People say the craziest things sometimes, don’t they? Our personal beliefs come from our life experiences and the emotions we feel during those experiences play a role in what gets cemented into our belief system. I’ve heard several mentors and coaches teach this model over the years as a repeating cycle. They all use slightly different words around it, but here’s…
Today, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. You know, the one that gets in the way and often interrupts a math journey. The thing that drives so many people crazy enough that they ultimately decide math isn’t for them. But first… Let’s back up all the way to the beginning and start with a little bit of learning progression,…
Since I started the podcast a few months ago, most of the episodes I’ve recorded (and the posts I’ve made here to accompany them) so far either focus on a specific mathematical idea you frequently use, sometimes without even realizing it, OR on the math involved in a particular activity you do on a regular basis. There’s a few other topics,…
Humans are creatures of habit. We like routine. So much so, that we even keep doing things that we know aren’t serving us. You know, like staying up late and hitting the snooze button. My job is a nine month position, so I get a full three months away from the office during the summer. I chose this schedule so I…
Do you have a vivid memory from math class? One that has stuck with you for years. There are a handful of distinct memories I have from when I was in the third grade. I loved my teacher…truth be told, I loved all my teachers except a couple from high school…and I loved school. Yes, I was that kid. A first…
Are you a musician? Meaning, do you play a musical instrument? I remember learning to play piano when I was a young child. I think I was five or six years old when I started lessons with the music director at the church we attended. She taught me how to sit properly on the piano bench, where to place my fingers…
If you are anything like me, you make endless lists, mostly of things that need to get done. I love a good list for a few reasons: Have you ever written something on your list that you did before you made the list just so you can cross it off? Tell me I’m not alone here! Would you be surprised to…
I think it’s time to clear some things up. I talk about “math people” a lot. LIke a lot, a lot. I have conversations with students, with friends, with people I meet on the street or on the airplane, and even with the guy who sold me my car. Here’s how it usually goes with strangers. Someone will ask what I…
It is no secret that the only thing I truly enjoy about food preparation is the eating part. I love to eat all kinds of foods from all around the world, but I don’t love the cooking part. Not even a little. It’s one of those areas of my life where I don’t necessarily exhibit a growth mindset. I cook meals…
Everyone loves a good deal, right? I remember when I was a kid, any time my parents wanted to make a specific purchase, they would look at the options and compare prices at different stores. Now, mind you this was before the internet, so that meant actually visiting multiple stores to see the options and then checking the newspaper for sales…
Do you love to play board games or card games like I do? I am always asking my husband if he wants to play a game and I love all kinds. I especially like games that involve some kind of strategy or skill. The truth is, though, most games involve some kind of mathematical thinking, so the message in this episode…
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been determined to do well and succeed. When I didn’t get something right, I made adjustments to my approach and tried again. And again. And again. Until I was satisfied with the outcome. Or, until I ran out of time and had to stop working. This was true for nearly everything I…
In the last few years, I’ve seen a lot of people habit tracking. Sometimes they use a paper chart to keep track, as a printout on the fridge or drawn out in a bullet journal. Sometimes, it’s in an app…there are tons of tracking apps out there. Some focus on one thing, like exercise or food, and others are sort of…