idea of what kind of math teacher I was.

I was a project-based learning teacher.

Since then, I’ve taught using the Modern Classrooms framework. I’ve embraced Building Thinking Classrooms. I’ve changed the way I think about mastery and assessment. Now I’m teaching with Illustrative Mathematics and falling in love with...

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When Should You Use Math Projects? 4 Signs a Topic Is Ready for PBL

Not every math standard needs a project.

Yep. I said it.

Sometimes students need an authentic problem to solve, decisions to make, and an opportunity to actually USE the mathematics they're learning.

And sometimes? They need practice.

In this episode of The Modern Math Teacher, we're talking about how I decide which parts of my curr...

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 What if creating more meaningful learning experiences in your math classroom didn’t require completely changing the way you teach?

Because when teachers hear “project-based learning,” it can feel like a complete classroom makeover.

Rewrite every unit. Redesign your curriculum. Stop giving direct instruction. Turn everything into a project.

Nope.

In this episode of The Modern...

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What if the biggest shift you could make this school year wasn't changing your curriculum—but changing the way you think about planning?

In this episode, I share the mindset shift that has transformed my classroom. Instead of asking, "What activity should I do?" I now start with a much different question: "What experience do I want my students to have?"

We'll explore how this simple change ...

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Being a Modern Math Teacher isn't about using the newest technology or following every educational trend.

It's about intentionally designing learning experiences that help every student think deeply, feel like they belong, and see themselves as capable mathematicians.

In this episode, I reflect on five beliefs that have transformed my own classroom and explain why becoming a Modern Math Teacher i...

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Have you ever felt like your curriculum was holding you back?

You're not alone—but what if the curriculum isn't actually the problem?

In this episode, I share how my perspective on curriculum has evolved and why I no longer believe great teaching comes from finding the "perfect" textbook. Instead, I explain how small, intentional instructional decisions can transform the learning experience...

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Have you ever felt like every lesson has to be bigger, better, and more engaging than the last?

I know I have.

In this episode, I share how I fell into the trap of trying to create extraordinary lessons every day—and why shifting my focus to sustainable teaching practices completely changed my classroom.

We'll talk about routines, instructional systems, decision fatigue, and why consistency ...

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For years, I believed rigorous math instruction meant harder problems, longer assignments, and more work.

I don't believe that anymore.

In this episode, I share how my definition of rigor has changed, why cognitive demand isn't the same thing as difficulty, and how I intentionally design lessons that promote deeper mathematical thinking without overwhelming students.

We'll also explore how routine...

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The first week of school isn't just about procedures, seating charts, and syllabus review. It's when students begin forming beliefs about what mathematics feels like—and who they believe they are as mathematicians.

In this episode, I share how my thinking about the first week has changed over the years, why students walk into our classrooms carrying mathematical identities, and how we can ...

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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 th...

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What if math intervention didn’t mean going back three grade levels and trying to fill every gap a student has before they’re allowed to move forward?

In this episode of The Modern Math Teacher, I’m joined by my friend and math intervention expert Juliana Tapper, author of Teaching 6–12 Math Intervention: A Practical Framework to Engage Students Who Struggle, to talk abou...

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We spent the summer reading Math Therapy together—and now we’re sitting down with the author herself, Vanessa Vakharia, to talk about what happens when we take these ideas off the page and into our classrooms.

And, apparently, what happens when the math teacher needs a little Math Therapy of her own.

In this conversation, Vanessa and I start by talking about how Math Therapy has almos...

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After four weeks of reading Math Therapy together, we've reached the final chapter—and it ends with a powerful reminder.

You don't have to become a different teacher.

You simply have to become a more intentional version of the teacher you already are.

In this episode, I reflect on the biggest lessons from the book, how my own classroom plans have evolved, and why helping students build healt...

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We often tell students:

"Progress matters more than perfection."

But does our assessment system communicate the same message?

In this episode, we're continuing our Math Therapy summer book study with Chapter 7, where Vanessa Vakharia explores the connection between assessment, growth mindset, and mathematical identity.

This chapter challenged me to reflect on my own grading practices, my experience...

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How do students begin to see themselves differently in mathematics?

In this episode, we're continuing our Math Therapy summer book study with Chapter 6: Makeover.

This chapter may be the most personal one yet. It challenged me to reflect on my own math story and reminded me that students don't simply need better grades—they need opportunities to build a healthier mathematical identity.

I als...

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What if we've been answering one of our students' most common questions the wrong way?

When students ask:

"When am I ever going to use this?"

they're often not asking about future careers.

They're asking something much deeper:

"Why should I care?"

In this episode, we're continuing our summer Math Therapy book study with Chapter 5: Motivate, and exploring how relevance, purpose, and meaningful feedbac...

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How do we create a classroom where students feel safe enough to struggle?

In this episode, we're continuing our summer Math Therapy book study with Chapter 4: Moderate.

This chapter challenged me to rethink the difference between mathematical challenge and emotional threat. Productive struggle is an essential part of learning mathematics—but unnecessary fear, embarrassment, and fixed labels...

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What does it actually mean to be good at math?

If you asked your students that question, what would they say?

In this episode, we're continuing our summer book study of Math Therapy by Vanessa Vakharia and diving into Chapter 3: Mythbust.

While growth mindset may not be the educational buzzword it once was, the ideas behind it remain incredibly important. Students cannot build a healthier relation...