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Have you ever stared at your lesson plans, pacing guide, and testing calendar and wondered: How am I supposed to fit all of this in? If so, this episode was made for you. Host Mona Iehl, math coach and creator of Word Problem Workshop, helps you shift from cramming content to making room for deep thinking, math talk, and student growth.

We’ve all asked it: How do I fit it all in? But Mona flips the script and offers a more powerful question: What really needs to fit? This episode challenges the pressure to cover every problem in the textbook and reminds us that our real job is to help students make sense of math—not race through content.

💡 3 Practical Shifts to Restructure Your Math Block (5–6 min read)

Ready to start reclaiming your math block? Mona offers three actionable strategies to create more space for student thinking without throwing out your curriculum:

⭐️ 1. Get Clear on What’s Non-Negotiable

Use standards to identify what truly matters. Not all content is created equal—focus on the major work of your grade and spend time where it counts.

⭐️ 2. Build a Predictable Structure

Students thrive on routine. Mona shares a time-tested structure:

• Warm-Up (10 min): Number talks, WODB, number of the day
• Word Problem Workshop (25 min): Open problems, real-world contexts
• Curriculum/Small Groups (25 min): Fluency, centers, skill practice

⭐️ 3. Use Curriculum as a Source, Not a Script

Start with the juicy problems—often hidden at the end of a lesson. Let students grapple first, then facilitate discussion to name strategies and build understanding. The deep thinking comes first—the direct teaching comes after.

🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Let’s Redesign That Math Block Together

✅ Listen to the full episode to learn how to shift your mindset and get practical steps to transform your math time
✅ Subscribe to Math Chat so you never miss an episode
✅ Leave a review to help more teachers find the support they need

📒 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're trying to reach every student by creating multiple versions of your math lesson—this episode is for you. Host Mona Iehl, math coach and creator of Word Problem Workshop, shows you how to differentiate effectively without doubling your workload. The secret? One well-chosen, open-ended problem—and the right mindset to support it.

Many of us grew up believing that differentiation meant creating different work for different learners—and then spent hours doing just that. But Mona breaks down a more effective approach: planning for variation, not perfection. Differentiation happens when we vary the content, process, product, or learning environment—not when we run ourselves ragged with busywork.

🧠 Content, Process, Product, and Environment: A Fresh Framework

Let’s get specific. Mona walks you through the four core elements of differentiated instruction in math:

• Content: Vary numbers or contexts within the same task
• Process: Offer choices—tools, strategies, partners
• Product: Let students show thinking in multiple ways
• Environment: Build spaces that support focus and risk-taking

Whether it’s offering manipulatives, flexible seating, or celebration of “messy” math, these strategies help all learners thrive.

🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Simplify Your Math Block

✅ Listen to the full episode to discover a better way to differentiate in math
✅ Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a strategy
✅ Leave a review to help more educators build flexible, inclusive math classrooms

📒 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 today’s episode, Mona welcomes special education teacher and SEL expert Allie Szczecinski to unpack a topic that’s often overlooked in math: social emotional learning (SEL). With over 15 years of experience and a brand-new book, Their Best Behavior, Allie shares how weaving SEL into your math instruction can build stronger thinkers, more confident students, and a calmer classroom.

🎧 This one’s a must-listen if you’ve ever thought, “My students could do the math… if only they believed they could.”

📘 Their Best Behavior by Allie Szczecinski

🎧 Listen, Subscribe, and Start the Shift

Ready to build a math class that supports the whole child?
✅ Listen to the full episode for inspiration and practical ideas
✅ Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a strategy
✅ Leave a review to help more educators discover the power of SEL in math

📒 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!